Home >  Sports >  Penguins

Monday, October 21, 2002

By Dejan Kovacevic, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

When the Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning ended regulation tied Saturday night at Mellon Arena, more than a few fans made an early exit.

	Mike Nelson of the Nailers is congratulated after scoring the only goal of the shootout at Mellon Arena yesterday. (Pam Panchak, Post-Gazette)

When the Wheeling Nailers and Peoria Rivermen did the same yesterday at the same venue, no one budged.

The reason?

"That's what the shootout does for you," Nailers left winger Mark Major said. "In all my years of hockey, I've never seen anyone get up and leave before a shootout."

The Nailers won, 6-5, when center Mike Nelson converted the lone goal of the shootout. On Wheeling's fifth and final attempt, he made a cool, forehand deke to beat Peoria goaltender Alphie Michaud. With much of the crowd of 3,822 on its feet, Wheeling goaltender Mike Valley forced Peoria center Darren Clark to shoot wide on the next attempt and clinch the victory.

The game was part of the East Coast Hockey League's regular season, but it was moved to Pittsburgh because of a scheduling conflict at the Wheeling Civic Center and because the Nailers are operated by the Penguins.

Tom Rooney, head of Team Lemieux LLC and the man who instigated the Penguins' partnership with Wheeling, makes no secret of his passion for the shootout. He has shared this in meetings with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, and he was raving about it yesterday.

"We just had more penalty shots in this one shootout than we've had in this building for 20 years," Rooney said. "Can you imagine the reaction of our crowd to having Mario Lemieux taking a penalty shot with the game on the line?"

There have been 32 penalty shots in Mellon Arena since the Penguins were born in 1967.

Valley stopped five in a rapid-fire, two-minute span.

"I think it's great, for the players and for the fans," Valley said. "I'm not one to say what the NHL should do, but you could see the way everyone was reacting. It's a lot better than having everybody leave the building quiet."

Nailers Coach John Brophy, who has extensive experience in the NHL and ECHL, also endorsed the shootout. But he doesn't see it happening in the NHL or the American Hockey League, its primary feeder system, anytime soon.

"It's entertaining for the fans, but you won't see it here. No way," Brophy said. "There's just too much money on the line for the NHL to have games decided by shootouts. Can you imagine the Stanley Cup final ending with a shootout?"

The Nailers, who improved to 2-4, got their regulation goals from right winger Arpad Mihaly, left winger Brian Cummings, center Zenon Konopka, defenseman Ryan Gillis and Major. Valley stopped 35 of 40 shots.

NOTES -- Rooney said the Penguins are trying to bring the 2004 ECHL All-Star Game to Mellon Arena, part of a joint venture with the Nailers and the Johnstown Chiefs. The Johnstown team is owned by Neil Smith, a consultant to Penguins General Manager Craig Patrick. ... The Penguins are expected to send as many as four players from their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre to Wheeling early in the week. ... The Nailers and Rivermen each played their third game in as many days, but both credited the high level of intensity to the venue. "I was in five training camps with the Penguins and never made it here," said Major, a second-round pick in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. "This is a fantastic feeling for me." ... Most of the crowd seemed to be made up of Wheeling regulars who made the trip. "We've got the greatest fans," Mihaly said. "And we really appreciate what the people of Pittsburgh did for us, cheering like we're they're team." ... Chris Wells, the Penguins' first-round pick in 1994, played for Peoria and was booed regularly. He had one assist.