Minor Distractions - ECHL 1st Quarter Results

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens shared ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers finished up the first quarter of the 72-game schedule in the 2013-14 ECHL season this past weekend. Their 18th game took place with a 3-0 shutout vs the Toledo Walleye on Saturday November 30th.

Their current standings include their 19th game, a 3-2 shootout loss vs the Cincinnati Cyclones on Sunday December 1st, which is technically the first game of the 2nd Quarter, but it was the 2nd of a back-to-back series over the weekend so it is easier to just include it when looking at the standings. The Nailers are 11-5-0-3 so far on the season, sitting at #1 in the Atlantic Division, #3 in the Eastern Conference, and #5 in the ECHL. They have scored on just 6 of 64 PP opportunities, their 9.4% being tied for a disappointing #19 out of 22 ECHL teams. On the other hand, the PK has allowed just 7 goals on 90 chances, at 92.2% they have the #1 PK in the league.

Goaltenders

Starting goaltender and Canadiens prospect Mike Condon, recently named Goaltender of the Week and Rookie of the Month, is 8-3-0-2 with a 1.97 GAA and .939 Sv%.

Penguins prospect Eric Hartzell had been serving as Condon's backup, going 2-2-0-1 with a 2.58 GAA and .922 Sv% before being called up to the AHL on November 18th.

With Hartzell in WBS, the Nailers acquired Mathieu Corbeil, a goaltender playing on an AHL contract for the Utica Comets who had been playing in the Central Hockey League. He has played just one game so far, but he won with a 39-save shutout.

Defensemen

Mike Ratchuk leads the D in scoring with 3 Goals, 10 Points, and a -1 while playing in all 19 games, as well as 42 shots on goal, twice as many as the next highest D.

Dustin Stevenson, playing under an AHL contract with the WBS Baby Pens, has 5 Assists and a tied for the team lead +9 in 9 games, as well as 13 shots on goal. Stevenson had been called up to WBS on November 18th, but was returned to The Wheel on December 2nd.

Paul Cianfrini has 1 Goal, 4 Points, and a +3 in 13 games, as well as 9 shots on goal.

Matt Grassi, a rookie playing under an AHL contract with the Hamilton Bulldogs, has 1 Goal, 4 Points, and a +7 while playing in all 19 games, as well as 21 shots on goal.

Rookie Jake Arashenko has 4 Assists and a +4 in 17 games, as well as 13 shots on goal.

Alternate Captain Barry Goers has 1 Goal, 2 Points, and a -3 in 7 games, as well as 6 shots on goal. He got injured and hasn't played since November 8th.

Harrison Ruopp, a rookie Penguins prospect, started the season injured on the WBS roster and after getting healthy was sent down to The Wheel on November 14th. He had 2 Assists and a +3 in 9 games, as well as 6 shots on goal. He was sent back to WBS on December 2nd, swapping with Stevenson.

Myles Harvey, a rookie who began the season with the Orlando Solar Bears, came to the Nailers on November 27th. He has 1 Assist and a +1 in 3 games, as well as 3 shots on goal.

Ryan Blair began the season with the Nailers, he had a -1 and just 3 shots on goal in 5 games, and then announced his retirement from hockey on November 16th.

Rookie Ryley Miller has just a +2 and 8 shots on goal in 12 games.

Forwards

Zack Torquato is tied for the team lead with 6 Goals and leads the team with 21 Points, and has a +8 while playing in all 19 games, as well as a team leading 66 shots on goal.

Carter Rowney, a rookie playing under an AHL contract with the WBS Baby Pens, spent much of the summer with Pittsburgh in both Prospect Development Camp in July and the Rookie Tournament in August. He is tied for the team lead with 6 Goals, has 13 Points, and tied for the team lead at +9 in 15 games, as well as 32 shots on goal. He got called up to WBS on November 26th.

Rookie Sahir Gill was cut at the end of Pre-Season and signed again a day later. He has 3 Goals and 13 Points, and tied for the team lead with a +9 in 14 games, as well as 30 shots on goal.

Anton Zlobin, a rookie Pens prospect, started the season injured in WBS and after getting healthy was sent down to The Wheel on November 15th. He has 4 Goals, 9 Points, and a -1 in 9 games, as well as 27 shots on goal. He was called back up to WBS on December 2nd.

Alternate Captain Chaz Johnson has 3 Goals, 9 Points, and a +2 while playing in all 19 games, as well as 38 shots on goal.

Alternate Captain Denver Manderson, playing under an AHL contract with the WBS Baby Pens, has 2 Goals, 9 Points, and a +1 in 12 games, as well as 34 shots on goal. He was called up to WBS on November 18th.

Rookie Max MacKay, nephew of New York Islanders Head Coach Jack Capuano, has 3 Goals, 7 Points, and a +5 in 9 games, as well as 15 shots on goal. He got injured during the pre-season and returned to the lineup on November 14th.

Cody Sylvester, a rookie playing under an AHL contract with the WBS Baby Pens, spent much of the summer with Pittsburgh in both Prospect Development Camp in July and the Rookie Tournament in August. He has 5 Goals, 6 Points, and a +6 in 12 games, as well as 24 shots on goal. He was called up to WBS on November 18th.

Jack MacLellan has 4 Goals, 6 Points, and a -1 in 10 games, as well as 24 shots on goal. He got injured and has not played since November 15th.

Scott Zurevinski has 3 Goals, 6 Points, and a -1 in 16 games, as well as 21 shots on goal. He was signed to a 25-game Tryout with the Hamilton Bulldogs on December 5th.

Christiaan Minella, playing under and AHL contract with the WBS Baby Pens, has 3 Goals and 4 Points in 8 games, as well as 16 shots on goal. He got injured and hasn't played since November 9th.

Ben Duffy, a rookie playing under an AHL contract with the Hamilton Bulldogs, started the year in Hamilton and was assigned to The Wheel on November 28th. He has 2 Goals, 3 Points, and a +3 in 3 games, as well as 6 shots on goal. He got called back to Hamilton again on December 5th.

Rookie Tyler Fernandez began the year playing in the Southern Professional Hockey League, the Nailers acquired him on November 27th. He has 2 Goals and a +4 in 4 games, as well as 6 shots on goal.

Rookie Colin Mulvey was cut at the end of Pre-Season and then brought back on November 27th after half the roster had been called up to the AHL. He has 1 Goal, 2 Points, and a +3 in 5 games, as well as 6 shots on goal.

Stephen MacAulay, a rookie Canadiens prospect, has 2 Assists and a -3 in 12 games, as well as 12 shots on goal. He was called up to Hamilton on November 18th.

Ryan Flanigan has 1 Goal and a -1 in 9 games, as well as 21 shots on goal.

Rookie Justin Smith has just a +1 and 3 shots on goal in 6 games.

Rookie Patrick McGrath, a native of WBS, has just a -1 and 1 shot on goal in 9 games.