WHEELING, WV- Home ice continues to produce wonderful results for the Wheeling Nailers, who earned their fifth straight victory at WesBanco Arena on Friday night. Ryan Scarfo tallied a pair of goals and Alex D'Orio made 21 saves for a 4-1 win over the Reading Royals in the first half of a home-and-home series.
The two teams got things going quickly, exchanging goals in the opening 2:56 of play. Wheeling was first on the board, as Ryan Scarfo grabbed the rebound of Blake Siebenaler's shot, and blasted his attempt inside the right post. The Royals responded when Hayden Hodgson grabbed a loose puck in the right corner, then danced his way to the middle, where he deposited a backhander.
The Nailers put forth a terrific effort in the second period, as they scored twice, while limiting Reading to two shots on goal. The go-ahead tally came on the man advantage, as Christopher Brown and Myles Powell executed a perfect passing play, with Brown, whipping in a wrist shot from the left circle. Just before the midway mark of the frame, Renars Krastenbergs lunged forward to chip the puck home from the left side of the crease on a goal that was set up by Jan Drozg and Cam Brown.
Wheeling's strong defense and goaltending kept the Royals at bay in the third, and Scarfo added the finishing touches on the 4-1 triumph with an empty netter.
Alex D'Orio earned the win for the Nailers, stopping 21 of the 22 shots he faced. Kirill Ustimenko took the loss for Reading, making 25 saves on 28 shots.
The Nailers and Royals will meet again on Saturday, as the two teams travel to Reading for a 7:00 game. Wheeling will be home for a pair of tilts next weekend. First up is a Frosty Friday against the Utah Grizzlies at 7:05 on November 15th. Then, Sunday, November 17th is Batman Night, as the Nailers battle the Fort Wayne Komets at 4:05. 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. For information on season tickets, group tickets, partial plans, and more, call (304) 234-GOAL.
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