GLENS FALLS, NY- The third period of Friday night's game between the Wheeling Nailers and Adirondack Thunder at Harding Mazzotti Arena was epic. The two teams played to a scoreless tie through two periods, before Wheeling put three goals on the board in front of an irate Thunder crowd. Taylor Gauthier made sure those were the only three markers of the night, as he earned the 3-0 shutout win in his second start of the season.
The two squads felt each other out in the first period with 14 combined shots and only one penalty. The highlight of the middle frame was a fight between Wheeling's Cole Tymkin and Adirondack's Mathieu Boislard, which resulted in Boislard getting ejected for not having his jersey tied down.
The craziness of the third period started at the 7:14 mark. The Nailers got trapped in their defensive zone, and the puck ended up in the net, but the ruling on the ice was that it was kicked in. The play was reviewed and the call stood. 1:06 later, Wheeling went the other way and got a close call to count for a goal. Connor Lockhart's initial shot hit Tyler Brennan's left pad. However, the puck sat in the crease, and was eventually touched in by Aidan Sutter. The play was reviewed for possible goaltender interference, but the goal stood, and the fans went nuts. The Nailers followed that up with a no-doubter at the 14:29 mark, when Connor Lockhart snapped in a wrist shot from the left circle. Wheeling had to kill off a 6-on-4 with 2:25 remaining, then Brent Johnson came out of the penalty box and buried an empty netter for the 3-0 final.
Taylor Gauthier was perfect in goal for the Nailers, as he denied all 29 shots he faced. That was Gauthier's eighth career shutout, which tied him with Andy Franck for the second most in team history. His junior hockey teammate Tyler Brennan made 17 saves on 19 shots for Adirondack.
The Nailers and Thunder will do battle again in Glens Falls on Saturday night at 7:00. Wheeling's next home game is 80's Night on Saturday, December 27th, which features a post game concert by Tongue 'n Cheek. That will be the first of eight straight home games. Some other highlights during that homestand include Kid's New Year's Eve on Wednesday, December 31st, Women in Sports Night on Saturday, January 3rd, and Marvel Night on Saturday, January 10th. Season memberships and other terrific ticket plans for the 2025-26 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.
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