Nailers at Thunder Game Day Snap Shot

WHEELING NAILERS(28-22-5-0, 61 PTS, 4th North, 6th East)197 GF, 187 GAPP: 20.3% (47-for-231), 3rdPK: 80.0% (176-for-220), 22nd

11-F-Cody Wydo (22 goals, 28 assists, 50 points in 41 games)8-F-Nick Sorkin (7 goals, 38 assists, 45 points in 53 games)14-F-Riley Bourbonnais (20 goals, 14 assists, 34 points in 50 games)10-F-Troy Josephs (9 goals, 11 assists, 20 points in 26 games)7-F-Freddie Tiffels (7 goals, 13 assists, 20 points in 27 games)5-D-Danny Fick (1 goals, 17 assists, 18 points in 53 games)30-G-Colin Stevens (2-2-3 record, 3.87 GAA, .892 Sv% in 9 games)

ADIRONDACK THUNDER(30-20-3-3, 66 PTS, 2nd North, 4th East)181 GF, 182 GAPP: 18.7% (42-for-225), 8thPK: 82.1% (151-for-184), 17th

15-F-James Henry (17 goals, 28 assists, 45 points in 56 games)23-F-Shane Conacher (11 goals, 32 assists, 43 points in 39 games)22-F-Brian Ward (22 goals, 18 assists, 40 points in 44 games)10-F-Terrence Wallin (17 goals, 20 assists, 37 points in 43 games)20-F-Pierre-Luc Mercier (13 goals, 22 assists, 35 points in 55 games)37-D-Desmond Bergin (12 goals, 23 assists, 35 points in 49 games)35-G-Tomas Sholl (4-0-1 record, 2.08 GAA, .937 Sv% in 7 games)

Head to HeadSeason Series: Nailers 2, Thunder 0Season Series at Cool Insuring Arena: First MeetingAll-Time Series: Nailers 5, Thunder 2All-Time Series at Cool Insuring Arena: Nailers 3, Thunder 1

Every Point is PreciousThe Wheeling Nailers picked up their 61st point of the season on Wednesday night, but unfortunately fell short in their quest for a second one, as they dropped a 6-5 overtime decision to the Kalamazoo Wings at Wings Event Center. Garrett Meurs sent the game into the first intermission tied 1-1, as he lit the lamp with 1.9 seconds left in the opening period. The Nailers fed off of that late strike, and carried the momentum into the middle frame, opening up a 4-1 lead, as Riley Bourbonnais scored twice, and Tyler Vankleef netted his first in a Wheeling uniform. Kalamazoo temporarily closed within two, but Nick Sorkin made the score 5-2 for the Nailers early in the third. The star of the night was Aaron Irving of the Wings, who completed a hat trick with two goals in 39 seconds, before Tyler Biggs cashed in with the tying tally. Irving went on to score his fourth of the contest at 2:27 of overtime, lifting Kalamazoo to the triumph.

Big Celebration from a Big CrowdThe Adirondack Thunder set a new team record on Saturday night, with their largest crowd in their three-year ECHL history, as 5,445 fans watched a doozy of a North Division tilt against the Reading Royals. After a scoreless opening stanza, the teams exchanged goals early in the second period, with Desmond Bergin scoring for Adirondack and Chris McCarthy tallying for Reading. Troy Bourke's bank shot regained the lead for the Thunder at the 11:33 mark of the middle frame, but the Royals battled back to even things up, when Scott Tanski potted a loose puck in the slot. Both squads recorded one point, as overtime was necessary, and at the 2:26 mark of the extra session, James Henry blew the roof off of the building, scoring on a breakaway for Adirondack. Drew Fielding made 26 saves in the win, while Mark Dekanich was the overtime loser, despite a 41-save effort.

Lots of Help on the WaySix players have been added to Wheeling's roster in time for Sunday's clash with Adirondack, as the Nailers take the ice five points back of the Thunder for home ice advantage in round one of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Three of the six players come from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. First, the Nailers get their leading scorer back, as Cody Wydo leads the way with 50 points in 41 games. Next Troy Josephs returns for his first game with Wheeling since his first career hat trick in a 7-3 win over Indy on February 2nd. Finally, Freddie Tiffels comes in one day after scoring a goal for the AHL Penguins in Syracuse. The first new face is Andrew Schmit, who was acquired in a trade with the Indy Fuel. Schmit has three points in 18 games this season. The last two players are the first two amateur signings of the season for the Nailers - forward Dylan Vander Esch and defenseman Kyle Thacker, who both join the club from SUNY-Potsdam.

The Rested Against the WeariedFor the only time this season, the Nailers will take the ice on Sunday, following a Friday and Saturday off, so they will be rested and ready for the puck to hit the ice at 3:00. On the flip side, their opponents, the Thunder, will be playing their fourth game in five days, and each of their first three tilts have all gone past regulation. Adirondack fell 4-3 in a shootout to Worcester at home on Wednesday night, then lost 3-2 in overtime at Manchester on Friday, before finally coming out on the right side of the equation with Saturday's 3-2 overtime victory at home against Reading. The Thunder have picked up points in six of their last seven games (4-1-2), climbing into second place in the North Division. Adirondack has played past regulation 13 times this season, which is tied for the fourth highest total in the ECHL. Wednesday's defeat in Kalamazoo was Wheeling's tenth overtime game of the season and first since January 26th.

New Name, Same BuildingSunday afternoon marks the third of four head-to-head meetings between the Nailers and Thunder this season, as well as the first of two battles at Cool Insuring Arena. If the name of the building doesn't quite ring a bell, that's because it was renamed during the offseason, after being known as "Glens Falls Civic Center" since its opening in 1979. Wheeling has earned at least one point in each of its first four games in Glens Falls all-time, posting a 3-0-1 record. The Nailers have had good success against the Thunder thus far this season, especially with their offense, as they have scored six goals in each of their two wins, beating Adirondack 6-4 and 6-3 at WesBanco Arena. Shane Conacher of the Thunder is the leading scorer with five points in the set, while Freddie Tiffels has two goals and three points for Wheeling. The season series finale will take place in New York on St. Patrick's Day.