Wheeling Nailers Weekly Report, Mar. 19

Last Week

Fri. 3/16 WHEELING NAILERS 1 @ Worcester Railers 6Fick (Spinozzi, Tiffels)Morrison- 17/21 (L), O'Connor- 16/18

Sat. 3/17 WHEELING NAILERS 2 @ Adirondack Thunder 3 (overtime)Gardiner (unassisted)Josephs (Fick, Valente)Morrison- 27/30

Last week, the Wheeling Nailers lowered their magic number for postseason play to 17 points, as they played a pair of games away from WesBanco Arena. On Friday night, Wheeling played to a scoreless draw with the Worcester Railers in the first period, but the middle frame was a different story, as Worcester tallied four consecutive goals. The Nailers got on the scoreboard in the third period on a one-timer by Danny Fick. Unfortunately, that was the club's lone marker of the evening, as the Railers were victorious, 6-1. On Saturday night, Reid Gardiner opened the scoring for Wheeling, snapping home his team-leading 27th goal of the season. Troy Josephs found the back of the net in the third period as well, but the Adirondack Thunder answered both times, forcing overtime in a 2-2 deadlock. 20 seconds into the extra session, Adirondack skated away with the bonus point, courtesy of Desmond Bergin's strike.

With eight games left in the regular season, the Nailers hold a three-point lead over Worcester for fourth place in the North Division. Saturday's overtime game was the 12th this season that got decided during the five-minute extra session, which is the most in team history. Wheeling has played past regulation at least once in four consecutive weeks. The Nailers' special teams numbers are mirror images of each other, as Wheeling and its opposition are both 50-for-253 on the power play. Danny Fick produced a point in both games over the weekend, giving him four goals and 22 points on the season - both of which are career highs. Cody Wydo appeared in his 200th professional game on Saturday. The Nailers completed their season series against Adirondack on Saturday, earning six of eight possible points, with a 2-0-2 record. Wheeling is now two wins away from guaranteeing itself a winning record for the tenth straight season.

This Week

Wed. 3/21 Worcester Railers @ WHEELING NAILERS, 7:05Fri. 3/23 Brampton Beast @ WHEELING NAILERS, 7:05Sat. 3/24 Cincinnati Cyclones @ WHEELING NAILERS, 7:05

This week, the Wheeling Nailers will start a stretch in which five of their next six games will be played at WesBanco Arena. The first of those contests is the most crucial, as Wheeling plays the rubber match of its nine-game set against the Worcester Railers, hoping to extend its lead to five points in the playoff race. The Nailers have won three of four home games against the Railers this season, with the most recent of those results being Worcester's last loss, as the Railers swept a four-game homestand over the course of eight days. On Friday night, Wheeling will play host to the Brampton Beast for the first time since December. The Nailers and Beast have both won twice in the season series, and Wheeling can apply the final dagger of the year for Brampton, whose tragic number sits at four points. Finally, on Saturday night, the Nailers will clash with the Cincinnati Cyclones, who they will also welcome to town on Tuesday, March 27th. Cincinnati has won three of the four matches thus far, and is attempting to put the finishing touches on a playoff spot in the Central Division. The Cyclones have a six-point lead over Kalamazoo and Kansas City, and an eight-point lead over Indy. Wheeling is 18-11-2 on home ice this season.

Upcoming Home Games/PromotionsWed. Mar. 21- WesBanco Winning WednesdayFri. Mar. 23- Can Koozie Giveaway (first 2,500 fans), Frosty Friday, Appearance by NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver Garrett Smithley, with his CarSat. Mar. 24- Charity Night Benefiting WVU Medicine Children's HospitalTue. Mar. 27- Two for Tuesday (2 tickets for $22)Sat. Mar. 31- Fan Appreciation Night, Trading Card Set Giveaway (first 2,500 fans), Post Game Autograph Session (full team), Diamond Ring Giveaway for one lucky fan, Prizes Throughout the Game

Nailers LeadersGoals: 27, Reid GardinerAssists: 43, Nick SorkinPoints: 55, Cody WydoPenalty Minutes: 126, Dan MilanPlus/Minus: +13, Riley BourbonnaisWins: 14, Adam MorrisonGoals Against Average: 3.22, Adam MorrisonSave Percentage: .903, Adam MorrisonShutouts: 0

North Division Standings1. Manchester Monarchs 38-20-3-2, 81 pts.2. Adirondack Thunder 37-21-3-4, 81 pts.3. Reading Royals 34-21-8-0, 76 pts.4. WHEELING NAILERS 31-25-7-1, 70 pts.5. Worcester Railers 30-25-4-3, 67 pts.6. Brampton Beast 24-30-6-4, 58 pts.