Gauthier Blanks Cyclones for Tenth Straight Win

CINCINNATI, OH- The Wheeling Nailers have done a lot of things in the first quarter of the 2024-25 season, and on Saturday afternoon, they checked off another item. Taylor Gauthier recorded the club's first shutout of the campaign, as he stopped all 17 Cincinnati Cyclones shots he faced in a 3-0 triumph at Heritage Bank Center. Matty De St. Phalle, Jagger Joshua, and Justin Lee were the goal scorers for Wheeling, who won for the tenth time in a row and extended its point streak to 13 straight games (12-0-1).

The Nailers got off to another terrific start, as they turned on the red light twice in the first period. The opening goal came at the 10:16 mark. Justin Lee broke a stick on his shot from the right point, which got redirected into the corner. Kyle Jackson pounced on the loose change immediately, then proceeded to set up Matty De St. Phalle in the low slot, where he flipped a shot into the left side of the cage. Wheeling added to its lead with 1:31 left on the clock during a stretch of 4-on-4 action. Chris Ortiz won a battle along the right wall, then delivered a pass to Jagger Joshua along the right side of the goal line. Joshua muscled his way to the crease, and used his reach to tuck a shot around goaltender Vyacheslav Peksa and in.

The rest of the contest was a defensive clinic, as the two teams combined for just 22 shots on goal over the course of the final 40 minutes. One of those shots went in for the Nailers at the 4:39 mark of the third. David Drake set up Justin Lee, who absolutely destroyed a one-timer into the right side of the twine. That was the final marker in Wheeling's 3-0 win.

Taylor Gauthier earned his sixth career shutout with the Nailers, as he was perfect on 17 shots in the victory. Vyacheslav Peksa made 18 saves on 21 shots for Cincinnati.

The Nailers will wrap up the weekend on Sunday afternoon at 4:10, when they play host to the Reading Royals. That will be the first ever Sensory Day game at WesBanco Arena. The goal horn will not be utilized, music will be lowered, there will be no flashing lights, and there will be a quiet room. That game will also feature the traditional Sunday post game skate, and all Nailers players will be skating. The next Big-6 Promotional Game is Star Wars Night on January 11th. Season memberships and other terrific ticket plans for the 2024-25 season are available now 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.