Johnstown Chiefs Get Out Hammers and Beat Wheeling Nailers 5-4 in OT - ECHL

MLN Newswire - mlntherawfeed.com - Wheeling, WV – The Chiefs took control early at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling as Michael Cohen scored when the first period was just a minute and thirty one seconds old. Alex Imbeault tipped in Andrew Martens' point shot for a 2-0 Chiefs lead at 4:54 of the first.

The Nailers answered back emphatically with goals by former Chief Adam Henrich and Kyle Rank. Henrich slammed a rebound past Ryan Nie while Rank fired a one-timer past Nie's glove had on a Nailers power play.

The second period saw the teams continue to trade goals with the Chiefs scoring first again. Cohen's second goal of the game earned the lead back for Johnstown, but Henrich pushed another rebound past Nie to tie the game at 3 with 11:53 left in the second. Jean Desrochers scored on the power play for Johnstown, sniping a wrist shot from the left wing past Martin Houle to put the Chiefs up 4-3 after 40 minutes.

The Nailers were able to tie the game up when Jason Tejchma slid a rebound under Ryan Nie's outstretched arm at 13:45 of the third. The Chiefs then had to kill off successive penalties to Brian Deeth and Ryan Nie within the last four minutes of regulation to force overtime.

Ryan Garlock would provide the game winner, sliding a centering pass from Randy Rowe past Houle at 2:42 of the extra frame.

The Chiefs finished 1-for-4 on the power play while Wheeling was 2-for-5. Nie made 16 saves on 20 shots while Houle was good for 17 on 22.

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