Nailers at Mariners Game Day Snap Shot, Feb. 10

WHEELING NAILERS(21-21-5-1, 48 PTS, 6th Central, 10th West)166 GF, 160 GAPP: 21.8% (45-for-206), 4thPK: 80.8% (172-for-213), 21st

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

27-F-Zac Lynch (14 goals, 33 assists, 47 points in 48 games)10-F-Troy Josephs (21 goals, 17 assists, 38 points in 31 games)9-F-Yushiroh Hirano (14 goals, 24 assists, 38 points in 43 games)23-F-Michael Phillips (14 goals, 19 assists, 33 points in 48 games)4-F-Alex Rauter (10 goals, 23 assists, 33 points in 40 games)5-D-Dan Fick (3 goals, 20 assists, 23 points in 43 games)31-G-Jordan Ruby (5-2-2 record, 2.49 GAA, .918 Sv% in 11 games)

MAINE MARINERS(22-24-0-1, 45 PTS, 7th North, 12th East)137 GF, 163 GAPP: 16.2% (29-for-179), 18thPK: 80.7% (130-for-161), 22nd

NHL Affiliate: New York RangersAHL Affiliate: Hartford Wolf Pack

24-F-Michael McNicholas (10 goals, 25 assists, 35 points in 40 games)9-F-Drew Melanson (9 goals, 16 assists, 25 points in 41 games)10-F-Greg Chase (11 goals, 13 assists, 24 points in 43 games)11-F-Jason Salvaggio (9 goals, 14 assists, 23 points in 39 games)16-F-Morgan Adams-Moisan (15 goals, 4 assists, 19 points in 38 games)14-D-Brycen Martin (5 goals, 11 assists, 16 points in 39 games)40-G-Connor LaCouvee (4-3-0 record, 4.40 GAA, .892 Sv% in 9 games)

Head-to-HeadAll-Time Series: First Meeting

Late Surge for the WinThe Wheeling Nailers made their way into the win column on Saturday night, as they rattled off four consecutive goals to defeat the Worcester Railers, 5-1 at DCU Center. The first two periods mostly featured strong defense and goaltending, but there was one goal, as Michael Phillips stole the puck from a Worcester defender for a shorthanded tally. Jordan Ruby was a major key during the middle frame, as the Nailers were outshot, 15-1, but he helped keep the team ahead. Tyler Barnes knotted the score early in the third period for the Railers, but Wheeling responded just 51 seconds later to regain the lead, as Winston Day Chief set up Cedric Lacroix. Yushiroh Hirano followed with a backhander off a face-off win to add some insurance, before Phillips netted his second of the night on an odd-man rush, and Alec Butcher put the final icing on the cake with a tip-in. Ruby finished the contest with 33 saves.

Crazy Eight in Two StraightThe Maine Mariners have suffered through an ugly start to their weekend, as they got clobbered 8-1 by the Cincinnati Cyclones on Friday, then 8-2 by the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Saturday. In Friday's tilt, things got decided in the first period, as the Cyclones exploded for seven goals, including a hat trick by Brady Vail, who was traded to Cincinnati by Maine earlier in the season. Pascal Aquin also played a big role with five points. Greenville put two goals on the scoreboard during Saturday's opening stanza, before blowing the game open with six in the second period. Chris Izmirlian was the brightest star, as he lit the lamp four times, while Will Merchant added a pair. The Swamp Rabbits built such a large cushion that they didn't record a single shot on goal in the third period. Greg Chase, Jason Salvaggio, and Dillan Fox were Maine's goal scorers, while Edwin Minney, Connor LaCouvee, and Hannu Toivonen all saw time between the pipes.

Turning a Slump into a StreakThings can turn around in the blink of an eye in professional hockey, and with their performances to start the weekend, the Nailers are starting to make that a reality. Wheeling entered Saturday on a seven-game winless skid, but thanks to the victory over Worcester, the Nailers enter Sunday on a three-game point streak, while earning at least one point in four of their last five contests. Wheeling has also snagged at least one point in three consecutive road clashes, going 2-0-1 to jump over the .500 mark away from WesBanco Arena at 11-10-2. Overall, the Nailers returned to .500 with Saturday's triumph, posting a 21-21-6 record with 24 games remaining in the regular season. The Mariners were seven games over .500 at one point this season, but a recent skid of seven losses in the last eight games has dropped Maine two games under .500, and into the basement of the North Division.

A New Geographical DestinationOne more state will get crossed off the list by the Nailers today, as they make their way to Portland, Maine for a match with one of the two new teams in the ECHL - the Maine Mariners. While this is Portland's first experience in the ECHL, the city has a rich history of hockey in the AHL, starting with the original Maine Mariners, who took the ice from 1977-92, before relocating to Rhode Island to become the Providence Bruins. Maine didn't have to wait long to get a team back, as the Portland Pirates arrived on the scene in 1993, and stayed until 2016. The current Mariners may have some lofty expectations in year one, as the original Mariners and the Pirates both captured the Calder Cup during their first season in the Pine Tree State. This will be the 24th different state visited by Wheeling in its 27-year history, to go along with one Canadian province.

Closing out the New England SwingSunday afternoon marks the first and only head-to-head meeting between the Nailers and Mariners, and it takes place at Cross Insurance Arena. Wheeling has gone 1-0-1 on its three-game trip to New England, as it looks to remain above .500 in that region over the course of the last two seasons. Maine is the last of 17 different opponents that appear on the 2018-19 schedule for the Nailers, while this will be the tenth season series that comes to a conclusion. Wheeling has posted a 6-3-0 mark in its first nine completed sets, with four series wins over South Division clubs, and one each against the North and Mountain Divisions. While there was a chance for more, the Nailers will see one familiar face on Sunday, as former assistant coach Riley Armstrong is the head coach for the Mariners. Zach Tolkinen is with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack, and Riley Bourbonnais got traded to the Allen Americans.