Jackals Shutout By Palazzese, Nailers 5-0

WHEELING, WV - The Jackals finished their road trip where it began, and for the second straight meeting, Wheeling netminder Franky Palazzese stole the show. The rookie netminder turned aside all 26 shots on goal the Jackals threw his way en route to a 5-0 Nailers win and his first professional shutout.

Jarrett Burton opened the scoring with his ninth goal of the season at 11:46 of the first period. Burton popped out of the slot and blasted a one-timer past Travis Fullerton for the eventual game-winning goal. Riley Brace and Shawn Skelly earned the assists. Then, at 15:22, Brace would bury his 16th goal of the season on a two-on-one rush. Clark Seymour earned the assist on Brace's marker. Late in the first period tempers flared and Taylor Stefishen dropped the gloves with Alex Boak at 19:20 of the frame. Then, off of the ensuing face-off, Justin Sawyer and Pat McGrath dropped the mitts and Sawyer hammered the Nailer into the ice.

The Nailers added to their lead at 4:57 of the second period with Zack Torquato's 12th goal of the season. Derek Army and Seymour added the helpers. Tyler Fernandez sniped his sixth goal of the season from the left dot at 9:23 of the middle frame to extend Wheeling's lead to 4-0. Jarrett Burton and Pat McGrath assisted Fernandez's tally. Travis Fullerton was pulled following Fernandez's marker and Sam Marotta entered the game.

The Jackals mounted a push in the third period, out-shooting the Nailers 14-7, but former Jackal Chaz Johnson would add Wheeling's fifth goal at 16:51 of the stanza. Shane Bakker and Skelly earned the assists on Johnson's 11th goal of the season.

Travis Fullerton stopped 10 of 14 shots faced in 29:23 of action, but shouldered the loss. Sam Marotta stopped 11 of 12 shots faced in 30:37 of work. Franky Palazzese stopped all 26 shots faced for his first professional shutout. The Jackals went 0-for-5 on the power-play and the Nailers went 0-for-3 with the man advantage.