Nailers at Komets Game Day Snap Shot

WHEELING NAILERS(28-21-6-0, 62 PTS, 5th North, 10th East)187 GF, 175 GAPP: 20.1% (52-for-259), 8thPK: 75.2% (170-for-226), 27th

26-D-Kevin Schulze (9 goals, 37 assists, 46 points in 51 games)8-F-Nick Sorkin (13 goals, 30 assists, 43 points in 43 games)11-F-Cody Wydo (24 goals, 17 assists, 41 points in 54 games)23-F-Garrett Meurs (20 goals, 21 assists, 41 points in 54 games)17-F-Jordan Kwas (19 goals, 22 assists, 41 points in 51 games)9-F-Christian Hilbrich (13 goals, 22 assists, 35 points in 49 games)31-G-Doug Carr (14-10-2 record, 3.32 GAA, .889 Sv% in 28 games)

FORT WAYNE KOMETS(33-15-5-2, 73 PTS, 2nd Central, 4th West)205 GF, 165 GAPP: 22.1% (45-for-204), 7thPK: 83.1% (211-for-254), 12th

13-F-Mike Cazzola (20 goals, 37 assists, 57 points in 50 games)19-F-Shawn Szydlowski (22 goals, 33 assists, 55 points in 35 games)25-F-Travis Ewanyk (17 goals, 24 assists, 41 points in 57 games)15-F-Mike Embach (14 goals, 25 assists, 39 points in 47 games)48-F-Garrett Thompson (16 goals, 22 assists, 38 points in 49 games)4-D-Jason Binkley (7 goals, 25 assists, 32 points in 51 games)31-G-Pat Nagle (7-0-3 record, 2.43 GAA, .911 Sv% in 12 games)

Head to HeadSeason Series: Komets 2, Nailers 1Season Series at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum: Komets 2, Nailers 0All-Time Series: Nailers 8, Komets 6All-Time Series at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum: Nailers 4, Komets 4

Marching Into a New MonthThe Wheeling Nailers dropped the puck on the month of March on Friday night, as they played the fifth of seven consecutive games on the road. The March opener provided a different result than the February portion of the trip, while also featuring some dramatics. Alexandre Carrier netted the first goal of the contest, when he finished off a passing play with Keevin Cutting and Christian Hilbrich. Later in the first period, after Indy's Josh Shalla tied things up, Carrier dropped the mitts for the second time in three tilts. The Fuel took their only lead of the game with Alex Wideman's tally at 3:27 of the middle frame, but the Nailers had an answer, as Tyler Currier returned to Indiana Farmers Coliseum in style with a dart from the slot. Neither team scored in the third period, meaning overtime was necessary to decide a winner. With 2:08 left, the hero was Cody Wydo, who lifted his 24th goal of the season into the top-right corner of the net. Doug Carr got the better of Eric Levine in the battle of goaltenders, which ended 3-2 in Wheeling's favor.

They've Been Waiting for Our ReturnThe Fort Wayne Komets have been off since Sunday, when the Nailers last invaded Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. The Komets are coming off of a perfect weekend in the Hoosier State, as they were victorious three times in three days. The first two wins were significantly more one-sided than the third, as Fort Wayne disposed of Indy 5-1 on Friday, before twirling a 6-0 shutout against Wichita on Saturday. The Komets were forced to rally from behind twice against Wheeling on Sunday, as the Nailers had 2-0 and 3-2 leads. Trevor Cheek had a week to remember, potting seven goals in the three contests, including a hat trick in the middle game against the Thunder. Cheek's second goal on Sunday against Wheeling broke a 3-3 tie in the third period, lifting Fort Wayne to the 4-3 decision. Mason Baptista and Gabriel Desjardins also scored for the home team, as Pat Nagle remained perfect in regulation.

Wydo's Winners are ClutchAt the 2:52 mark of overtime on Friday night, Cody Wydo lifted the Nailers into the win column, as he buried a wrist shot past his former college teammate Eric Levine at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. While this particular strike was Wydo's first in overtime during the 2016-17 campaign, it is far from his first in a Wheeling uniform, as he ended the epic triple overtime contest in game four at Reading last spring, while also tossing in an overtime winner against Elmira last February. The game winning goal was Cody's fifth of the season, with four of the five goals coming in one-goal contests. The Robert Morris University graduate broke a 2-2 tie at Quad City on November 20th, scored with less than two minutes left in a 5-4 triumph over Utah on December 2nd, potted the go-ahead marker in a 2-1 win at Reading on January 21st, and ended up with the deciding tally in a 6-3 victory against Brampton on February 15th. Wydo's five game winning goals are tied for the team lead along with Nick Sorkin. Jordan Kwas is next in line with three.

Keep Cheek in CheckAs previously mentioned, Fort Wayne forward Trevor Cheek lit the ECHL on fire one week ago, as he found the back of the net seven times in a three-game stretch against the Indy Fuel, Wichita Thunder, and Wheeling Nailers. That performance earned him ECHL Player of the Week honors, as he also tacked on two assists for nine total points. That marked the second time this season that Cheek was honored by the ECHL, as he was also named Player of the Week at the start of the year, when he posted five points in two games. The fourth year pro has spent 20 games with the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners this season, in addition to being a dominant player in the ECHL, as he has racked up 15 goals and 24 points in 22 games with the Komets. Cheek has registered at least one point in 14 of his 22 contests. Since the Nailers saw Fort Wayne last, rookie Mike Cazzola was returned from the AHL's Binghamton Senators. Cazzola ranks third among rookie scorers in the league with 57 points, trailing only Toledo's Spink twins (Tyson 66, Tylor 60).

A Weekend in the FortSaturday night marks the fourth of five head-to-head meetings between the Nailers and Komets this season, as well as the third of four battles at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. The home team has been victorious in all three matches thus far, and all three have been decided by one goal. Wheeling prevailed 6-5 in comeback fashion at WesBanco Arena on December 16th, before Fort Wayne secured a pair of 4-3 decisions on December 17th and February 26th. The dominance by the home squads hasn't just taken place this season, as the Komets won 1-0 at home in the lone clash of 2015-16, and the Nailers were triumphant 2-1 in the final tilt of 2014-15. Shawn Szydlowski is the leading scorer in the season series, as he has dished out six assists in the three games for Fort Wayne. Wheeling is led by Adam Krause and former Komet Garrett Meurs, who have both produced three goals and five points. Fort Wayne has played three different goaltenders, while both of the netminders for the Nailers have seen the crease twice.