WHEELING, WV – The Wheeling Nailers faced off against the Cincinnati Cyclones in their own barn for the second time in as many weeks Friday night. Wheeling entered the game with the leagues best power-play but their penalty kill ranked dead last. The Nailers were hoping to build on their recent success on the road while the Cyclones wanted to improve on their 2-2-1 record.
Courtesy of Zack Rawson zrawsonphoto.com
Derek Army lost the opening face-off and the Cyclones proceeded to control the puck for the first couple shifts. The Nailers struggled to get puck deep and the neutral zone was a traffic jam early. The Cyclones had a couple good chances then Rob De Fulviis wristed one past Sean Maguire from the right circle for his first goal of the season. Andrew Radjenovic got his first apple for his help on the goal.
The goal seemed to get the Nailers going and Garrett Muers got to work getting under the Cyclones skin. This week, he was playing the part of agitator (spoiler, he plays that part every week). Feeding off Meurs’ energy, Kenny Ryan chipped his sixth past Jason Kasdorf in the crease. Cam Brown and Cody Wydo both got assists. The Nailers followed with a couple great scoring chances down low but could not settle the rolling puck, missing a wide open net twice and hitting the post in the same sequence.
Courtesy of Zack Rawson zrawsonphoto.com
After an awkward Nailers change, the Cyclones got an odd man rush that led to a Brandon McNally goal from the right circle. Coach Jeff Christian decided to make a goalie switch at this point, going with Will King between the pipes for the remainder of the game. The Cyclones went on the power play soon after, when Zach Tolkinen was nabbed for hooking. Brycen Martin rang one off the left post but the period ended with the Cyclones leading 2-1.
Courtesy of Zack Rawson zrawsonphoto.com
When the second began, it was clear that coach Christian made the necessary adjustments as the Nailers got a number of good chances early. They seemed to ramp up their physicality and were breaking out of their zone clean. The Cyclones, for their part, held off the Nailers attack including killing off a penalty. Cincinnati pushed back and got a power play of its own when Brown was sent off for interference. Thirty seconds later, the Cyclones evened things out at 4-on-4 when the bench was penalized for too many men on the ice. Derek Army took a feed off the boards from Brown and blasted it past Kasdorf who was partially screened. CCC ECHL Rookie of the Month Reid Gardiner and Brown both assisted on Army’s goal. The Nailers had a couple more quality scoring chances late in the period but the puck seemed to be on edge or rolling and the period ended tied at two.
Courtesy of Zack Rawson zrawsonphoto.com
The Cyclones scored early on in the third when Winston Day Chief beat King stick side from the left circle. Radjenovic and McNally assisted on the tally. The Nailers were moving the puck well but the Cyclones maintained excellent gap control and seemed as thought they would hold on and win. With just two and a half minutes left in the game, Jesse Schultz was caught for cross checking, giving the Nailers a power-play and a glimmer of hope. Eleven seconds later Gardiner tied the game with help from Wydo and Sorkin. Three periods would not be enough to decide this one.
Coach Christian went with two forwards and one defencemen for the 3 on 3 overtime period. The Cyclones chose the same setup but switched things up a couple minutes in going with two D. Justin Danforth chipped and errant pass at the blue line ahead feeding Jesse Shultz who scored the game winner sending the Cyclones home with two points and a final score 4-3 Cyclones.
After the game Pro Hockey News caught up with defensemen Jaynen Rissling and forward Reid Gardiner. Special thanks to Collin Stipetich of Wheeling Nailers New Media for lining up the interviews.
Rissling was recently traded to the Naliers and was facing his former team for the first time.
“It’s a little different, I’ve never been traded before,” he said. “When the puck drops, were not really friends anymore. It just sucks that we didn’t get the win”.
Gardiner has been playing well and is drawing attention and accolades from the league. When asked about the rookie of the month award, Gardiner was humble and more concerned about the team as a whole.
”it’s a tremendous honor for myself but I think all the credit goes to my teammates, instruction and line-mates”. Gardiner said. “[The] team game was probably the best of the year. We were a bounce or two away from winning. We need to continue to do things the right way and play like [we] did in the second and third period. Nobody wants to play from behind, you want to play with the lead, the key is making smart plays and trying to get pucks at the net.”
The Nailers head to Iron City on Saturday hoping to build on the improvements they made on the penalty kill stopping four out of five Cyclone chances. With an already dominant power-play the Nailers should continue to be at or near the top of the division for the foreseeable future.
Contact the author at keirsey@prohockeynews.com or on Twitter @apoptosian
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