Nailers Double Up Cyclones, 6-3

CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Wheeling Nailers (28-16-0-2) scored a trio of goals in a 1:47 span to help pick up a 6-3 victory over the Cincinnati Cyclones (19-18-6-2) in front of 4,861 at U.S. Bank Arena on Friday night.  The victory was Wheeling’s fifth in six trips to Cincinnati this season.

Dustin Sproat put the Cyclones up 1-0 just 3:54 into the opening period when he deked past Nailers goalie Peter Delmas (W, 28 saves, 7-0-0) and tucked in his 12th goal of the year.  Unfortunately, though, the Nailers answered back on a power play when Mikael Bedard barely snuck one past Cincinnati netminder Chet Pickard (L, 11 saves, 6-10-2) to knot the score at one.  With less than a minute left in the period, Sproat cashed in on his second of the night when he wristed a puck through Delmas’ five-hole to give the Cyclones a 2-1 lead.  It turned out to be short-lived; that’s because just five seconds before the intermission, Casey Pierro-Zabotel stuffed home his 14th of the season to once again even the score heading into the break.

Early in the second period, Wheeling exploded for a trio of goals in just 1:47.  The first came at the 6:30 mark when Kris Vernarsky stole a puck away from Ryan Del Monte and buried it through the legs of Pickard for a 3-2 Nailers lead.  Then, Jason DeSantis and David Marshall each found the net to extend the Wheeling lead to 5-2.  It was the shortest time frame in franchise history that the opponent had scored three goals.  Luckily, Mathieu Aubin was able to stop the bleeding when he scored on a penalty shot after getting hauled down from behind on a breakaway.  With Aubin’s tally, the Cyclones pulled within a pair of goals through 40 minutes.

Nearly eight minutes into the third period, the Nailers regained their three-goal cushion when Kelly Miller sent another shot from inside the right circle past Marc Cheverie (ND, 8 saves, 13-8-3-2), who came in to relieve Pickard midway through the second period.  With a 6-3 lead, the Nailers simply tightened up the defense and kept Cincinnati off the scoreboard, holding on to win by the same score.

The Cyclones Radio Network Three Stars of the Game are as follows:
1.    Doug Rogers (1 goal, 2 assists for Wheeling)
2.    Jason DeSantis (1 goal, 2 assists for Wheeling)
3.    Mathieu Aubin (1 goal, 2 assists for Cincinnati)

These two division rivals will meet again tomorrow night for the second-to-last time in the 2010-11 regular season, dropping the puck at WesBanco Arena at 8:05pm.  Hear all the action on CyclonesHockey.com starting at 7:50pm.

The defending Kelly Cup Champions will return to U.S. Bank Arena next Wednesday, February 9, when they reunite with the Florida Everblades at 7:30pm.  It will be another Wet Wednesday with $1 PBR and Miller High Life flowing all night long.  Discounted ticket packages and single game tickets for the 2010-2011 season are available now.  For more information, call 513.421.PUCK (7825) or visit CyclonesHockey.com.

Click here for tonight’s box score.