ALLEN, TX- The Wheeling Nailers and Allen Americans took crazy to a completely new level on Sunday afternoon in game two of the Kelly Cup Final. 12 different players scored goals in what started out as a 7-1 beatdown in favor of the Nailers. The Americans rallied back in the third period to a one-goal margin, but in the end, Wheeling prevailed, 7-6. The winning goal was an shorthanded empty netter with 1:05 left in the middle frame by John McCarron. All four goaltenders saw action.
The Nailers came blazing out of the gates in the first period, starting off with a pair of successful penalty kills, while cashing in on two power plays, and adding an even strength marker. The game’s opening goal came at the 6:34 mark. Anton Zlobin entered the offensive zone with a pass to Clark Seymour, who fed Derek Army in the right circle. Army proceeded to squeeze a slap shot under Jake Hildebrand’s arm. Wheeling’s second tally came just under eight minutes later. Clark Seymour let a wrist shot go from the right point, beating Hildebrand along the ice. With 2:08 to go, the visitors dented the twine again. Jarrett Burton battled the puck out of the corner for Shane Bakker, who gave Cody Wydo a perfect pass for a goal from the left side of the slot.
The offensive onslaught continued in the second period against Joel Rumpel, who took over between the pipes. The first goal he was greeted with came from Anton Zlobin, who smoked a Shane Bakker pass into the left side of the cage. 3:40 later, the Nailers turned on the red light for the fifth time. Ty Loney set up Jarrett Burton for a one-timer in the right circle, which he drove home. Allen got its first marker of the night with 4:44 left, when Chad Costello tapped in a feed by Spencer Asuchak. However, Wheeling answered back 68 seconds after that. Riley Brace helped Burton win a face-off to Paul Cianfrini, who teed up Mathew Maione for a one-timer, which flew into the left side of the goal. John McCarron added a shorthanded strike into an empty net with 1:05 remaining for a 7-1 score after forty minutes.
Allen had incredible pushback in the third period, and nearly rallied to tie the score. Spencer Asuchak got the run started, batting in a centering pass by Dyson Stevenson on the left side of the slot. Aaron Gens trimmed the gap to four at the 4:20 mark, when he stepped up and found the left side of the net from the high slot. Gary Steffes’ power play goal at 7:20 came off of a feed from Vincent Arseneau, and 1:24 after that, Casey Pierro-Zabotel redirected in a Chad Costello feed from the right circle. Steffes became the only player to turn on the red light twice, when he wired in a slap shot with 9:57 to go, making it a one-goal game. That’s how it stayed when the final buzzer sounded, as the Nailers escaped with the 7-6 triumph.
Brian Foster ended up with a strange victory in goal for Wheeling, as he made 23 saves on 29 shots. Franky Palazzese came in for the last 9:57, and preserved the decision by stopping all four shots he faced. Jake Hildebrand started for Allen and gave up three goals on nine shots, before being replaced by Joel Rumpel, who received the loss, after surrendering three goals on 15 shots.
The Nailers and Americans will travel to Wheeling for the next three games of the Kelly Cup Final on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Wednesday’s tilt will start at 7:05, followed by 7:35 contests on Friday and Saturday.
