Nailers help Pens win Cup; Francis shines

While none of them might have scored a point or made a save in the Stanley Cup playoffs, five former members of the Wheeling Nailers had a hand in the Pittsburgh Penguins rise to Stanley Cup champions.

Paul Bissonnette, Luca Caputi, John Curry, Dany Sabourin and Tim Wallace all laced up their skates and donned a Penguins' NHL sweater at some point of the 2008-09 season. All told, the five combined to play 56 regular-season encounters.

Curry, in fact, was a member of Pittsburgh's taxi squad, practicing and traveling with the team until last weekend's Cup-clinching Game 7 win in Detroit.

• Sabourin, who is now with the Edmonton Oilers' organization, saw the most action as he filled in 19 times when standout goalie Marc Andre-Fleury was injured. He recorded a sub-par 6-8-2.

• Wallace, who played in Wheeling in 2006-07, had 16 games of NHL experience this season. He handed out two assists.

• Bissonnette, a rugged defenseman who isn't afraid to drop the gloves with anyone in the NHL, skated 15 times for the Penguins. He notched an assist and spent 22 minutes in the 'sin bin.'

• Curry was on the Nailers' opening day roster for the 2007-08 season. He was between the pipes three times this season for the Penguins, going 2-1 with a 2.40 goals-against average.

• Caputi, who only played one game in Wheeling this season, scored two goals and added an assist in three games with the Pens. He joined an elite group this season when he tallied goals at the ECHL, AHL and NHL levels.

Two former Nailers have already won the Stanley Cup - those being goaltender David Aebischer with Colorado in 2000-01 and former coach Peter Laviolette with Carolina in 2005-06.

Not All Good News for Nailers

The ECHL and its member teams are mourning the loss of a former goaltender.

Nathan Marsters, who played a handful of games for Wheeling in 2007-08 season, died recently in Smithville, Ontario, Canada, when a deer crashed through the windshield of his pickup truck.

Marsters was a fifth round (165th overall) draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He played four seasons in the ECHL with Augusta, Louisiana and Wheeling. He established a Louisiana team record with 56 saves in a 5-3 win over Pensacola in 2005. He also played briefly in the AHL.

Marsters is survived by his wife, Olivia. They had no children.

Nippert Throws BP

Former Beallsville standout Dustin Nippert is working his way back up the ladder towards the major leagues.

Nippert, who has been sidelined since spring training with strained back and rib cage muscles, threw batting practice Sunday to his Texas Rangers' teammates.

According to the Rangers' web site, he is listed as likely to return to the majors sometime in midseason.

Good luck Dustin!

Francis Helps 'Green' Team

Recent Martins Ferry graduate Clay Francis participated in last weekend's Mizuno All-Ohio Baseball Series in Chillicothe.

Francis' 'Green' team defeated the 'Red' team by a 6-5 count in the championship game to finish the weekend 4-0.

Francis went 4-for-7 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored. He was 1-for-2 in the title tilt.

Congratulations Clay!

Carse Back on the Bench

Former Bethany College basketball player Craig Carse has been named the head men's basketball coach at Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas.

Having known Carse during my days at good old Salem College (which has since been named Salem Teikyo and now Salem International), he is a get-up-and-go kind of coach.

There's no standing around during a practice, and when it comes to game time, he's probably one of the better x's and o's guys going.

Following his tenure at Salem, where he learned under the late, great Ray Barnhart, Carse went to W.Va. State (along with some standout players) where he led the Yellowjackets to the NAIA Championship

After his stop in Institute, he migrated to Baton Rouge, La., where he served under the legendary Dale Brown. While with the Tigers, Carse was responsible for bringing in the likes of Shaquille O'Neal and Chris Jackson.

I think Hardin Simmons, which has had some very good basketball, made a wise choice in selecting Carse.

Take it from someone who knows him.

He's been a winner, and is still a winner!

North can be reached at knorth@timesleaderonline.com