WHEELING, WV- After playing nine of their previous 13 games in February away from the BI-LO Center, the Greenville Road Warriors wrap up the month’s schedule with a visit to the Wheeling Nailers tonight. It is the last of six games between the clubs this season.
RECAPPING THE ACTION:
2/26/11 – GRW 3 – TOL 0
The Road Warriors used 24 saves from Nic Riopel to post their fifth shutout as a team (second for Riopel) and earn the win over Toledo on Saturday night. The offense was provided by Greenville’s Jimmy Kilpatrick, Marc-Olivier Vallerand, and Andrew Rowe. Kilpatrick’s fifth even-strength goal of the season, 12th overall, gave the Road Warriors a 1-0 lead at 8:55 of the first period. The goal was set up by an offensive zone faceoff win and Kilpatrick slammed home a rebound off of a Chris Clackson shot. The assist gave Clackson a point in five straight games (2G, 3A). Vallerand followed with the lone power play score of the night with 1:45 remaining in the first. After taking a pass from Sam Klassen at center Vallerand spun around a Toledo defender, broke in alone on Thomas McCollum, and whipped a wrist shot past the Toledo goalie. It was Vallerand’s team-leading 21st of the season. Andrew Rowe capped the scoring at 11:44 of the third with a coast-to-coast unassisted goal. It was his first as a Road Warrior in just his second game with the team. The win for Riopel was his 16th of the season.
2/25/11 – WHL 1 – ELM 3
Despite striking first against the Jackals, Wheeling was unable to put the breaks on its losing streak and dropped its eighth consecutive game. The loss also removed the Nailers from the top spot in the North Division standings. Kelly Miller allowed Wheeling to grab the 1-0 advantage 5:42 into the game with his eighth goal of the campaign with assists from Andrew Orpik and Peter Merth. Miller was added mid-season when Wheeling began to be beset by call-ups to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the AHL and has 11 points (8G, 3A) in 20 games for the Nailers. His score on Friday wasn’t enough, though, as Elmira answered with three unanswered goals to claim the win. At 10:39 of the first Justin Donati tied the game at one and the eventual game winner came from Josh Brittain with 37 seconds remaining in the second period. Michael Dubuc slid home an empty netter with less than a minute left in the third to seal the win. Peter Delmas took the loss with 24 saves for the Nailers.
WHAT’S ON TAP FOR TONIGHT:
The Road Warriors come into tonight’s game looking to extend Wheeling’s recent struggles with a win in the season series finale between the clubs. The Nailers are in the midst of an eight-game losing streak and have dropped to second in the North Division. Greenville is five-for-five against Wheeling so far following a 5-1 win at the BI-LO Center on January 2. In Greenville’s last visit to WesBanco Arena on November 28 the Road Warriors posted a 2-0 win that wrapped up a four-game northern road trip.
The last five Road Warriors games have been a virtual special teams shutdown. On the positive end, Greenville has been lights out on the penalty kill as evidenced by its 21-for-24 (87.5%) success rate. Twice in their last five they have been perfect on the PK and the other three games have allowed just one power play goal to their opponent. Greenville is an impressive 21-11-2 when holding an opponent to one power play goal or fewer. On the other end of the spectrum, last night’s power play goal by Marc-Olivier Vallerand was Greenville’s first, and only, PPG in its last five games. The Road Warriors are 1-for-19 (5.2%) over that span but still have a 3-1-1 mark in those games. In the season series against Wheeling the Road Warriors are 7-for-32 (21.8%) on the power play and 19-for-21 (90.4%) on the penalty kill.
The Road Warriors have been living their nickname during the month of February with 11 of their 15 games away from the BI-LO Center. Not including tonight, seven of their last 11 have been on the road and Greenville holds a 3-3-1 mark in those games. Two of the three wins have come past regulation and the regulation win was last night at Toledo.
Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors will return home to the BI-LO Center to battle the Trenton Devils on Friday, March 4 at 7:05 p.m. In conjunction with SHINE 96.7, the Road Warriors will be presenting “Church Night 2011” with a live, post-game performance from recording artists MyCalvary. Tickets for church groups start as low as $7. The SPINX Friday Family Four-Pack is also available for that game through the BI-LO Center Box Office and gets you four tickets, four hot dogs, four pretzels, four bags of chips, four fountain drinks for $48! For more information on these promotions and more contact a Road Warriors sales representative at 864-674-PUCK.
Related
Mitch Beck
Related posts
Top picks
WOLF PACK SEND BRUINS PACKING WITH OT WIN
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack are headed to the Atlantic Division Finals for the second straight season. A wild bounce saw a puck clip Jake Leschyshyn and beat Brandon Bussi 9:41 into overtime of Game 4 at…
PRE-GAME: WOLF PACK CAN CLOSE OUT BRUINS TONIGHT
PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK LOOK TO CLOSE OUT SERIES AGAINST BRUINS AT XL CENTER By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack welcome the Providence Bruins to town tonight for Game 4 of their Atlantic Division Semifinals series. Thanks to…
WOLF PACK SUFFER UGLY LOSS TO P-BRUINS IN GAME 2
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack were forced to settle for a split in Providence, as the Bruins roared back to take Game 2 6-0 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on Friday night. The series, now tied 1-1,…
WOLF PACK TAKE GAME ONE OF SEMIS IN P-TOWN
By: Shay Costa, Howlings PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack’s Anton Blidh scored 1:28 into the third period to give the team a 4-3 road win against his former team, the Providence Bruins, in Game One of the Atlantic Division semifinal in front of…
WOLF PACK SEND BRUINS PACKING WITH OT WIN
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack are headed to the Atlantic Division Finals for the second straight season. A wild bounce saw a puck clip Jake Leschyshyn and beat Brandon Bussi 9:41 into overtime of Game 4 at…
WOLF PACK SUFFER UGLY LOSS TO P-BRUINS IN GAME 2
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack were forced to settle for a split in Providence, as the Bruins roared back to take Game 2 6-0 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on Friday night. The series, now tied 1-1,…
WOLF PACK TAKE GAME ONE OF SEMIS IN P-TOWN
By: Shay Costa, Howlings PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack’s Anton Blidh scored 1:28 into the third period to give the team a 4-3 road win against his former team, the Providence Bruins, in Game One of the Atlantic Division semifinal in front of…
WOLF PACK GET 3-PT NIGHT FROM PITLICK IN GM 1 WIN
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – Tyler Pitlick picked up three points on Wednesday night as the Hartford Wolf Pack marched into the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence and took Game 1 of their best-of-five Atlantic Division Semifinals series. The Wolf Pack…
ORLANDO ENDS SWAMP RABBITS SEASON
Swamp Rabbits show life late, but Orlando pulls away to win the series BY: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC– Jaydon Dureau’s two-goal night spearheaded a 5-1 Orlando Solar Bears win over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Tuesday to win the South Division Semifinals…
SWAMP RABBITS ANSWER BACK IN GAME 2
Eberle nets game-winner; three multi-point performers shine in win BY: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC—Tanner Eberle broke a deadlock in a wild third period to headline the Greenville Swamp Rabbits’ Game 2 win over the Orlando Solar Bears by a 4-2 score on Monday…
SWAMP RABBITS DROP GAME 1 in OT
Spencer Kersten ends a 72-minute game to steal Game 1 from Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – Spencer Kersten ended a marathon goalie duel to give the Orlando Solar Bears a lead in the South Division Semifinals, 1-0, over the Greenville…
SWAMP RABBITS SCHEDULE FOR SOUTH DIVISION SEMIFINALS
Swamp Rabbits and Solar Bears begin a best-of-seven series this Sunday in Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced the full schedule for the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs…