Wheeling made a high-profile addition on Wednesday, as the Pittsburgh Penguins assigned top-rated prospect Luca Caputi to the Nailers prior to Wednesday’s 5-3 loss to the Johnstown Chiefs at Cambria County War Memorial Arena.
The Hockey News rated Caputi as the Penguins’ No. 1 prospect and the NHL’s 70th-best prospect overall in the magazine’s Future Watch ’09 issue this week. The 20-year-old left wing scored a wrap-around goal to give the Nailers a 2-0 advantage before the Chiefs came back.
“You can tell around the boards he has a little more patience than most guys,” Chiefs defenseman Mike Knight said.
“He’s really good in close quarters. But you can’t respect him too much because he’s still just another guy. You’ve got to be aware when he’s out there. He kind of got me on that wraparound goal. I adjusted. We shut him down the rest of the game.”
Ironically, The Hockey News said Caputi’s “best asset is puck-protection skill below the goal line in the offensive zone,” which is exactly how he scored on Wednesday.
Caputi made his NHL debut with the Penguins on Feb. 3 at Montreal and had one goal in five games with Pittsburgh through Feb. 11.
Since then, he had been skating with the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he had 40 points (15 goals, 25 assists) in 54 games overall with the Baby Pens.
“He’s a guy that can control play,” Chiefs goaltender Kris Mayotte said. “Everything is a bit slower for him (in the ECHL). He sees things that maybe some other guys don’t see. You can’t just assume the puck is going up ice off the stick. You really have to focus and react. You try not to over-anticipate because that’s when he becomes dangerous.”
Chiefs
Related Photos
-
dave lloyd/the tribune-democrat Penguins prospect Luca Caputi skates with the puck during Wednesday’s game against the Chiefs. Dave Lloyd
Discussion
Top Pens prospect scores for Nailers
- Chiefs
-
-
Slapshot Cup expands to 18 teams in second year
The Slapshot Cup Hockey Tournament has expanded for its second year in Johnstown.
-
Former players rally to help ‘Ziggy'
Randy Rowe felt it was so important to wear the specially designed Ziggy’s Fundraiser sweater that he juggled his schedule and planned a 91⁄2-hour drive from Belleville, Ontario, to Richland Township.
-
Johnstown sufferes an epic loss
The final seconds ticked down in the Johnstown Chiefs’ ECHL existence on Saturday night, and even though the hometown team trailed by four goals, a standing-room-only crowd began chanting, “Let’s go Chiefs.”
That chant would be nothing out of the ordinary on most nights. But this game was the last game.
Twenty-two ECHL seasons and thousands of memories came to a conclusion when the Chiefs dropped a 5-3 contest to Elmira at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. -
Mike Mastovich: ‘A sad night for Johnstown’
Scott Allen stood on the New York Islanders bench during Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators.
Long Island and the NHL is about as far from Johnstown and the ECHL as one gets on a sunny afternoon. -
Joe Gorden: City teams usually on thin ice
A sellout crowd turned out on Saturday to say goodbye to the ECHL’s
Johnstown Chiefs in their last game at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. The irony was obvious. -
Nailers to play 11 games in Johnstown next year
The thought of loyal Johnstown Chiefs fans rooting for the Wheeling Nailers might have been difficult to grasp a few months ago.
But next season, Johnstown’s hockey fans have no other choice. -
Mike Mastovich: 10 Defining moments in Chiefs history
So, this is it.
Twenty-two ECHL seasons and 1,518 regular-season games.
It ends tonight at a sold-out Cambria County War Memorial Arena. -
Chiefs drop final road game
The Johnstown Chiefs dropped the final road game in team history on Friday night, falling behind early and failing to catch up to the Cincinnati Cyclones in a 5-1 loss in front of more than 10,000 fans at U.S. Bank Arena.
- Arena confirms: Wheeling Nailers to play some games in Johnstown next year
-
From goalies to grinders to scorers, the Chiefs have seen it all
Nineteen seasons of covering the Johnstown Chiefs have been filled with numerous ups and downs, unexpected twists and more than enough bizarre antics.
- More Chiefs Headlines
-
Slapshot Cup expands to 18 teams in second year
Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Expert: Removing LA School's Staff 'Appropriate'
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
$25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
