Nailers vs. Admirals Game Day Snap Shot, Dec. 15

WHEELING NAILERS(10-11-2-0, 22 PTS, 6th Central, 12th West)71 GF, 71 GAPP: 20.8% (20-for-96), 2ndPK: 84.0% (89-for-106), 13th

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

13-F-Nick Saracino (10 goals, 15 assists, 25 points in 22 games)21-F-Cam Brown (3 goals, 17 assists, 20 points in 23 games)22-D-Kevin Spinozzi (7 goals, 12 assists, 19 points in 21 games)27-F-Zac Lynch (6 goals, 11 assists, 17 points in 23 games)23-F-Michael Phillips (6 goals, 8 assists, 14 points in 23 games)17-F-Winston Day Chief (6 goals, 7 assists, 13 points in 21 games)30-G-Matt O'Connor (2-2-1 record, 3.19 GAA, .879 Sv% in 6 games)

NORFOLK ADMIRALS(12-12-1-1, 26 PTS, T-4th South, T-9th East)77 GF, 97 GAPP: 17.0% (17-for-100), T-15thPK: 85.1% (80-for-94), 9th

NHL Affiliate: Arizona CoyotesAHL Affiliate: Tucson Roadrunners

23-F-Taylor Cammarata (9 goals, 12 assists, 21 points in 26 games)12-F-Ben Duffy (6 goals, 14 assists, 20 points in 24 games)18-F-Luke Nogard (9 goals, 7 assists, 16 points in 19 games)5-D-Jalen Smereck (1 goal, 14 assists, 15 points in 25 games)22-F-Patrick D'Amico (6 goals, 7 assists, 13 points in 23 games)16-F-Connor Hurley (5 goals, 8 assists, 13 points in 24 games)33-G-Ty Reichenbach (9-10-1 record, 4.08 GAA, .889 Sv% in 20 games)

Head-to-HeadSeason Series: Admirals 1, Nailers 02017-18 Season Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 3, Admirals 0All-Time Series: Nailers 7, Admirals 6All-Time Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 4, Admirals 1

Battling Back for a PointThe Wheeling Nailers trailed Friday's game against the Kalamazoo Wings twice, before rallying on each occasion to ultimately force overtime and earn one point. After falling behind 2-0 quickly, Kevin Spinozzi put Wheeling on the scoreboard, drilling in a slap shot from the top of the left circle. At the 9:10 mark of the middle frame, Cedric Lacroix collected the first of two tying strikes, as he shoveled in a shorthanded shot from the right side. The Wings took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission, thanks to Tyler Biggs' second goal of the night. With 6:32 to go in the third period, Michael Phillips drew the Nailers even, depositing the rebound of Cam Brown's initial try. However, the final celebration of the contest went to former Nailer Reid Gardiner, who turned on the red light at 1:28 of overtime for the 4-3 Kalamazoo win. Jake Hildebrand stopped 34 of 37 shots for the Wings, while Jordan Ruby thwarted 24 of the 28 attempts sent his way for Wheeling.

Overpowered in OhioThe Norfolk Admirals started their three-game road trips with a couple of tilts in the Buckeye State, as they challenged the Cincinnati Cyclones and Toledo Walleye on consecutive nights. Norfolk came up just short in a 2-1 setback to Cincinnati on Thursday, and things got worse for the Admirals on Friday, as they played one man short in Toledo. The Walleye blazed out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, as Bryan Moore started the scoring, and was followed by A.J. Jenks, who lit the lamp twice. Norfolk's best offensive period was the second, as TJ Melancon, Ben Duffy, and Taylor Cammarata all scored for the visitors. However, Toledo also dented the twine three times, making the score 6-3. Luke Nogard recorded the final goal of the night for the Admirals in what turned out to be a 7-4 loss. Pat Nagle needed just 18 saves in the win for the Walleye, while Ty Reichenbach was under siege for Norfolk, giving up seven goals on 45 shots.

Time for Teddy TalkOne of the most heart-warming sights of the season will take place on Saturday night, when the Nailers score their first goal of the game, as a plethora of stuffed animals will go flying over the glass and onto the ice as part of the annual Teddy Bear Toss. Over the course of the last six years, Teddy Bear Night typically produces standings points for Wheeling, who has gone 2-1-3 in its last six home games when teddy bears fly. The length of the wait and anticipation has varied through the years, but three of the six tallies have taken place during the first period, including Garrett Meurs' teddy bear goal against Worcester last season. The quickest the stuffed animals have rained down on WesBanco Arena ice in the last six years was 3:56 into the 2014 game, when Morgan Ellis scored against Utah. The longest wait was in 2015, when Zack Torquato took care of business in the final minute against South Carolina. Jordan Kwas, Anton Zlobin, and Christiaan Minella are other recent teddy bear goal scorers.

Facing a Shooting GalleryTy Reichenbach led all ECHL goaltenders last season in shots on goal against, as he was forced to stare down a member of the opposition 1,606 times in 45 games (35.68 shots per game). This season, the Admirals are once again looking at their netminders to save the day, as Norfolk allows the fourth most shots per game in the league, entering Saturday with an average of 35.65 opposing shots on goal. The Admirals have surrendered at least 30 shots on goal in 20 of 23 games this season, including each of the last 14. In fact, the only team that has failed to record at least 30 shots against Norfolk is Atlanta, who is responsible for the other three contests. On the other side of the ice are the Nailers, who allow the third fewest shots on goal per game in the ECHL (27.61), and have allowed 30 or fewer shots in 12 consecutive matches and 19 of 23 games overall.

A Week to Get to Know Each OtherSaturday night marks the second of five head-to-head meetings between the Nailers and Admirals this season, as well as the first and only battle at WesBanco Arena. Wheeling and Norfolk will get acclimated with each other very well over the course of the next eight days, playing four times in that span. This will be the first clash since opening night, when the Admirals stormed out to a 4-0 lead, before clinging to a 5-3 win at Norfolk Scope, as the Nailers converted three times on the power play. Home ice has played a significant part in the 13 games since Norfolk returned to the ECHL in 2015, as the host squads have skated away victorious nine times, which includes a 6-1 mark in the last seven tilts. Last season, Wheeling swept three games from the Admirals in Nail City.