Nailers at Komets Game Day Snap Shot, Mar. 6

WHEELING NAILERS(27-24-6-1, 61 PTS, T-4th Central, T-8th West)200 GF, 190 GAPP: 21.7% (52-for-240), 4thPK: 80.5% (206-for-256), 21st

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

27-F-Zac Lynch (15 goals, 37 assists, 52 points in 53 games)9-F-Yushiroh Hirano (15 goals, 31 assists, 46 points in 53 games)12-F-Renars Krastenbergs (15 goals, 22 assists, 37 points in 50 games)22-D-Kevin Spinozzi (16 goals, 19 assists, 35 points in 35 games)23-F-Michael Phillips (15 goals, 19 assists, 34 points in 58 games)14-F-Cedric Lacroix (17 goals, 15 assists, 32 points in 57 games)30-G-Matt O'Connor (9-4-3 record, 3.03 GAA, .899 Sv% in 18 games)

FORT WAYNE KOMETS(26-20-3-6, 61 PTS, T-4th Central, T-8th West)172 GF, 197 GAPP: 13.5% (30-for-223), 26thPK: 81.7% (205-for-251), 16th

NHL Affiliate: Vegas Golden KnightsAHL Affiliate: Chicago Wolves

10-F-Brady Shaw (21 goals, 28 assists, 49 points in 53 games)25-F-Jake Kamrass (17 goals, 27 assists, 44 points in 53 games)88-F-Justin Hodgman (13 goals, 31 assists, 44 points in 37 games)15-F-J.C. Campagna (27 goals, 9 assists, 36 points in 49 games)27-F-Shawn Szydlowski (12 goals, 23 assists, 35 points in 43 games)71-D-Ryan Lowney (3 goals, 25 assists, 28 points in 55 games)31-G-Zachary Fucale (13-7-3 record, 3.33 GAA, .883 Sv% in 25 games)

Head-to-HeadSeason Series: Nailers 3, Komets 2Season Series at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum: Nailers 1, Komets 0All-Time Series: Komets 14, Nailers 13All-Time Series at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum: Komets 7, Nailers 6

Strong End to a Big WeekThe Wheeling Nailers earned seven out of eight possible points last week, starting with back-to-back wins over Brampton and Toledo, followed by an overtime defeat against Cincinnati. On Sunday afternoon, the Nailers finished the week at home against the Fort Wayne Komets. Renars Krastenbergs put Wheeling on the scoreboard during the final minute of the first period, drilling in a one-time feed from Trevor Yates. Fort Wayne drew even in the early stages of the middle frame, but the Nailers finished strong once again, lighting the lamp twice in a span of 1:56 with less than five minutes remaining. Dan Fick tossed in a wrist shot from the left point, then Yates swatted in a feed from Fick on the right side of the crease. The Komets pulled within one in the third period, but Jordan Ruby and the defense kept them at bay for the rest of the day, as Ruby's 30 saves backstopped the 3-2 Wheeling triumph.

The Aftermath of an Interesting TripThe Fort Wayne Komets are playing their first home game after a road trip which saw them post a 1-2-0 record. The trip started well in Kalamazoo, where Shawn Szydlowski and J.C. Campagna both both found the back of the net twice, as the Komets took down the Wings, 7-5. However, things soured drastically the following night, when Fort Wayne got pumped 11-0 in Toledo. The Komets surrendered the opening marker to the Nailers on Sunday, before Oskari Halme's first professional goal knotted things up at the 1:24 mark of the second period. Fort Wayne was forced to come from behind again, but was only able to close the gap to one on Brady Shaw's tally off a rush. After getting pulled against the Walleye, Zachary Fucale returned to the crease and made 15 saves on 18 shots, but suffered back-to-back regulation losses for the first time since October.

An Early Birthday Gordie Howe Hat TrickTrevor Yates will be celebrating his 24th birthday during Wednesday's game, but he earned an early present on Sunday, as he scored the game winning goal, while becoming the second Wheeling player this season to collect a Gordie Howe Hat Trick. The assist was the first item that got checked off, as he fed Renars Krastenbergs for the first tally of the contest. Next up was his goal, which he smacked in during the closing minutes of the middle stanza. Finally, at the 2:14 mark of the third period, Trevor threw down the gloves with Craig Cescon, recording his first career fighting major. With the Gordie Howe Hat Trick, Yates follows in the footsteps of fellow Quebec native Cedric Lacroix, who notched a goal, an assist and a fight in an 8-2 Nailers victory at Toledo on January 5th.

Back to Where it All BeganThere will be special meaning to Wednesday's tilt for Wheeling defenseman Blake Siebenaler, who will play his first professional game in his hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Siebenaler played 11 games of junior hockey with the USHL's Indiana Ice (based out of Indianapolis), before spending three years with the OHL's Niagara IceDogs. After three seasons in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization, Blake was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, sending him first to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and then onto the Nailers. His first three ECHL games went well, as he dished out two assists, and was on the ice for four of the team's ten goals. The 23-year old is hoping to become the fourth Fort Wayne native to reach the NHL, joining Fred Knipscheer (1994-96), Dale Purinton (2000-04), and Drake Batherson (2018-present). Pittsburgh currently has two players on its roster from the Hoosier State - Indianapolis' Jack Johnson and Carmel's Zach Trotman.

Well-Rested for the RematchWednesday night marks the sixth of eight head-to-head meetings between the Nailers and Komets this season, as well as the second of three battles at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. After the teams combined for 38 goals in the first four clashes, Sunday's contest followed a different path, as Wheeling picked up a 3-2 home win, with both sides playing their third game in three days. Four of the first five tilts have been decided by one goal, as the Nailers lead the set, 3-2. The top two point producers are both on the Wheeling side, as Yushiroh Hirano has nine, while Zac Lynch has eight. Lynch's four goals are tied for the most in the series along with former Nailer J.C. Campagna, who leads Fort Wayne with six points. After Wednesday, the last two games will be played during the final two weeks of the regular season, as the Komets visit West Virginia on March 29th, before the finale in Indiana on April 7th.