Nailers hold on for 7-6 game two win

Allen, TX – Sunday afternoon’s game two of the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals was one for the history books; a wild affair that saw a combined thirteen goals scored by both teams and a near historic comeback by the defending Champion Allen Americans.

For the 5,540 Americans fans in attendance there was nothing to cheer about for the first two periods of play, as Wheeling steamrolled over Allen, scoring seven times in the first two periods of play. Wheeling notched three goals in the opening frame from Derek Army, Clark Seymour and Cody Wydo, with the bookended goals both coming on the power play.

Cody Wydo scores a first period goal for Wheeling / Photo by Kimberly Sauer (PHN)

At the start of the second period, Jake Hildebrand was replaced in the Allen net by Joel Rumpel in a bid to change the complexion of the game, but things only got worse for the Americans. Rumpel surrendered three goals on just six shots faced as Anton Zlobin tacked on another power play goal before Jarrett Burton extended the Nailers lead to 5-0.

Allen finally got on the board late in the frame when Chad Costello found the back of the net, but any hopes of a momentum change were dashed a minute later when Mathew Maione answered back for Wheeling. While on the power play, Allen pulled Rumpel pulled for the extra attacker in a bid to get back in the game but John McCarron added insult to injury with his shorthanded empty net tally to close out the period 7-1.

With the game obviously out of reach at 7-1 heading into the final period of play, an odd thing came to pass. The Americans finally awoke from their two period stupor; some of their poorest hockey all year, and roared back to put the Nailers into full panic mode.

Chad Costello’s second period goal started an Allen rally / Photo by Kimberly Sauer (PHN)

Allen put on a vulgar display of power, lighting the lamp five unanswered times in the span of just 7:42 to bring themselves to within one goal of tying by the midway point of the period. Goal scorers for the Americans were Spencer Asuchak, Aaron Gens and Casey Pierro-Zabotel, with Gary Steffes chipping in a pair by the 10:03 mark.

A shell-shocked Brian Foster in the Wheeling crease was replaced by Franky Palazzese, in order to stop the Americans onslaught and it worked. Allen was unable to find the evener before time expired, allowing the Nailers to bring the series level at 1-1.

The teams now head to Wheeling where the series resumes on Wednesday night at the WesBanco Arena with a7:05PM EST scheduled puck drop.

Contact the author: Maurice.Fitzgerald@prohockeynews.com

Contact the photographer: Kimberly.Sauer@prohockeynews.com