ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers at IceMen Game Day Snap Shot

Published on November 7, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Wheeling Nailers (3-2-0-0, 6 PTS) at Evansville IceMen (3-1-0-1, 7 PTS)

WHEELING NAILERS

(3-2-0-0, 6 PTS, T-6th North, T-11th East)

15 GF, 14 GA

PP: 22.2% (4-for-18), 8th

PK: 91.3% (21-for-23), 5th

23-F-Riley Brace (3 goals, 4 assists, 7 points in 5 games)

8-D-Zach Yuen (2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points in 4 games)

21-F-Sahir Gill (2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points in 5 games)

19-F-Shane Bakker (3 goals, 3 points in 5 games)

12-F-David Gilbert (3 goals, 3 points in 5 games)

29-G-Franky Palazzese (3-2-0 record, 2.80 GAA, .904 Sv% in 5 games)

EVANSVILLE ICEMEN

(3-1-0-1, 7 PTS, T-4th North, T-8th East)

16 GF, 13 GA

PP: 11.8% (2-for-17), T-20th

PK: 80.0% (12-for-15), T-19th

25-F-Patrick Kennedy (4 goals, 3 assists, 7 points in 5 games)

11-F-Kale Kerbashian (3 goals, 2 assists, 5 points in 5 games)

16-F-Myles Bell (3 goals, 1 assist, 4 points in 4 games)

17-F-Matt Lowry (1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points in 5 games)

26-D-Donnie Harris (3 assists, 3 points in 5 games)

36-G-Chris Driedger (0-0-1 record, 2.77 GAA, .897 Sv% in 1 game)

Head-to-Head

2013-14 Season Series: Nailers 2, IceMen 2

2013-14 Season Series at Ford Center: IceMen 1, Nailers 0

All-Time Series: Nailers 4, IceMen 3

All-Time Series at Ford Center: IceMen 2, Nailers 0

Dodging the Royal Bullets

The Wheeling Nailers enter Friday's game with a 3-2-0 record, after splitting a home-and-home series with the Reading Royals last weekend. Wheeling dropped the opening game 3-1 at Santander Arena on Thursday, before bouncing back with a 3-2 triumph on Saturday at WesBanco Arena. Shane Bakker's two goals and David Gilbert's one built a 3-1 lead for the home team after two periods, but the game was far from decided at that point, as the Nailers were forced to kill off their second five-minute penalty of the evening. Despite allowing just their second power play goal of the season, the good guys came away with the two points. Franky Palazzese made 24 saves, grabbing the win in his fifth straight start.

They Haven't Left the State

The Evansville IceMen come into Friday's game with a 3-1-1 mark, and have yet to leave the State of Indiana, after playing four games at Ford Center and one up the road at Fairgrounds Coliseum in Indianapolis. Evansville earned at least one point in each of its first four contests of 2014-15, including a 2-0-1 mark against its new in-state rival, the Fuel. However, the IceMen came up short in their most recent tilt, dropping a 3-2 decision to the Elmira Jackals on Wednesday morning. Cal Heeter (recently signed by AHL Toronto) made 38 saves in the loss, while Patrick Kennedy netted his team-leading fourth goal of the campaign.

Destination: Divisional Opponents

After starting the season with five straight games against the East Division, the Nailers will get their first taste of their new division rivals, as they will play each of their next three contests against the North Division. The trip begins on Friday in Evansville, where Wheeling is looking for its first victory in three visits to Ford Center. The Nailers will then make their way to Cincinnati, where they won three of six games last season. Finally, the weekend concludes at WesBanco Arena, where the expansion Indy Fuel will visit for the first time in history. Wheeling will end up playing 28 games against its division during the regular season, after compiling an 18-13-2 mark against those squads one year ago.

Mullins Brought a Few Friends West

Over the summer, Dwight Mullins became the third head coach in Evansville's three-year ECHL history, when he left Elmira to take over for Jeff Pyle. While the IceMen have six returning faces, there is a taste of the Jackals on the roster as well. Troy Rutkowski, Jakub Culek, and Chris Driedger all played for Mullins in Elmira at some point during the 2013-14 season, and Kevin Harvey was a Jackal in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 campaigns. In addition to the coach and player connections to Elmira, the IceMen are now affiliated with the Ottawa Senators - the former affiliate of the Jackals.

Hoping to Forecast a Ford Center First

Friday night marks the first of four head-to-head meetings between the Nailers and IceMen this season, as well as the first of three battles at Ford Center. Since Evansville joined the ECHL at the start of the 2012-13 campaign, Wheeling has traveled into the Central Time Zone only twice, falling by identical 4-3 scores. However, that won't be the case this season, as the Nailers will visit the IceMen for a pair of tilts in March as well. The home teams have had a decided advantage in the historical series, winning six of the seven clashes all-time. Thanks to a 4-1 mark at WesBanco Arena, the Nailers have a 4-3 lead overall.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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