TOLEDO, OH – The Toledo Walleye used four power play goals to defeat the Wheeling Nailers 6-3 at the Huntington Center Wednesday Night.
It took a good effort from a Toledo native to start the scoring in the game. Nailers forward Kelly Miller circled the net and fired a shot from the slot, which was redirected into the back of the net by Andrew Orpik giving Wheeling the 1-0 lead. Toledo responded less than three minutes later when Mike Hedden scored on a wrist shot past the glove of Nailers goaltender Patrick Killeen tying the game at one after the first period.
The Walleye took the lead 2-1 on the power play at 11:46 of the second period. Sebasiten Piche’s slapshot was tipped in front by Hedden who scored his second goal of the game. However, the Nailers responded less than a minute later, as Toledo goaltender Thomas McCollum turned the puck over to John May behind the net. May centered a feed to Jeremy Tucker who fired the puck into the wide open net. The goal scored by Tucker, a former Port Huron IceHawk under coach Stan Drulia, his first in the ECHL.
Penalties plagued the Nailers the rest of the way out, as Toledo scored three unanswered power play goals from Andy Bombach, Evan Rankin, and Kyle Rogers to take a 5-2 lead late in the third. The Walleye added to their lead at 6:33 of the final period as Rankin netted his second of the game.
Nailers utility player John May capped off a three-point night, scoring his third goal of the season on the power play. May who palyed two games for Toledo earlier in the season fired a sniper shot from the slot past McCollum to pull the Nailers within three.
Wheeling was unable to mount a comeback, as Toledo held on for the 6-3 victory. Toledo finished the game 4-of-6 on the power play, while outshooting the Nailers 40-25.
Wheeling travels to Elmira on Friday to take on the Jackals beginning at 7:30 p.m.
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