Nailers vs. Fuel Game Day Snap Shot, Nov. 30

WHEELING NAILERS(6-9-1-0, 13 PTS, 5th Central, 11th West)45 GF, 54 GAPP: 16.4% (11-for-67), 15thPK: 83.1% (64-for-77), T-16th

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

13-F-Nick Saracino (4 goals, 8 assists, 12 points in 15 games)27-F-Zac Lynch (4 goals, 7 assists, 11 points in 16 games)22-D-Kevin Spinozzi (3 goals, 8 assists, 11 points in 14 games)4-F-Alex Rauter (3 goals, 7 assists, 10 points in 11 games)5-D-Dan Fick (2 goals, 7 assists, 9 points in 16 games)17-F-Winston Day Chief (5 goals, 3 assists, 8 points in 14 games)35-G-Danny Tirone (0-1-0 record, 3.08 GAA, .875 Sv% in 1 game)

INDY FUEL(9-8-0-0, 18 PTS, T-3rd Central, T-8th West)54 GF, 58 GAPP: 14.1% (11-for-78), 20thPK: 85.0% (68-for-80), 9th

NHL Affiliate: Chicago BlackhawksAHL Affiliate: Rockford IceHogs

24-F-Josh Shalla (9 goals, 11 assists, 20 points in 17 games)22-F-Ryan Rupert (4 goals, 11 assists, 15 points in 17 games)13-F-Olivier Labelle (7 goals, 7 assists, 14 points in 17 games)10-F-Kevin Dufour (7 goals, 6 assists, 13 points in 15 games)20-F-Matt Rupert (7 goals, 6 assists, 13 points in 17 games)18-D-Neil Manning (2 goals, 8 assists, 10 points in 16 games)30-G-Matt Tomkins (5-6-0 record, 3.26 GAA, .907 Sv% in 12 games)

Head-to-HeadSeason Series: Fuel 1, Nailers 0Season Series at WesBanco Arena: Fuel 1, Nailers 0All-Time Series: Fuel 8, Nailers 7All-Time Series at WesBanco Arena: Fuel 4, Nailers 3

A Testy Tuesday in KalamazooThe Wheeling Nailers played their most physical game of the 2018-19 season on Tuesday night, when they and the Kalamazoo Wings combined for 82 penalty minutes at Wings Event Center. As for the scoring, Wheeling fell into an early hole, as Kalamazoo scored three times in the opening 7:20 of play. However, the Nailers were able to rally their way to within a goal during the first period, as Renars Krastenbergs buried a pair of feeds from Cam Brown for his second and third markers of the year. The Wings were responsible for the lone tally in the middle frame, before Winston Day Chief closed the gap to one at the 6:54 mark of the third. Unfortunately, Wheeling was unable to overcome two more Kalamazoo strikes, despite another goal from Day Chief, as the Wings prevailed, 6-4. Ivan Kulbakov made 47 saves in the triumph for Kalamazoo, while Danny Tirone (14/16) took the loss in relief of Matt O'Connor (8/11).

Loading up on Fuel for the ThirdThe Indy Fuel put together a huge surge in their last game on Saturday night, as they battled back from a 2-1 deficit with five goals in the third period to clip the Kalamazoo Wings, 6-3 at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Olivier Labelle scored the lone marker in the opening two frames, as Indy surrendered back-to-back goals to fall behind. Former Nailer Josh Shalla started the comeback with the tying goal at the 29-second mark of the third. Ryan Rupert followed to put the Fuel ahead 49 seconds later, and Mathew Thompson extended the lead 54 seconds after that. The offensive explosion wasn't done there, as Kevin Dufour made the score 5-2 at 3:55, and Shalla turned on the red light again with 14:46 still remaining on the third period clock. The beneficiary of all the support was Kevin Lankinen, who stopped 30 of the 33 shots he faced for the victory.

Two Pairs Couldn't Hold upThe four goals scored by the Nailers on Tuesday night came from two players, as Renars Krastenbergs and Winston Day Chief both found the back of the net twice. The two-goal games were the fifth and sixth by Wheeling players this season, as well as the second and third for players not named Troy Josephs. Krastenbergs had the best game of his young professional career, as he very nearly netted his first ever hat trick, leading the Nailers with eight shots on goal against Kalamazoo, including a pair of attempts that got robbed by goaltender Ivan Kulbakov. Day Chief's two goals gives him three in the last two contests, as well as six points over the course of the last six games. With 276 professional games played, Day Chief is the lone veteran on Wheeling's roster, while Krastenbergs is the youngest player in the ECHL at 19 years, 339 days old.

Keep Them on the SeesawThe month of November has been up and down like a seesaw for the Fuel, who enter Friday's match with a 6-5-0 record in their first 11 games. Indy has alternated wins and losses the entire way, with all 11 contests decided in regulation, as the Fuel have only gone to overtime once all season. The Nailers are hoping to making it 12 consecutive tilts alternating wins and losses, with Indy coming off of its 6-3 triumph over Kalamazoo on Saturday night. Despite what would appear to be an even record, the Fuel have been more successful at home, turning in a 4-1-0 mark at Indiana Farmers Coliseum, compared to just two wins in six games on enemy ice. Wheeling is in search of back-to-back home wins for the first time this season, while also looking to finish November with a .500 record, as it enters Friday with a 5-6-1 mark during the second month of the campaign.

The Rematch of the Home OpenerFriday night marks the second of 11 head-to-head meetings between the Nailers and Fuel this season, as well as the second of nine battles at WesBanco Arena. Wheeling flew out of the gates in its home opener against Indy on November 3rd, potting a pair of goals in the first period, but five goals in 9:30 by the Fuel quickly turned that clash in the opposite direction, as the visitors skated away with a 5-3 win. Troy Josephs of the Nailers and Kevin Dufour of Indy both had two-goal games, while former Wheeling forward Josh Shalla collected three points. This season's nine home games against the Fuel are more than the previous four seasons combined (6), and Indy will come right back to town against next Sunday to close out 3-in-3 weekends for both squads. This game is also the midway mark of eight straight divisional games for the Nailers, who have gone 1-2-0 in that stretch thus far.