 Event Spotlight:
Bullies Get Nailed By Nailers
Saturday, February 9, 2002
By Boog Williams
SJSports Staff Writer
In a very exciting game, the AC Bullies and the Wheeling Nailers squared off in an ECHL game at the Boardwalk Mall. The game was played in front of 5,693 fans. The Nailers broke the 2-2 tie on a power play with seven minutes and four seconds left in the third period and nailed the game shut with an empty net goal at the end.
The Bullies started the game off by scoring a power play goal in the first three minutes of the game. J.F. Caudron scored his fifteenth goal of the year on assists from John Campbell and Luke Curtin. Caudron hit an open net as the Nailers goalie Joel Laing was off to his right. Wheeling's Mark Moore scored to tie the game from the top of the right face-off circle. Somehow the puck got past Bullies goalie, Shawn Degagne, as many players were in front screening. Both goalies, Laing and Degagne, came up with some great saves to keep the game tied going into the third period. All-Star goalie Laing stopped 35 Bullies shots, while Degagne kept the Bullies in the game, making 30 saves.
 In the third, the Bullies scored, 37 seconds into the period, off of a face-off win by Mark Loeding. The goal was scored by Ian Walterson, his fifth of the year, on a slap shot from the point that was deflected by the sprawling Laing. Wheeling tied the game on a powerplay goal by J.C. Ruid, his first of the year. Bullies goalie Degagne made a kick save with his left pad on a shot from Wheeling's Kurt Drumond. Drumond took a one-timer pass from Dylan Gyori. After Degagne's save, Ruid put the puck into the open net as Degagne tried to dive over to his left to save it. The game went end to end with some great scoring chances, but both goalies were on their game. The Nailers took the lead on another power play. This time it was a double minor of high sticking by Bullies Daniel Lacroix. Gyori scored his eighteenth of the year from the top of the left circle. Then, with the Nailers leading 3-2, the Bullies pulled their goalie to try to tie the score, but the Nailers nailed the game away with an empty-netter with less than 10 second left in the game.
Notes: A total of six players (2 Bullies, 4 Nailers) sat out of the game, serving suspensions distributed because of altercations in the teams' last meeting in Wheeling on Jan. 27.
The Boardwalk Mall is a great place to watch an event. If any team would like to play before a Bullies game, you must be able to sell 250 tickets to the game. If you're just a fan of hockey, this is the place to see a very exciting game. Please give the Bullies a call, write to them, or check them out on the web at: Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies Hockey www.achockey.com.
Photos by Boog Williams
                          
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