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Wheeling Nailers

Nailers vs. Road Warriors Game Day Snap Shot

November 2, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


The Calm Before the Stormy Schedule

The 2013-14 schedule started very lightly for the Nailers, who will be playing in just their fifth game during the first three weeks of the campaign, including their third game on home ice. In fact, Wheeling has yet to spend a night in an opposing city, as both road games featured one-day trips. However, that will change coming up next week, when the Nailers play four games in five days, including three tilts on enemy ice. Following Saturday night's game, Wheeling will play just four of the final 13 November games at WesBanco Arena.

Goals Have Been Tough to Come By

While both the Nailers (Condon - 2.36 GAA, .928 SV%) and Road Warriors (Knapp - 1.33 GAA, .957 SV%) have starting goaltenders with sparkling numbers, the two clubs have struggled from an offensive standpoint, as Wheeling has been limited to 1.75 goals per game, while Greenville has been held to 2.17 goals per game. Both squads do possess a special team that has been a strength early on, as the Road Warriors have been successful 22.2% of the time on the power play, while the Nailers have killed off 93.8% of opposition man advantages.

Four Times for Fisticuffs

Late in Friday night's game against the Reading Royals, Wheeling's Scott Zurevinski threw down the mitts against Reading's Aaron Gens. That fight marked the Nailers' fourth consecutive game with a fighting major, after Christiaan Minella, Ryley Miller, and Patrick McGrath put up their dukes in the first three contests of the season. Wheeling's physicality has been a theme in 2013-14, after the team dropped the gloves seven times in four preseason games. Despite the fighting majors, the Nailers have spent just 54 minutes in the penalty box - the third lowest total in the ECHL.

Here and There

Saturday's game marks the lone trip of the season to WesBanco Arena for the Greenville Road Warriors, who conclude a three-game trip through the Atlantic Division. The Nailers will return the favor in January, when they play a pair of games at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Interestingly enough, Greenville serves as the only South Division opponent that Wheeling will play both at home and on the road, as the Nailers will not visit Gwinnett and South Carolina, while Orlando and Florida will not come to the Ohio Valley. The Road Warriors won their first three games in Wheeling, but the Nailers have won each of the last three, evening the all-time series in the venue.

New Look Warriors

For their first three seasons in the ECHL, the Road Warriors built up an identity, suiting up regular faces in the likes of Brendan Connolly, Marc-Olivier Vallerand, and TJ Reynolds. This year, Greenville puts a different looking squad on the ice, as not only have those three players vacated the Palmetto State, but 14 of the 22 players on the squad's current roster never wore the Road Warriors' colors prior to this season. Jordie Johnston is the leading returning player, with four goals and five points, while Elgin Pearce leads the newcomers, with two goals and three points.

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