WHEELING, WV – Chris Auger had a hat trick and Luke Sandler, Travis Brown and Luke Pither each chipped in with singles as the Brampton Beast dismantled the Wheeling Nailers 6-3 at the WesBanco Arena in Wheeling on Saturday night.
Jeremie Blain, Mike Vernace and Brandon Marino each added three assists, while Beast goaltender Sean Bonar played well for the second straight night and picked up his first win as a member of the Beast, making 31 saves.
The Nailers got on the board early as Jarrett Burton beat Bonar for his ninth goal of the year just 2:18 into the game.
The Beast bounced back in a big way as Sandler picked up a rebound in front of Nailers starter Bran Foster and notched his first ECHL goal at 5:55.
Brampton grabbed its first lead of the game at 12:27 with a shorthanded goal. Bryan McGregor found a pinching Travis Brown at the point, who unleashed a booming one-timer from the point that found the top corner.
Wheeling’s Zach Torquato ended the first period scoring with his eighth goal of the year on the power play at 12:28, as the teams were tied at two after an exciting first period.
Just six seconds into an early second period power play, Auger took a pass in the slot and perfectly deflected home his second goal of the weekend at 3:10.
Pither restored the two-goal lead with a shorthanded goal less than three minutes later. Brandon Marino found a streaking Pither heading down the left wing and he sent a perfect wrist shot to the top corner for a 4-2 Beast lead at 6:00.
Adam Krause got one back for Wheeling just six seconds later with a power play goal to cut the lead to 4-3 at 6:36. Auger got his second of the game later in the period as he deflected a Mike Vernace point shot behind Foster for a power play goal at 14:18.
The Beast kept pressing throughout the remainder of the game and poured salt in the Nailers wounds with a 5-on-3 tally in the final minute of the game. Vernace teed up a point shot that hit Auger in the shin pads and redirected behind the goaltender, giving Auger his third of the night at 19:36.
Notes: The Beast finished the night 3-for-7 on the power play and 2-for-4 on the penalty kill… The Beast scored two shorthanded goals in the same game for the first time this season… Molson Three Stars: 3) Mike Vernace 2) Luke Pither 1) Chris Auger
The Beast are back in action at the Powerade Centre Sunday afternoon at 2 pm to face the visiting Elmira Jackals.
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