WHEELING, Wv – The Wheeling Nailers were looking to put some distance between them and the Allen Americans and have an opportunity to close out the Kelly Cup on home ice on Saturday night in Game Five of the Kelly Cup Finals but the Nailers literally turned over a great chance to not only win the Cup on home ice but a 4-2 loss on Friday night assured the series will go back to Allen, Tx for at least Game Six of the best-of-seven series.
The Americans made Wheeling pay dearly for three bad turnovers that cost the Nailers three goals and two blown leads. Gary Steffes scored on one of those turnovers in the first period when the puck was behind the Nailer net and Steffes skated down the slot and slammed home a shot for a 1-0 Americans lead. The Nailers got the goal back with 15.1 seconds left in the period when Danny Fick fired a shot from the right point where Dan O’Donoghue was in front of the Allen net and put home the rebound to tie the game.
Wheeling took the lead at the 14:17 mark of the second period when O’Donoghue saw Cody Wydo in front of the Allen net and redirected O’Donoghue’s pass and into the net for a 2-1 lead. The Americans tied the game at 2-2 on a two-on-none breakaway when Wheeling turned the puck over at center ice and away went Vincent Arseneau and Nikita Jevpalovs on the break, but Arseneau took a shot that Franky Palazzese saved but the rebound came right out to Jevpalovs for an easy goal to tie the game with 1:45 left to go in the period.
The most costly goal of the game for Wheeling came at the 3:38 mark of the third period when Chad Costello scored one of the best goals of the playoffs with a defensemen hanging all over him on a break make a great deke that faked out the goalie and put on an NHL style move for a backhanded goal and a 3-2 Americans lead that they would not relinquish. An empty net goal later and the series is now set up for a pivotal Game Five on Saturday night.
Game Six will be back in Allen on Thursday night and if a Game Seven is necessary will be played next Saturday the 11th in Allen as well.
You must be logged in to post a comment.