Nailers vs. Solar Bears Game Day Snap Shot

WHEELING NAILERS(11-8-2-0, 24 PTS, 5th North, 8th East)68 GF, 63 GAPP: 17.4% (16-for-92), 14thPK: 78.4% (69-for-88), 24th

26-D-Kevin Schulze (4 goals, 14 assists, 18 points in 21 games)25-F-Josh Shalla (10 goals, 7 assists, 17 points in 21 games)11-F-Cody Wydo (7 goals, 9 assists, 16 points in 21 games)23-F-Garrett Meurs (7 goals, 8 assists, 15 points in 21 games)17-F-Jordan Kwas (7 goals, 7 assists, 14 points in 21 games)16-F-Derek Army (8 goals, 5 assists, 13 points in 20 games)29-G-Sean Maguire (0-1-0 record, 4.09 GAA, .875 Sv% in 1 game)

ORLANDO SOLAR BEARS(14-7-2-0, 30 PTS, 2nd South, 4th East)90 GF, 75 GAPP: 21.2% (21-for-99), 7thPK: 78.9% (71-for-90), 23rd

14-F-Denver Manderson (9 goals, 17 assists, 26 points in 23 games)9-F-Brett Findlay (6 goals, 19 assists, 25 points in 23 games)27-F-Eric Faille (8 goals, 16 assists, 24 points in 23 games)26-F-Joe Perry (14 goals, 5 assists, 19 points in 23 games)47-F-Patrick Watling (7 goals, 11 assists, 18 points in 20 games)6-D-Nikolas Brouillard (3 goals, 8 assists, 11 points in 19 games)31-G-Ryan Massa (8-4-1 record, 3.20 GAA, .899 Sv% in 13 games)

Head to Head2015-16 Season Series: Solar Bears 2, Nailers 02015-16 Season Series at WesBanco Arena: Solar Bears 2, Nailers 0All-Time Series: Solar Bears 7, Nailers 0All-Time Series at WesBanco Arena: Solar Bears 4, Nailers 0

Seeing Double in BramptonThe Wheeling Nailers suffered through a difficult weekend, as they lost back-to-back games against the Brampton Beast by identical 4-2 final scores. In Friday's game, Wheeling rallied from behind twice, before Brampton ultimately pulled ahead for good in the middle of the third period. Sunday's contest had a different feel from the beginning, as the Nailers stormed out to a 2-0 lead, while outshooting the Beast, 7-2. Derek Army scored the first goal on the power play, and Brett Stern followed with an even strength strike. Unfortunately for Wheeling, a two-man advantage began to turn the game around. David Pacan converted on that man advantage, then Brampton drew even with David Vallorani's tally in the final minute of period one. Momentum continued to swing in the direction of the home side in the second stanza, as the Beast lit the lamp twice more. Luke Pither's 4-on-4 goal turned out to be the game winner, while Vallorani's second of the day added insurance, in support of Zachary Fucale, who combined for 74 saves in the two wins. Sean Maguire made 28 stops in his Nailers debut.

The Road is Treating Them WellThe Orlando Solar Bears will play their sixth of ten consecutive road contests, when they visit WesBanco Arena on Wednesday night. So far, the trip has gone fairly well for Orlando, who swept a pair of games from the Atlanta Gladiators over the weekend, winning 4-2 and 4-1. Those victories lifted the Solar Bears to 6-2-1 in games played away from Amway Center, and 14-7-2 overall, as they have pulled to within three points of Florida for first place in the South Division. Kasimir Kaskisuo got the starting nod in both tilts against Atlanta, making a total of 71 saves on 73 shots for his third and fourth straight wins. The scoring wealth was spread out during the weekend set, as Patrick Watling was the lone Orlando player to score twice, while Watling, Eric Faille, and Tony Cameranesi were the three skaters who had multiple points in a single contest. After starting out the season with a 5-5-1 record, the Solar Bears made a coaching change, bringing in Drake Berehowsky, and the club has responded, going 9-2-1 under his leadership.

Open Ice Opens the ScoringLuke Pither's game winning goal on Sunday afternoon in Brampton came while the Nailers and Beast were both playing with a man in the penalty box, creating a 4-on-4 scenario. The tally was already the ninth of the 4-on-4 variety in 21 games involving Wheeling this season, with the Nailers potting four of the goals and surrendering five. Sunday's tilt also featured a 5-on-4 goal for both teams, as well as a 5-on-3 strike for the Beast. In their first 21 games of the season, there have only been three man power situations which haven't seen a goal scored - a 4-on-3 penalty kill for Wheeling, a 6-on-5 for the Nailers with the goaltender pulled for an extra attacker, and a penalty shot. 77 of the 130 goals (59.2%) have been scored with the teams playing 5-on-5, while 35 of the 130 (26.9%) have been collected during a power play. Wheeling and Orlando are both towards the middle of the pack on the power play, while both have experienced their struggles when playing shorthanded.

Mark Up on MandersonDenver Manderson spent parts of three seasons with the Nailers from 2011-14, and during the two years that he was healthy, he was a frequent contributor to the club's offense. In 2011-12, Manderson finished fourth on the team in scoring, accumulating 18 goals and 40 points in 52 games. In 2013-14, the Fergus, Ontario native spent a significant portion of the campaign with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but while in Wheeling, he racked up 11 goals and 29 points in 27 contests, as the Nailers reached the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. This is Denver's third season with the Solar Bears, and once again, the production has come at a high rate, as he leads the team with 25 points in 23 games. In his career, Manderson has appeared in 180 ECHL games, totaling 60 goals, 101 assists, and 161 points. He is also the team's leader with a +15 rating, which ranks fifth in the ECHL.

Our Yearly ReunionWednesday night marks the lone head-to-head meeting between the Nailers and Solar Bears, and once again, the battle takes place at WesBanco Arena. This will be the fifth consecutive game played between the two teams in Wheeling, dating back to the 2013-14 season. The first three tilts ever played between the two Eastern Conference clubs took place in Orlando during January of 2013. The Nailers haven't been to Amway Center since then, creating the longest gap between games in another Eastern Conference city, and the second longest gap for a Wheeling visit to an opposing city, as the Nailers went to Anchorage, Alaska in 2005, and haven't returned since. Wheeling is hoping to solve the riddle of the Solar Bears, as it is winless in all seven all-time clashes, although the Nailers did earn two points during their inaugural trip to Orlando.