FORT WAYNE, IN- The Wheeling Nailers fell into an early hole on Wednesday night, then ran into a hot goaltender, as they attempted to come back. Samuel Harvey stopped 36 of the 37 shots he faced for the Fort Wayne Komets, who got a pair of goals in the opening seven minutes of play. Matthew Quercia's first pro goal was the lone strike for Wheeling, who dropped a 4-1 decision to close out March.
The Komets settled in quickly on their home ice, as they popped in a pair of goals before the game was seven minutes old. The first marker came off of a turnover, as Tyler Busch picked off a Wheeling pass at the left point and steered a feed of his own to the slot. Shawn Boudrias was the recipient, as he deked to his forehand and stretched a shot around LP Guindon's reach. Fort Wayne struck again less than four minutes later, when Anthony Petruzzelli got a piece of Kellen Jones' left point attempt, leading it to change directions and fly into the net.
Neither team scored in the second, despite the Nailers carrying a 28-22 shots advantage into the final frame. With 6:36 remaining in the third period, the Komets created a large mountain for Wheeling, as they added an insurance goal. Zach Pochiro motored into the right circle, then whipped a wrist shot into the top-right corner of the cage. The Nailers broke the shutout bid with 2:20 to go, when Matthew Quercia battled his way across the crease and jammed his first pro goal inside the left post. Will Graber tossed the final tally into an empty net, as Fort Wayne won, 4-1.
Samuel Harvey had an excellent night in goal for the Komets, as he blocked 36 of the 37 shots he faced for the victory. Louis-Philip Guindon did everything he could to give Wheeling a chance at some points, as he made 31 saves on 34 shots in the defeat.
The Nailers will return home on Friday night for a Frosty Friday at 7:10 against the Indy Fuel. Then, on Sunday, Wheeling hosts the Fort Wayne Komets at 4:10, and there will be a post game skate featuring odd-numbered players. A couple of notable upcoming promotions include April 9th, when the Kelly Cup comes to WesBanco Arena, and April 15th, which is Fan Appreciation Night. Season memberships, single game tickets, and partial packages are available, and fans can get more information by calling (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.
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