Nailers Finish 2008 In Style
Wednesday December 31st, 2008 | Game Recap

WHEELING, WV - Jon Grecu and Bryan Ewing each scored a pair of goals and the Wheeling Nailers ended 2008 in fine fashion with a 6-1 victory of the Cincinnati Cyclones on New Year’s Eve at WesBanco Arena.

Grecu doubled his season goal-output from 2 to 4 with his pair of 2nd period goals. The Dartmouth College product was voted the #1 star of the game.

Bryan Ewing increased his lead among active Nailers to 15 goals with a tally in the 1st and another in the 3rd. The first ever Wheeling, WV native to play professional hockey, Ewing has the most goals of any current Wheeling Nailer but still trails a couple of guys currently up in the AHL as Nick Johnson has 16 and Rob Sirianni has 17.
Kelly Miller set the tone early for the Nailers as he lit the lamp just 15 seconds into the game on a well placed shot from the high slot gliding it past the left skate of Cincinnati goalie Kyle Gajewski.

The win avenges the most recent loss for the Nailers as they had fallen to Cincinnati on home ice 5-4 this past Saturday.

Wheeling takes over sole possession of first place in the ECHL North with the win with a record of 20-5-5 for 45 standings points. The Nailers are now one point better than the 2nd place Johnstown Chiefs who lost in overtime to Trenton in their New Year’s Eve game.

David Brown turned aside 23 of 24 Cyclones drives for the victory to improve 7-2-2 on the season.

Mitch Ganzak’s goal midway through the 1st period was his 4th of the year and the second game in a row in which he lit the lamp.

The Nailers are 5-1-1 against Cincinnati this year and will meet the Cyclones 4 more times over the next 17 days to wrap up the season series.

Wheeling begins 2009 at home as well with a pair of weekend games against the Elmira Jackals on January 2 and 3. Game-time each night is set for 7:35.
Friday, January 2 is Friday Four-Pack night. Get 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas and a popcorn all for $44. Saturday is Nailers Youth Backpack night for the first 1000 youngsters 14 and under courtesy of BB&T Bank.

For more information contact the Nailers at 304-234-GOAL or log on at wheelingnailers.com.