3 Top Performances From November 18 Action In The ECHL

Three Education Day games took place Tuesday morning in the ECHL. Here’s a look at some of the top performances from the action.

Two hot teams went at it in Reading, Penn. Tuesday.

The Wheeling Nailers (10-2-0) came out the winner with a 2-0 shutout over the Reading Royals (8-3-2) in front of over 1,000 students.

The crowd was treated to a low-scoring but often physical affair at Santander Arena. Maxim Pavlenko had quite the morning, as the Kazakhstan native stopped all 29 shots he faced and even got involved physically with a pair of minor penalties.

The first period was eventful. Both teams received two power plays, and Pavlenko was called for two penalties. There was also a fight, and the Nailers drew first blood on the scoreboard.

The goal came on the power play with 1:27 remaining in the opening frame. Ryan Mahshie and Brayden Edwards exchanged passes in the left circle, and Mahshie ultimately shoveled a shot into the top-right corner of the cage. Brent Johnson also picked up an assist for his seventh point in four games.

The Nailers added to their lead at the 4:28 mark of the second period. Logan Pietila carried the puck in on the right side of the offensive zone, then dropped a pass back to David Breazeale.

The ice opened up for Breazeale, who skated to the top of the right circle, where he wired a shot in off of the left post for his first professional goal.

A pair of fights took place in the third period to run the game's total to three, but neither team turned on the red light, as the Nailers were victorious, 2-0.

Pavlenko earned the shutout for Wheeling, as he was perfect on 29 shots. Keith Petruzzelli made 29 saves on 31 shots in the loss for Reading.

The Nailers are now 17-5-3 all-time in morning games.

Lincoln Griffin scored twice, and Luke Grainger recorded the overtime-winning goal to give the Cincinnati Cyclones a 5-4 victory over the Toledo Walleye on Field Trip Day in Cincy.

The Cyclones struck first. Mere seconds after the end of their first power play in the opening period, Gunnarwolfe Fontaine and Zack Trott found Lincoln Griffin in front of the net for a tap-in goal to give Cincy a 1-0 lead.

The Walleye would close out the period scoring a goal of their own to tie the game heading into the second. Denis Smirnov scored his first of the game on the tying goal.

Cincy jumped ahead 3-1 in the middle frame with two goals in the span of 3:34. Griffin scored his second of the game off a centering feed from Elijah Vilio. With his goal, Griffin now has five points (3g, 2a) in his last two games.

Toledo came back with two goals of their own to tie the game 3-3. Colby Ambrosio scored at the 4:30 mark of the second period, while Nolan Moyle tied the game with a shorthanded tally.

Ryan Kirwan scored his ECHL-leading sixth power-play goal of the season to help the Cyclones regain the lead at 4-3 24 seconds later. Smirnov scored on the power play for Toledo in the third period to tie the game once again and force overtime.

In the extra frame, Ken Appleby stymied the Toledo offense, providing enough until Luke Grainger could finish the game for the Cyclones.

The Worcester Railers hosted the Maine Mariners in front of a record crowd of 8,512. The turnout set a new franchise record for School Day Game attendance.

The record crowd was treated to a 4-0 shutout victory by the Railers. To top off the fun, the first two goals were scored by brothers Drew and Anthony Callin.

Lincoln Hatten matched the Callin family total by scoring two of his own as Worcester won its third straight game and posted its second straight shutout.

Henrik Tikkanen stopped 29 shots to become the first Railers goalie ever to post consecutive shutouts. It alsomarked the first time in Tikkanen’s career to accomplish the feat.