WHEELING, WV – The Wheeling Nailers welcomed the Hanson Brothers to WesBanco Arena for Old Time Hockey Night on Saturday, and they celebrated the occasion by delivering an old fashioned beatdown to the Toledo Walleye. The Nailers stormed the net with four goals in the second period, then added their second shorthanded tally in the third period, as part of a 6-for-7 effort on the penalty kill, as Wheeling picked up five out of six possible points during the week with a 6-2 triumph. John McCarron recorded his second two-goal game of the season, starting and finishing the scoring.
Both clubs found the back of the net in the first period, leading to a deadlock in the first 20 minutes of play. The first tally went to Toledo, who had just completed a successful penalty kill moments before. Shane Berschbach led the rush into the offensive zone, setting up AJ Jenks, who roofed a wrist shot from the left circle. The Nailers came back to even the score with 4:34 remaining. Paul Cianfrini forced a turnover, allowing Ty Loney to let a shot go from high in the zone. McCarron got a piece of the attempt to send it into the cage for the marker.
Wheeling exploded offensively in the middle frame, turning on the red light four times. Zack Torquato gave the home team its first lead of the night at 2:58, when he rang a shot off of the post and in for an unassisted tally. 3:31 later, the Nailers added to their advantage, turning on the pressure. Jeff Lerg and the Walleye held off the charge for the most part, until Cody Wydo pounced on a loose puck at the right side of the net, which he flipped over the netminder’s outstretched glove. 86 seconds after that, Wheeling cashed in for another goal, courtesy of a Harrison Ruopp one-time rocket from the right circle. Riley Brace and Jarrett Burton set up the goal. Toledo climbed within two at the 16:48 mark on Josh Shalla’s power play tally, but with 9.9 seconds to go, Brace’s shorthanded score ran the Nailers’ lead back to three. Sahir Gill lunged a pass ahead from his own blueline, leading Brace in for his wrister from the right circle.
The Nailers had their penalty killing seriously put to the test in the third period, as they spent the final 5:30 of the contest down by at least one man, while Toledo had its goaltender pulled for an extra skater. Sure enough, the home team passed the test, while McCarron iced the 6-2 final score with a shorthanded empty net marker.
Brian Foster snagged his third straight win in goal for Wheeling, making 21 saves on 23 shots. Jeff Lerg was the losing goaltender for Toledo, allowing five goals on 35 shots.
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