Nailers at Beast Game Day Snap Shot, Feb. 26

WHEELING NAILERS(24-24-5-1, 54 PTS, 6th Central, 10th West)184 GF, 181 GAPP: 21.5% (49-for-228), 5thPK: 80.9% (195-for-241), 19th

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

9-F-Yushiroh Hirano (14 goals, 29 assists, 43 points in 49 games)23-F-Michael Phillips (15 goals, 19 assists, 34 points in 54 games)22-D-Kevin Spinozzi (13 goals, 19 assists, 32 points in 31 games)12-F-Renars Krastenbergs (14 goals, 17 assists, 31 points in 46 games)14-F-Cedric Lacroix (16 goals, 13 assists, 29 points in 53 games)5-D-Dan Fick (4 goals, 21 assists, 25 points in 49 games)30-G-Matt O'Connor (8-4-2 record, 3.11 GAA, .896 Sv% in 16 games)

BRAMPTON BEAST(26-22-5-1, 58 PTS, 5th North, 8th East)175 GF, 167 GAPP: 17.7% (36-for-203), 12thPK: 85.2% (184-for-216), 6th

NHL Affiliate: Ottawa SenatorsAHL Affiliate: Belleville Senators

61-F-David Pacan (22 goals, 26 assists, 48 points in 54 games)97-F-David Vallorani (20 goals, 25 assists, 45 points in 53 games)16-F-Nathan Todd (21 goals, 23 assists, 44 points in 54 games)22-D-Matt Petgrave (7 goals, 29 assists, 36 points in 47 games)20-F-Daniel Ciampini (10 goals, 25 assists, 35 points in 34 games)73-F-Artur Tianulin (15 goals, 15 assists, 30 points in 42 games)40-G-Etienne Marcoux (13-8-4 record, 2.82 GAA, .912 Sv% in 26 games)

Head-to-HeadSeason Series: Beast 2, Nailers 1Season Series at CAA Centre: First GameAll-Time Series: Nailers 19, Beast 14All-Time Series at CAA Centre: Nailers 9, Beast 7

Back After a Weekend OffThe Wheeling Nailers experienced a scheduling rarity, as they will take the ice for the first time since Thursday, after having the entire weekend off. In their most recent contest, the Nailers got on the scoreboard first, when Kevin Spinozzi tossed in a shot from the left wing wall. Wheeling led 1-0 after twenty minutes, but the host Cincinnati Cyclones turned the game in their favor during the middle frame. Eric Knodel fired in an equalizer from the left point on the power play, then Brady Vail converted on a penalty shot. Vasili Glotov extended Cincinnati's advantage with a lucky bounce at the 7:52 mark of the third period, when his backhand pass bounced off a Nailers skate and in over the goal line. Mike Marnell tacked on one more goal for a 4-1 Cyclones win, which was backstopped by Michael Houser's 34 saves.

Swept by Their Fellow CountrymenThe Brampton Beast suffered back-to-back home losses over the weekend, as the Newfoundland Growlers took an 8-3 lead in the first All-Canadian season series in ECHL history. In Saturday's opening match, the Growlers roared out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, then added one more marker during the first two minutes of the middle frame. After Jordan Henry put the Beast on the scoreboard, Marcus Power netted what turned out to be the largest goal of the night, as it put Newfoundland ahead 4-1 in a game it ultimately won, 4-3. Sunday's rematch began with a Francois Beauchemin tally for Brampton, but that was the lone celebration for the home squad, as the Growlers potted four unanswered goals for a 4-1 triumph. Power and Josh Kestner were the only two players who scored in both games. In goal, Michael Garteig beat Jake Paterson in the opener, while Eamon McAdam got the better of Etienne Marcoux in the finale.

The Final Quarter BeginsThree quarters of the 2018-19 season have been completed by the Nailers, who will look for a strong finish in order to jump back into playoff positioning in the Central Division. Wheeling begins the fourth quarter in sixth place, trailing Indy by one point for fifth, then Fort Wayne and Kalamazoo by five points, as those two clubs are currently tied for third place. The Fuel and Nailers have both played 54 games, while the Wings (1) and Komets (2) both have games in hand. In the third quarter, Wheeling posted a 6-8-4 record, while going past regulation in seven of the 18 matches. The best quarter of the season for the Nailers was the second one, when the team compiled a 10-6-1 mark. 16 of the final 18 tilts will be played against teams from the Central Division, as Wheeling also takes aim at an 11th consecutive season with a winning record.

Ready to Start EarlyDay games have proven to be very successful for the 2018-19 version of the Nailers, who enter Tuesday with a 7-3-0 record in matches that begin prior to 7:00. After dropping a tight 2-1 decision to the Toledo Walleye in the first of two home Education Days, Wheeling rattled off six consecutive victories in day games, taking down Greenville, Cincinnati, Indy (X2), Fort Wayne, and Reading, with all but one of those contests taking place on home ice. The setback against Toledo was a rare one for the Nailers, who had gone 9-0-2 in their previous 11 morning games. This will be Brampton's third of four morning games of the season - all of which take place at CAA Centre. The Beast have gone 1-0-1 in the morning thus far, playing both tilts against the Worcester Railers. Wheeling hosts its second and final Education Day Game of the season on March 12th against the Indy Fuel.

Lone Trip to the Great White NorthTuesday morning marks the fourth and final head-to-head meeting between the Nailers and Beast this season, as well as the lone battle at CAA Centre, which received its new name during the offseason, after previously being known as Powerade Centre. The three games at WesBanco Arena were extremely close, as a late goal in regulation decided the first match, an overtime tally decided contest number two, then a power play goal and an empty netter made for the difference in game three. Two of the three wins went to Brampton, including a 23-save shutout by Etienne Marcoux, who has been between the pipes for the entire season series. Artur Tianulin is the leading scorer in the set, tallying six points for the Beast, while Alec Butcher leads the way in goals, lighting the lamp four times for the Nailers. A Wheeling win would make for two straight season sets ending in ties.