The Greenville Road Warriors beat the Wheeling Nailers in sound fashion on Friday night at the BI-LO Center. The 6-2 win improved the Road Warriors record to 9-4-1 and into first place in the South Division.
The second meeting between the Road Warriors and the Nailers mirrored the start of last night’s game with the defenses appearing to take control of the first period. The Road Warriors broke through taking advantage of Wheeling’s Jason DeSantis’ interference penalty when Justin Bowers scored on the power play at 7:05. Bowers took a feed from Jimmy Kilpatrick and one-timed a shot past Wheeling goalie Mattias Modig for the first score of the night. Mark Voakes also recorded an assist on the play. The first period had eight power play opportunities between the two teams on seven penalties.
The Nailers knotted the score at 1-1 early in the second with a 5-on-3 power play goal of their own. Andrew Lord scored his fifth goal of the year beating Greenville’s Dov Grumet-Morris from in tight on the left wing. The Road Warriors regained the lead at 2-1 on Marc Olivier-Vallerand’s shorthanded goal at 6:06. Vallerand took advantage of a turnover at center ice and rushed in for a one-on-one, dekeing Modig to the right and beating him stick side for his fifth goal of the year. T.J. Reynolds and Brandon Wong recorded assists on the play. The Road Warriors extended the lead at 9:41 when Brendan Connolly found Connor Shields all alone in front of the net for his third goal of the season. Wong picked up his second assist of the night and Connolly’s assist gave him a six-game point streak. Greenville added to the lead as Blake Parlett picked up his first professional goal at 16:04. Kilpatrick and Bowers picked up assists on the play.
Please click here for tonight’s box score.
After a goal by David Marshall at 3:30 in the third, Greenville picked up the defense and shut down the Nailers for the rest of the game. The Road Warriors added to the lead as Jimmy Kilpatrick’s first goal of the year pushed the lead to 5-2 at 11:26. Bowers and Voakes picked up assists on the play. Vallerand picked up his second goal of the night at 17:10 for the final tally to put the final at 6-2.
Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors are back on home ice Sunday, November 21 to take on the Gwinnett Gladiators at 4:05 p.m. at the BI-LO Center. The Road Warriors Thanks for Giving Weekend concludes with a canned food drive to benefit Loaves and Fishes. Road Warriors fans who bring three canned goods to donate to the drive will receive a buy-one-get-one coupon to the team’s home game on December 27. For more information contact the Road Warriors at 864-674-PUCK.
