Kalamazoo scores four in first, beats Wheeling

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Justin Taylor cut through center ice, pulling down an airborne pass from linemate Kory Karlander while splitting through flat-footed defensemen. With nothing but clear ice between him and Wheeling Nailer’s goaltender Peter Delmas, Taylor feigned a shot to the left before deftly sliding the puck through Delmas’ legs.
“It was just a picture perfect breakout,” Taylor said. “I was trying to go short-side but he was cheating really hard to the glove.”
The goal, Taylor’s league-leading eighth of the playoffs, put the home team on the scoreboard first and started a four-goal burst in the first period that Wheeling had no answer for.
“I have to give credit to everyone on the ice,” Taylor said about leading the league in goals. “Everybody is getting the puck to the net and I’m the type of guy that likes to be in front whacking away and putting in rebounds.”
The four goals were the most given up by the Nailers in a single period since giving up four in the first period to the Toledo Walleye during the first game of the regular season on October 15, 2010.
Wheeling Head Coach Stan Drulia counted his team’s inability to stay out of the penalty as one of the biggest reasons for the loss.
“There are some things out there that I’m not sure were deserved,” he said. “We can’t be taking penalties 180-feet from our net. You allow their power play to get seven opportunities, they’re going to score.”
The K-Wings lead all active teams in power play efficiency at 29.8 percent. They were 2-for-7 for the night.
AJ Thelen and Dean Strong scored back-to-back power play goals for Kalamazoo.
Thelen scored with a hard slap shot from the point that found its way through a crowd and entered clean above Delmas’ glove hand. It was Thelen’s second goal of the post-season.
Strong’s fifth goal of the playoffs came with just over two minutes left in the first period. Strong on the left wing passed across to Andrew Fournier on the right wing during a two-on-one break into the Wheeling zone. Fournier fed back across to Strong who sniped a perfect shot into the upper-left corner of the net.
“Our power play is strong because we have some good skilled players but you have to give credit to Wheeling for blocking shots. They pay a price,” Taylor said.
Alternate Captain Sam Ftorek capped the scoring with 34.9 seconds remaining in the first period. Delmas initially made the save on Ftorek’s long slap shot from the blue line, but the puck flipped over his stick and slowly trickled across the goal line.
Delmas sat shell-shocked on the ice as the K-Wings celebrated around him.
“He has to have that save, the fourth one, but one, two, and three the kid couldn’t do anything about it,” said Drulia.
“They came out ready. We knew they were going to come ready. We knew they were going to come hard. We missed a couple assignments early on and some of our detail. The first seven minutes we didn’t seem like we were ready to play.”
Said Taylor, “It kind of puts a little bit of pressure on their back-up goaltender, but it doesn’t matter who’s in net, the gameplan doesn’t change.”
Goaltender Ryan Nie led the way for Kalamazoo, making 37 saves in a nearly-perfect performance. His only mistake came during the third period, misplaying a loose puck behind the net onto the stick of Tim Crowder who sunk it soundly into the empty net.
“What it all comes down to is wins. Whether you have 20 saves or 40 saves, it doesn’t really matter as long as you come out with that W,” Nie said.
Thanks to the 2-3-2 playoff format, the next three games will be played at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, W.Va. Game three is Thursday.
“It’s a best out of five now and we’re starting on the road,” Head Coach Nick Bootland said. “Of course it’s difficult. They play really well in their building. We have a tough task ahead.”
Contact the writer: Ryan.Loren@ProHockeyNews.com