The Wheeling Nailers made history on Wednesday night at WesBanco Arena. The team who is getting ready to celebrate its 30th season in the fall had a big celebration, as they earned their 1,000th victory all-time. Tim Doherty led the offensive attack with a pair of goals, while Tommy Nappier made 28 saves, as the Nailers were triumphant 5-1 over the Indy Fuel.
The play during the first period had a lot of pace to it, as the teams exchanged chances with strong skating. Only one puck found the back of the net, and that was by the Fuel with 2:27 remaining. Spencer Watson drove his way through the left circle as he made his way toward the net. The puck ended up bouncing off of a couple of bodies, before it trickled in over the goal line.
The middle frame was all Wheeling and it started with two goals in a span of 59 seconds. Tim Doherty put the Nailers on the scoreboard at the 5:48 mark, when he jammed in a cross-crease pass from Austin Fyten. Less than a minute later, a pile of players crashed the goal and Patrick Watling got rewarded with the go-ahead strike. Wheeling extended its advantage with 3:32 left, when Brendan Harris swept the puck across the slot for a wide open swat-in by Nick Rivera.
With history knocking on the door, the Nailers made sure they got the victory, as they tacked on two insurance goals in the third. Kyle Marino got the first one at the 2:31 mark. His initial shot was blocked, but he followed up the attempt, curled around the net, and stuffed in a wraparound. Then, with 4:20 on the clock, Doherty tossed in a backhander for his second of the night and a 5-1 Wheeling triumph.
Tommy Nappier earned the win in goal for the Nailers in his first start at WesBanco Arena, as he stopped 28 of the 29 shots he faced. Billy Christopoulos took the loss for Indy, as he made 24 saves on 29 shots.
The Nailers will play their next four games on the road, beginning on Friday night against the South Carolina Stingrays at 7:05. Wheeling will then finish the season at home with Superman Night on June 4th and Fan Appreciation Night on June 5th. Both contests will be played against the Indy Fuel at 7:10. A limited number of tickets are available for Wheeling Nailers home games. To purchase yours or to get more information, visit wheelingnailers.com or call (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.
