5 Unanswered Goals Leads to Wheeling Win
Wheeling, West Virginia – Pat Cannone scored a power play goal and Matthew Boucher scored 1 second after a power play to give the Utah Grizzlies a 2-0 lead but 5 unanswered Wheeling Nailers goals turned the game in favor of the home team as the Nailers won 5-2 over the Grizzlies on Friday night at WesBanco Arena.
Cannone and Riley Woods each returned to the Utah lineup after missing 7 straight games. Cannone got a one-timer from AJ White to get Utah on the board 3:59 into the contest. Cannone is tied with Ryan Lowney with 9 power play points. Cannone extends his point streak to 7 games. Utah got back on the power play 15 minutes into the first period. They didn’t score on the power play but Boucher scored his 8th of the season 1 second after the power play ended to make it 2-0 Utah. Boucher leads the team with 8 goals on the year.
Wheeling scored 2 goals within a 23 second stretch to tie the game in the 2nd period. Matt Alfaro scored unassisted 14:06 into the period. Next shift it was Austin Fyten who converted on a Sean Josling pass to tie the game.
Nick Rivera gave Wheeling a lead as he intercepted a pass and scored 1:42 into the third. Matt Miller added an insurance goal 5:50 into the third and Cody Sylvester tallied an empty netter to end the scoring.
Utah went 1 for 3 on the power play, while Wheeling went 0 for 3. Wheeling goaltender Francois Brassard saved 24 of 26, while Utah’s Kevin Carr saved 21 of 25.
The 3 game series at Wheeling is the only 3 games against an Eastern Conference opponent. It was also the first Grizzlies game in the Eastern time zone since they defeated the Greenville Swamp Rabbits 6-4 on February 1st, 2020.
The series continues on Saturday night at 5:10 pm mountain time. Next homestand for the Grizzlies is on March 12th-14th against the Allen Americans. Tickets for every Grizzlies home game are available at utahgrizzlies.com.
3 stars
- Nick Rivera (Wheeling) – GWG 1:42 into the third.
- Matt Alfaro (Wheeling) – 1 goal. Has a 7 game point streak.
- Francois Brassard (Wheeling) – 24 of 26 saves.
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