Reading has the upper hand in the 14-lap penalty phase of the marathon | Pro Hockey News

WHEELING, WV – Sunday afternoon’s weekend finale between the Wheeling Nailers and Reading Royals at WesBanco Arena refused to end. The two division rivals battled through a 2-2 draw in regulation, then overtime and finally a 14-round shootout, before the Royals ultimately escaped with the 3-2 win. Miles Gendron scored the decisive goal in the longest shootout in Wheeling Hockey history in a game that lasted three hours and five minutes.

For the second time in three games, the Royals scored an early goal to take a 1-0 lead in the first period. Jeremy Michel made a pass to defender Victor Hadfield, who was just inside the left point. Hadfield let a wrist shot through a pile of bodies and the puck found its way in. Shots on goal in the stanza were only 5-5.

The teams went more than 40 minutes without scoring again before Wheeling tied the game at 4:09 of the third. Tanner Andrew delivered a perfect pass into the crease for a tap-in from Mike Posma. Reading regained the lead 1:39 later on the power play, when Kyle Haskins hit a wrist shot into the top left corner of the cage. The Nailers got a power play marker of their own to tie the score with 3:58 left. Craig Armstrong one-touched a pass from Tristan Thompson to save Scooter Brickey, who banged in a one-timer from above the right circle.

Little did everyone know that there was much more hockey to be played. Overtime could not determine a winner, so the match went to a shootout. Zach Urdahl gave Wheeling the lead on the first lap, but Jacob Frasca kept the Royals alive on lap three. Taylor Gauthier and Keith Petruzzelli traded saves in the fourth and fifth rounds, before the Nailers’ Matty De St. Phalle and Reading’s Nolan Burke were both successful in the sixth round. Seven rounds of failed chances followed, before the match finally ended in Round 14. Connor Lockhart came up empty for Wheeling, while Miles Gendron converted to give the Royals the 3-2 win.

Keith Petruzzelli was the victorious netminder for Reading as he stopped 29 of 31 shots during the match and then 12 of 14 shootout shots. Taylor Gauthier made 19 saves on 21 shots in the game for the Nailers, then hit 11 of 14 in the shootout.

The Nailers have nine days off before hitting the ice again for their next game on Wednesday, Feb. 25 against the Fort Wayne Komets at 7:10 p.m. This is the make-up game of the originally scheduled match on January 25. Wheeling has two more home games that week. Friday, February 27 at 7:10 against the Kalamazoo Wings is a Frosty Friday. Then on Sunday, March 1, the Nailers and Komets will compete in the annual Faith & Family game at 4:10 p.m. The next Big-6 Promotional Game is Margaritaville Night on Saturday, March 14. Individual tickets, group tickets and more are available now by calling (304) 234-GOAL. Considered one of the best things to do in Wheeling, West Virginia, the Wheeling Nailers provide affordable family entertainment for fans throughout the Ohio Valley.