ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers / Royals Game Day Snapshot

Published on October 21, 2012 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


WHEELING NAILERS

(0-2-0-1, 1 PT, 3rd Atlantic, T-11th East)

4 GF, 12 GA

PP: 7.7% (1-for-13), 21st

PK: 65.0% (13-for-20), 23rd

22-F-Paul Crowder (1 goal, 2 assist, 3 points)

24-D-Cody Wild (3 assists, 3 points)

23-F-Chris Barton (1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points)

6-D-Peter Merth (2 assists, 2 points)

1-G-Patrick Killeen (0-1-1 record, 2.51 GAA, .909 Sv%)

READING ROYALS

(0-3-0-0, 0 PTS, 4th Atlantic, 14th East)

5 GF, 12 GA

PP: 13.3% (2-for-15), T-14th

PK: 81.8% (9-for-11), 14th

24-F-Joel Champagne (1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points)

27-F-David Marshall (1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points)

25-D-TJ Syner (2 assists, 2 points)

33-G-Brandon Anderson (0-1-0 record, 6.00 GAA, .786 Sv%)

Head-to-Head

Season Series: First Game of Twelve

Season Series at Sovereign Center: First Game of Five

All-Time Series: Royals 60, Nailers 44

All-Time Series at Sovereign Center: Royals 32, Nailers 22

Different Paths, Same Destination

On Sunday afternoon, the Nailers and Royals will both be playing their fourth games of the 2012-13 season. However, to get to that fourth game, the two clubs have seen drastically different schedules over the first two weeks of the campaign. After opening the season in Cincinnati last Saturday, Wheeling played back-to-back games in Elmira on Friday and Saturday, leading to a third game in as many days on Sunday. Meanwhile, Reading took the ice twice last weekend against Elmira and Trenton, before a midweek rematch with the Titans on Wednesday. The Royals have been off since, making them the only team in the ECHL that didn't play Friday or Saturday.

Looking Out for Win Number One

Wheeling and Reading will both be entering Sunday's game hungry, as the two sides are each in search of their first victory this season. The Nailers were able to secure a point last Saturday in Cincinnati, before consecutive regulation losses to Elmira. The Royals also dropped a game to the Jackals, before being defeated twice in a row by Trenton, with all three games being decided in 60 minutes of play.

Niedert Completes Tour of Atlantic

With Philipp Grubauer on recall to the AHL's Hershey Bears, the Royals were in need of a goaltender, along with Brandon Anderson, leading them to sign former Nailer Nick Niedert. The 30-year old from Hudson, IA played for five different clubs last season, appearing with Wheeling, Trenton, and Elmira in the ECHL, Danbury in the FHL, and Knoxville in the SPHL. Although he didn't record any minutes in the cage, Niedert also suited up with the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers in 2011-12. Reading will be Nick's fourth Atlantic Division club in the last eleven months.

Capitals Idea

During the offseason, the Royals switched their NHL and AHL affiliates, bidding farewell to the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Providence Bruins, and Toronto Marlies, while welcoming in the Washington Capitals, along with their AHL club, the Hershey Bears. Prior to moving their affiliate to Reading, the Capitals had tremendous success as the big club for the South Carolina Stingrays. South Carolina reached the playoffs in seven of eight years as a Washington affiliate, while taking home the Kelly Cup in 2009. Minor League success has followed the Capitals recently, as Hershey has won three Calder Cups in the AHL since 2005, while reaching the final round one other time.

Better to be on the Road

Last season, the Nailers and Royals met up 13 times, with the away team coming out victorious on eight of the 13 occasions. Three out of Wheeling's four wins in last year's season series came at Sovereign Center, as the Nailers defeated the Royals by scores of 5-1, 4-2, and 5-0. On the contrary, Reading had great success on the road against Wheeling, winning all four games they played at WesBanco Arena, while splitting a pair of tilts in Johnstown. Interestingly enough, the Nailers and Stingrays (then Washington's affiliate) split two games last season, with the road team winning both.

NEXT HOME GAME: Fri. Oct. 26th - 7:00PM

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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