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Nailers Never Really Shorthanded

Wheeling has 11 goals when down a man

Photo by Joe Lovell The Nailers scored their 11th shorthanded goal of the season last Sunday in a victory over Indy.

WHEELING — The team that is on a penalty kill is generally supposed to have a decided disadvantage. That hasn’t necessarily been the case this season in the ECHL, and for the Wheeling Nailers, in particular.

In Sunday’s 4-3 victory at WesBanco Arena against the Indy Fuel that tied the teams for fourth — the final playoff spot — in the Central Division, the Nailers (19-16-2 — 40) recorded their 11th shorthanded goal of the season, which is tied for the top spot in the league.

”We’ve been opportunistic and we know that a lot of power plays don’t like playing defense,” Wheeling forward Zac Lynch said. ”We’ve jumped at good chances and have gotten a lot of good finishes by guys, especially (Cedric) Lacroix, who are chipping in.

”So if we see a chance that we can jump and maybe get a 2-on-1 or a breakaway, Coach (Mike) Bavis gives us that opportunity to take those chances and it’s been paying off a lot for us.”

Lynch would know, since he was instrumental in the latest one. He jumped an Indy defender in his own zone, stole the puck and got it to Lacroix who went in on the goaltender and made a nifty move to open the 5-hole before depositing his league high-tying fourth shorthanded goal.

”I think our guys do look to sniff out an opportunity — I wouldn’t call it weakness — but somewhere where they get caught a little flat-footed,” Bavis said.

”We like to get into a foot race on the penalty kill and Zac, again, put a lot of pressure on the ‘D’ who lost an edge and ended up falling.

”It’s great for Ceddy to finish because he’s done so much for us in the toughness department, the penalty-kill department, the face-off department.

”For him to continue to build his offense is both good for us and good for him”

AHL Deals

Bavis has talked at length this season about the Pittsburgh organization ”trusting its eyes” in terms of procuring talent. Well the Penguins obviously like what they’ve seen from Wheeling forwards Lacroix and Yushi Hirano. It was announced during Sunday’s game that each has been signed to an American Hockey League deal through the end of this season.

”The Penguins organization has been down here a number of times and watched the development,” Bavis said. ”They look at Ceddy Lacroix and they like him as a hockey player but also what he brings in terms of leadership.

”Hirano, you’re looking at a guy who played in North America in the USHL, but he’s still developing to this game. They’ve watched the trajectory of his play and he’s blocking shots, being very physical and he’s got a tremendous release … he’s got an NHL shot.

”He’s made plays on the power play and he’s a really interesting prospect. So not a surprise to me (the Penguins) wanted to do that.”

Hirano has 25 points (8g-17a) in 32 games and is a plus-10. Lacroix leads the team with 108 penalty minutes in 37 games, and has chipped in offensively with 17 points (8g-9a).

What Lies Ahead

After spending all last weekend inside the friendly confines of WesBanco Arena, the Nailers will hit the road for three games this week. They’re in Adirondack tonight and Friday, before making the drive down to Reading for a game Sunday.

”We haven’t been out of division for a while,” Bavis said. ”Reading is a really tough opponent and we have not seen Adirondack, but I know they’re a really good team.

”We’re going to have to continue to play well and tighten up some areas that kind of came and went (Sunday) for us. Overall we want to finish this segment off and go into the All-Star break,”

Following the break, Wheeling settles in for a season-long six-game homestand, where it owns a 10-8-1 record. The Nailers are 9-8-1 on the road.

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