Nailers vs. Monarchs Game Day Snap Shot

WHEELING NAILERS(12-10-2-0, 26 PTS, 5th North, T-8th East)79 GF, 77 GAPP: 16.7% (18-for-108), 15thPK: 75.5% (77-for-102), 27th

26-D-Kevin Schulze (4 goals, 17 assists, 21 points in 24 games)11-F-Cody Wydo (9 goals, 11 assists, 20 points in 24 games)23-F-Garrett Meurs (9 goals, 9 assists, 18 points in 24 games)22-F-Adam Krause (7 goals, 10 assists, 17 points in 16 games)8-F-Nick Sorkin (6 goals, 10 assists, 16 points in 19 games)17-F-Jordan Kwas (7 goals, 8 assists, 15 points in 24 games)29-G-Sean Maguire (0-3-0 record, 4.75 GAA, .856 Sv% in 3 games)

MANCHESTER MONARCHS(17-7-1-1, 36 PTS, 1st North, 1st East)100 GF, 77 GAPP: 23.1% (21-for-91), 3rdPK: 91.0% (91-for-100), 1st

26-F-Daniel Ciampini (8 goals, 16 assists, 24 points in 24 games)19-F-Daniel Doremus (4 goals, 18 assists, 22 points in 24 games)28-F-Quentin Shore (9 goals, 11 assists, 20 points in 25 games)12-D-Justin Agosta (6 goals, 13 assists, 19 points in 23 games)14-F-Derek Arnold (6 goals, 12 assists, 18 points in 25 games)6-D-David Kolomatis (3 goals, 14 assists, 17 points in 25 games)1-G-Sam Brittain (12-3-1 record, 2.44 GAA, .912 Sv% in 17 games)

Head to Head2015-16 Season Series: Nailers 1, Monarchs 12015-16 Season Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 1, Monarchs 0All-Time Series: Nailers 1, Monarchs 1All-Time Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 1, Monarchs 0

Almost a Replay of the Night BeforeThe Wheeling Nailers had their most memorable comeback of the 2016-17 season on Friday night, when they erased a 4-0 deficit, scoring six of the game's last seven goals, stunning the Fort Wayne Komets, 6-5 at WesBanco Arena. On Saturday night, the two teams met again in Fort Wayne, and nearly featured a repeat performance. The Nailers fell behind 3-0 in the first period, as the Komets got goals from Mike Cazzola, Brady Vail, and Kyle Thomas. Former Fort Wayne forward Garrett Meurs put Wheeling on the scoreboard in the middle frame, before the two sides exchanged a couple of markers in a 21-second span, with Thomas scoring for Fort Wayne and Andrew Ammon for the Nailers. Cody Wydo lit the lamp with 4:11 to go for Wheeling, cutting the deficit to one, but the visitors came up short in their quest for the equalizer, as the Komets escaped victorious, 4-3. Despite suffering the defeat, Sean Maguire made 24 saves, including some big stops at key times.

Home Cooking Rises to the TopThe Manchester Monarchs will play their first road game since November 29th, when they visit WesBanco Arena on Tuesday night. The Monarchs are coming off of a six-game homestand which they took full advantage of, winning two games each against the Kalamazoo Wings, Norfolk Admirals, and Elmira Jackals. Manchester outscored those teams, 30-14, as it found the back of the net at least four times in each win, while limiting the opposition to three goals or fewer in each of the contests. Daniel Doremus was the team's leading scorer during the homestand, with nine points, followed by Rihards Bukharts, who had eight points, while leading the way with six goals. Kevin Morris recorded four goals and five points, with three of the four goals being game winners. Sam Brittain was the winning netminder in four of the games during the stretch, as he ran his season record to 10-2-0 at SNHU Arena.

The Rankings Reflect the StandingsIn many cases, clubs who have great success in the two special teams departments typically tend to have a good chance at securing a postiive win-loss record. Take for example the Wheeling Nailers and Allen Americans, who boasted the top two power play percentages in the 2016 Kelly Cup Playoffs, en route to a showdown in the championship series. The Monarchs come to Wheeling on Tuesday with the highest point total (36) in the Eastern Conference, as well as the third highest total in the ECHL, and fans won't have to scan far down either special teams category to find them. Manchester's penalty kill has been the toughest to crack in the league, having allowed only nine goals in 100 opportunities (91.0%). On the offensive side, the Monarchs have converted 21 times on 91 chances with the power play for a 23.1% success rate. The Nailers power play ranks 15th in the ECHL at 16.7%, and will be looking to bounce back from an 0-for-6 showing on Saturday. Meanwhile, the penalty kill is looking for a clutch outing, as it currently sits at 75.5%.

Happy to be HereAs documented earlier, the Monarchs have had great success playing on their home ice at SNHU Arena this season, compiling a 12-5-1 record, after already having played half of their home games. However, Manchester has also done well away from New Hampshire, going 5-2-1 when visiting other buildings. The Nailers have had greater success at home, especially lately, as they have won three of their four December tilts at WesBanco Arena, giving them an overall mark of 7-4-2 in front of their home fans. On the flip side, road games haven't been the friendliest for Wheeling, particularly in the last few weeks, as the Nailers have dropped four straight games away from the Ohio Valley, with the last road win occurring exactly one month ago on November 20th at Quad City. Wheeling will be looking to capitalize on a home friendly schedule in the upcoming stretch, as six of the next eight games will take place in their back yard.

One Game for All of the MarblesTuesday night marks the only head-to-head meeting between the Nailers and Monarchs this season, and it takes place at WesBanco Arena. Despite it only being December, the magnitude of the contest will be a bit higher, as Wheeling and Manchester are now divisional opponents. So far, the Nailers have only seen Brampton and Reading out of their own division, as the first game against Elmira will take place on New Year's Eve, while Adirondack doesn't appear on the schedule until the middle of March. Wheeling has gone 3-4-1 in its games against the Beast and Royals, while the Monarchs have played against Adirondack, Elmira, and Reading, posting a 9-5-2 record. Last season, the two sides split their season series, with each team winning on home ice. Manchester took a 6-2 decision in the Granite State in February, before the Nailers responded with a 2-1 victory in April, which ultimately helped them qualify for the Kelly Cup Playoffs.