PORTLAND, ME- Multiple goal leads were not safe at Cross Insurance Arena on Sunday afternoon, as the Wheeling Nailers and Maine Mariners needed extra time to determine a winner. Both teams erased a two-goal deficit, leading to a 4-4 deadlock after regulation. With less than one minute to go in overtime, Logan Pietila stepped up as the hero for the Nailers, as he poked in the rebound of Zach Gallant’s initial shot for a 5-4 triumph. Tommy Budnick and Max Graham both scored their first pro goals for Wheeling.
The first period was a busy one, as there was a Maine goal, a pair of double minors for roughing, an ejection, and some wild exchanges of power play time. The Mariners got their goal at the 7:08 mark. Jacob Perreault rang a shot from the right side off of Jaxon Castor’s mask. The rebound dropped into the slot, where it was swatted in by Brooklyn Kalmikov. 50 seconds later, the gloves hit the ice, as Wheeling’s Zach Gallant delivered a solid left in an altercation with Jaxon Bellamy. The end of the period saw the Nailers receive a five-minute power play, due to a cross check by Shawn Element on Aidan Sutter. However, a pair of Wheeling penalties created a temporary 4-on-3 man advantage for the Mariners.
Maine capitalized on the 4-on-3 at the 40-second mark of the middle stanza. Max Andreev had his initial stuff attempt stopped on the right side, but he deposited his own rebound for the marker. When the Nailers finally got their power play back, they cashed in to trim the deficit to one. Nolan Renwick worked the puck back to Tommy Budnick, who tossed in a wrist shot from the point for his first professional goal. Wheeling continued to battle throughout the second and got rewarded with a tying tally. Daniel Laatsch spotted Max Graham wide open in the right circle, and Graham wired his first career goal into the right side of the cage. A second dust-up came in the latter stages of the period, as Budnick and Jacob Hudson went at it.
23 seconds into the third period, the Nailers took the lead for the first time. Renwick blocked a shot in the defensive zone, then created a 2-on-1 in the other direction. The rookie forward attempted to slide a pass across the slot, but the puck kicked off of a Mariners defender and ended up in the net. 2:27 later, Wheeling struck again. Gallant navigated his way into the slot and zipped a wrist shot into the bottom-left corner of the twine. Maine battled back with two goals during the final minutes to even the score and force overtime. Kalmikov struck for his second of the night, when he dangled through the slot and ripped a wrist shot into the right side of the net. Then, with 2:53 to go, Ty Cheveldayoff roofed the equalizer into the top-right corner.
Overtime saw nine combined shots on goal, but nearly reached its entirety without a goal being scored. However, with just over 58 seconds left, the Nailers secured their victory. Gallant smoked a shot on goal from the left circle that goaltender Brad Arvanitis stopped. However, Arvanitis lost the handle of the puck, and Logan Pietila stashed in the loose change, giving Wheeling the 5-4 win.
Jaxon Castor was the victorious netminder for the Nailers, as he made 24 saves on 28 shots in his season debut. Brad Arvanitis stopped 26 of the 31 shots he faced in the overtime loss for the Mariners.
The Nailers will play their home opener on Saturday night at 7:10 against the Norfolk Admirals. America’s Got Talent Star Grace Good will be performing during both intermissions, the game will have a circus theme, and there will be a magnetic schedule giveaway. Wheeling and Norfolk will also face-off at WesBanco Arena on Sunday at 4:10. Season memberships and other terrific ticket plans for the 2025-26 season are available now by calling (304) 234-GOAL. The Wheeling Nailers, considered one of the top things to do in Wheeling, West Virginia, provide affordable family entertainment for fans throughout the Ohio Valley.
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