It was the first game seven the Road Warriors had ever played in. The Road Warriors arrived there after twice staving off elimination against the Wheeling Nailers. It was a chance to move on to the Eastern Conference final. It was the only seventh game in the 2011 Kelly Cup Playoffs. It was a nail biting game in every sense of the word.
By winning Game Three and Game Four on home ice the Wheeling Nailers had built up a three-to-one series lead over the Road Warriors in their Eastern Conference Semifinal. Greenville was short on bodies for Game Five due to suspensions from a post-game melee after Game Four. They won big to send the series back to Greenville for Game Six. Another comfortable win followed and the Road Warriors had the chance they were looking for; home ice advantage in Game Seven and the Nailers with their collective backs against the wall after losing two straight. That was the theory, at least.
Wheeling grabbed an all-important 1-0 lead midway through the first, but rookie Marc-Olivier Vallerand found the equalizer about three minutes before the period expired. Two quick goals early in the second by Wheeling, however, had Greenville in an unenviable two-goal hole. The climb out began in earnest with Andrew Rowe deflecting home a Brendan Connolly centering pass. Rowe’s goal gave Greenville the entire third period to find the tying score. And the Road Warriors used just about all of the ticks of the clock they were afforded. Connolly’s herculean effort late in the third provided the third best moment of the Road Warriors’ season. Unfortunately it didn’t translate into a win as Wheeling won in overtime and eliminated Greenville from the playoffs.
