Nailers vs. Fuel Game Day Snap Shot, Nov. 3

WHEELING NAILERS(1-3-0-0, 2 PTS, 6th Central, 13th West)9 GF, 16 GAPP: 23.5% (4-for-17), 3rdPK: 81.3% (13-for-16), T-18th

NHL Affiliate: Pittsburgh PenguinsAHL Affiliate: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

27-F-Zac Lynch (1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points in 4 games)15-F-Eliot Grauer (2 goals, 1 assist, 3 points in 4 games)21-F-Cam Brown (3 assists, 3 points in 4 games)10-F-Troy Josephs (1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points in 2 games)17-F-Winston Day Chief (1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points in 3 games)22-D-Kevin Spinozzi (1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points in 4 games)1-G-John Muse (1-1-0 record, 2.89 GAA, .914 Sv% in 2 games)

INDY FUEL(4-4-0-0, 8 PTS, 3rd Central, T-8th West)28 GF, 29 GAPP: 19.4% (7-for-36), 8thPK: 84.6% (33-for-39), 13th

NHL Affiliate: Chicago BlackhawksAHL Affiliate: Rockford IceHogs

24-F-Josh Shalla (3 goals, 8 assists, 11 points in 8 games)22-F-Ryan Rupert (2 goals, 8 assists, 10 points in 8 games)20-F-Matt Rupert (4 goals, 5 assists, 9 points in 8 games)13-F-Olivier Labelle (4 goals, 2 assists, 6 points in 8 games)27-F-Quentin Shore (3 goals, 3 assists, 6 points in 8 games)19-D-Robert Powers (2 goals, 4 assists, 6 points in 8 games)1-G-Kevin Lankinen (1-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .947 Sv% in 1 game)

Head-to-Head2017-18 Season Series: Nailers 3, Fuel 22017-18 Season Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 2, Fuel 1All-Time Series: Nailers 7, Fuel 7All-Time Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 3, Fuel 3

The Road Finally Brings us HomeThe Wheeling Nailers will begin their home season on Saturday night, after opening the 2018-19 campaign with four consecutive road tilts. Wheeling posted a 1-3-0 record during its first run of games, finishing up with a two-game split in Reading last weekend. The Nailers were victorious in the opening match, 3-2 in a shootout, thanks to regulation goals by Winston Day Chief and Troy Josephs, John Muse's 37 saves, and the shootout winning strike from Cam Brown. Wheeling opened the scoring Sunday, as Kevin Spinozzi fired in a shot from the left point. The score stayed 1-0 until the dying minutes of the middle frame, when the Royals drew even on Josh MacDonald's penalty shot. Reading went ahead early in the third with Alex Krushelnyski's tally, but that was quickly answered by Nick Saracino. Unfortunately for the Nailers, the end of the contest went the way of the home team, as the Royals lit the lamp three times for a 5-2 decision.

Extra Fuel Needed for the WeekThe Indy Fuel will be playing their third game in three nights, and fourth in five nights on Saturday, as they put an end to a very busy week of hockey. Indy started the week with a 5-3 loss at home to Idaho on Tuesday, before righting the ship by giving Utah its first regulation loss of the year with a 4-1 triumph at home on Thursday. On Friday night, the in-state rival Fort Wayne Komets got the better of the Fuel for the second time this season, collecting a 5-2 win at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Indy surrendered two goals each during the first and second periods, before getting on the scoreboard late in the middle stanza on defenseman Neil Manning's power play marker. Indy's second goal of the game also came via the man advantage, as 13-year pro Olivier Labelle found the back of the net. Former Ohio State University Buckeye Matt Tomkins suffered both losses, while Finnish native Kevin Lankinen backstopped the lone win.

This is Our OpenerOne of Wheeling's nicknames over the years has been "The Friendly City," and that moniker has been especially true for Thunderbirds and Nailers home openers. Wheeling has gone 6-0-1 in its last seven home openers, including a 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Cyclones last October. Furthermore, the Nailers and Thunderbirds have combined to go 18-5-3 in their previous 26 home openers. Home ice has been a huge advantage over the years, as Wheeling enters 2018-19 with a 528-308-29-58 record all-time in front of its loyal fans (includes 23 total games in Pittsburgh, Canonsburg, Johnstown). The home opener will eclipse 4,000 fans for the fifth straight season, and could also be in line to sell out for the third time in the last four years. The Nailers are also approaching three million fans in team history, entering the year with an all-time count of 2,878,684.

Trading PlacesThe starts of the season have been very different for the Nailers and Fuel, as Wheeling becomes the last team in the ECHL to start its home schedule on Saturday, while Indy played just its second road game of the young season on Friday night in Fort Wayne. This is the second time in team history that the Nailers have opened the season with four straight road games (2012-13 was the other), but the first time that the home season begins in November. Wheeling's four games played to this point are the fewest in the league, as the other 26 clubs have all played at least six, led by the expansion Newfoundland Growlers, who will play game 12 in Worcester on Saturday night. The Tulsa Oilers are the only team that has yet to play a road game, and they will do so on Wednesday, when they begin a three-game set against the Idaho Steelheads.

They'll be Back a Few More TimesSaturday night marks the first of 11 head-to-head meetings between the Nailers and Fuel this season, as well as the first of nine battles at WesBanco Arena. The 11 clashes are the most for Wheeling against any opponent this season, and the nine home games are the most against any opponent in one season in team history. Last year, the Nailers got the upper hand, beating Indy in three of five games, including a 7-3 thumping in the deciding game on February 2nd, which featured Troy Josephs' first career hat trick. Wheeling recorded at least 40 shots on goal in three of the five contests, including a 50-shot effort on December 8th. Two current Fuel players suited up with the Nailers in 2016-17 - defenseman Louis Belisle and current leading scorer Josh Shalla. Indy's next visit to town will close out the month on November 30th.