The Wheeling Nailers nearly quieted a sellout crowd of 8,300 at Huntington Center, as the Toledo Walleye played their home opener on Friday night. Wheeling busted out to a 2-0 lead on goals by defensemen Mats Lindgren and Louie Roehl. However, the Walleye rallied back with three goals, including two power play strikes from Brandon Hawkins to collect a 3-2 win.
The Nailers got off to a great start, thanks to a pair of goals by defensemen. The first marker came at the 5:59 mark. Sam Houde curled off of the right wing wall, and spotted Mats Lindgren jumping into the high slot. Lindgren took the feed, and roofed his first professional goal into the top-right corner of the cage. Houde also set up the second tally, which came off of the rush.
This time, Louis Roehl got a step on his defender, broke in alone, and shoveled a shot into the top-right corner. With under one minute to go, Toledo converted on the first power play of the match. Mitchell Lewandowski set up Brandon Hawkins, who zipped a wrist shot along the ice and in from the right face-off dot.
The Walleye turned the game around in the middle frame, as the hosts turned their 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead. Sam Craggs evened the score at the 10:07 mark, when he deposited the rebound of Conlan Keenan’s initial shot. Then, in the final minute of the period, Hawkins connected for his second of the night on the man advantage, when he clobbered a one-timer from the top of the left circle into the top-left corner of the twine.
Wheeling had its best shots output in the third period, as the visitors poured 17 shots onto the goal. Unfortunately, a tying goal wasn’t in the cards, despite one puck trickling to the goal line, before it was swept away, and Toledo prevailed, 3-2.
Jan Bednar got the win for the Walleye, as he made 28 saves on 30 shots. Sergei Murashov had an impressive night in the defeat for the Nailers, as he turned away 32 of the 35 shots he faced.
The Wheeling Nailers will play their home opener on Saturday night at 7:10 p.m. against the Bloomington Bison. Swaggy P (former Nailer Peter Lenes) will be performing trick shots during both intermissions, and all fans will receive a magnetic schedule. Season memberships and other terrific ticket plans for the 2024-25 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.
