Klass Act: Gabe Klassen Lifts Nailers To Narrow Win Over Admirals

Some scouts have rated Wheeling Nailers forward Gabe Klassen’s shot as potentially NHL-caliber.

The 21-year-old Prince Albert native showed off that skill Friday night in Norfolk, leading the Nailers to a 5-4 win over the Admirals.

Klassen was the difference, scoring two goals including the game-winner, while Atley Calvert tallied three points. The victory improved Wheeling’s record to a league-best 23-5-1 (47 points).

It was a battle of the North Division’s two top teams, as the Admirals came into the game sporting a 19-8-3 mark. The Nailers were up to the challenge in the first meeting between the two teams this season.

Norfolk scored first at the 8:18 mark of the opening period when Carson Golder jumped on a rebound from Justin Young’s shot in the low slot, flipping a backhander in for a 1-0 lead.

The Nailers tied the score less than two minutes later. After leading a transition rush into the offensive zone, Louie Roehl fed Matty De St. Phalle, who passed to Jack Beck. The recent ECHL Player of the Week then slipped a backhander through the legs of Admirals goalie Domenic DiVincentiis.

Just 32 seconds later, Dilan Peters fired a shot into the top-left corner for his first pro goal to give the Nailers their first lead.

In the second period, Klassen took over. After Atley Calvert led an odd-man rush and sent a low shot on goal, DiVincentiis made the save. Klassen, however, pounced on the rebound and backhanded it into the net with 7:37 left in the middle frame to increase Wheeling’s lead to 3-1.

The Nailers followed that up with a power-play goal. Sam Houde set up Calvert, who lit the lamp by firing a shot into the right side of the net for a 4-1 advantage.

After a Ross McDougall wrister from the right circle trimmed the Nailers lead to 4-2 at 2:47 of the third period, Calvert sprang Klassen into the left circle, where he roofed his second goal of the night into the top-right corner less than three minutes later to give Wheeling its three-goal lead back.

While Klassen didn't get the much-anticipated hat trick, the Nailers would need that cushion. Norfolk put up a fight with two goals in the span of a minute. Golder notched his second on a rebound and Sean Montgomery put one in from the low slot to narrow the gap to 5-4.

The Nailers held on, as their young core of Klassen, Calvert and Beck continue to impress.

Wheeling netminder Sergei Murashov won his 13^th consecutive game, making 31 saves. DiVincentiis stopped 27 of 32 shots in the loss.

The two teams face off once again at Norfolk Scope Arena on Saturday. Puck drop is set for 7:05 Pm.