WHEELING, WV- The Wheeling Nailers took care of business against the Maine Mariners, and took over sole possession of first place in the North Division with back-to-back victories at WesBanco Arena. On Saturday night, Mike Posma recorded his second straight two-goal game, while Jake Smith made 22 saves in the 4-1 Wheeling win. The Nailers have now won eight straight contests and are 9-1-0 overall.
For the second straight night, the two North Division clubs played to a scoreless draw in the first period, while Wheeling held a 9-7 advantage in shots. The Nailers finally broke the deadlock at the 11:52 mark of the middle frame. David Breazeale worked the puck to the middle of the blueline, where Matthew Quercia launched a shot toward the net. Max Graham got a tip in the slot to collect his team-leading fifth marker of the campaign. With under one minute remaining, Wheeling added to its lead. Brent Johnson let a wrist shot go from the right point, which was stopped by Brad Arvanitis. However, Mike Posma was there to sweep home the rebound for his third goal in two games.
The score stayed 2-0 until the 12:20 mark of the third period, when Maine trimmed the margin to one. Shawn Element led Robert Cronin down the slot, and although his first attempt got thwarted, Cronin followed that up to convert on the rebound. The Nailers went back up by two 4:08 later. Craig Armstrong flew down the right side of the ice, then delivered a perfect pass into the left side of the crease for a tap-in by Zach Urdahl. Posma iced Wheeling's 4-1 triumph with his second of the night into an empty net.
Jake Smith earned his fourth straight win in goal for the Nailers, as he kicked out 22 of the 23 shots he faced. Brad Arvanitis took the loss for the Mariners, as he made 22 saves on 25 shots.
The Nailers will play their next four games against the Reading Royals, starting on Sunday at 3:00 in Reading. The lone home game of that mini-series will be Friday, November 21st. The puck will drop at 6:30, and fans are encouraged to arrive early, as that is the same night as the Main Street Bank Fantasy in Lights Parade. That will also be a Frosty Friday, with select $2 beers. Additional upcoming promotions include Bluey Night on November 29th and Wizards & Wands: Spells in the Snow on December 6th. Season memberships and other terrific ticket plans for the 2025-26 season are available now by calling (304) 234-GOAL. The Wheeling Nailers, considered one of the top things to do in Wheeling, West Virginia, provide affordable family entertainment for fans throughout the Ohio Valley.
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