Nailers News & Notes - November 26, 2025
Published on November 26, 2025 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
When you pull up the ECHL Standings, you won't have to scroll very far to find the Wheeling Nailers. In fact, you probably won't have to scroll at all. Wheeling currently has the most wins (11), most points (22), and highest points percentage (.786) in the league. Last weekend, the Nailers split a home-and-home series with the Reading Royals, bringing their overall record to 11-3-0. The next two weeks will be packed full of games, as Wheeling will play eight times in 12 days, and six of those matches will take place at WesBanco Arena.
WRESTLING, BLUEY, PUPS, TURKEYS, AND MORE
Going along with the Thanksgiving theme, the Nailers have stuffed the upcoming week full with fun promotions. Wednesday night is the annual Thanksgiving Eve game, as Wheeling hosts Indy at 7:10. There will be live IWC Wrestling in the main lobby, turkey bowling during the first intermission, and select $2 beer specials. Thanksgiving is an off day, then the team travels to Toledo on Friday, before returning home for games against Cincinnati on Saturday at 7:10 and Sunday at 4:10. Saturday is Bluey Night, and fans will have the opportunity to meet Bluey and have their photo taken with her throughout the game. Sunday is Pups & Pucks, when fans can bring their dogs to the game. Sunday will also feature a post game skate with odd-numbered players.
THAT'S ENOUGH OF THOSE GUYS
The Nailers and Reading Royals wrapped up a stretch of four head-to-head games in seven days with a home-and-home split over the weekend, which saw each side win in enemy territory. The Royals got a 52-save effort from Yaniv Perets to win Friday's game, 4-1. On Saturday, Tanner Andrew tallied a goal (first as a pro) and an assist, while Jake Smith made 36 saves to lift Wheeling to a 3-1 triumph. Smith became the first Nailers netminder since Peter Delmas (2010-11) to win each of his first five decisions with the club. The two teams built up a significant dislike for one another, as the final three games saw five fighting majors distributed per side. By comparison, the Nailers had five fighting majors in their first 11 contests of the season.
THE FAB-50 CLUB
Generally speaking, the more shots a team takes, the better the chances are that team will win the game. The 2025-26 Nailers are living proof of that, as they have outshot their opponents in 11 of 14 games, and have gone 9-2-0 when doing so. However, when the shot total begins to soar to the extremes, goaltenders have shined at a remarkable rate historically, just as Yaniv Perets did on Friday. In its 34-year history, Wheeling has been involved in 28 games (14 for, 14 against) in which a goaltender made 50 or more saves. Those goaltenders came out on the winning side of the equation 18 times for a .643 winning percentage. Reading goalies are responsible for seven of the last eight 50-plus save performances. The last time a netminder for the Nailers reached the half-century mark in saves was Curtis Darling's 53 on October 26, 2008 in a 5-3 win against Trenton. The team's all-time record for most saves in a game was Joel Laing's 63 at Peoria on February 16, 2002. And you better believe he also earned a victory.
DEPTH ON DEFENSE
This week, the Nailers received a pair of defensemen from the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, as Scooter Brickey and Finn Harding are expected to be in the lineup this week. Brickey is a 26-year old from Burtchville, Michigan, who spent all of last season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Scooter has five assists in 44 career AHL contests, and prior to that, he played collegiately at Western Michigan and Ohio State. In 2023-24, he led the Buckeyes with 13 goals. Harding is a 20-year old from Toronto, who made his pro debut with the Nailers in the spring. This year, Finn has five assists and a +6 rating in 14 games with the AHL Pens. Five of Wheeling's 11 current NHL/AHL contracted players are defensemen.
OUR OLD CENTRAL PALS
We interrupt your regularly scheduled North Division programming for one week only to bring you four match-ups against some Central Division rivals.
First up is Indy, who is tied for third in the division with a 7-6-2 record. This will be the only road tilt in an 11-game stretch for the Fuel, but Indy has performed well away from Fishers Event Center with a 3-1-0 mark. Rookie Cody Laskosky was acquired from Tahoe and promptly scored twice in his Fuel debut to give him five goals and eight points on the season. AHL contracted goaltender Owen Flores has earned five of the team's seven victories, and has allowed three total goals in his last five appearances. Wheeling went 4-1-1 against Indy last season.
Opponent number two is Toledo, who has rode a six-game point streak (4-0-2) into second place in the division at 8-3-2. The Walleye have the second best offense in the league (3.77 goals per game), led by former Nailer and two-time ECHL MVP Brandon Hawkins, who has five goals and 17 points. Columbus Blue Jackets contracted goaltender Nolan Lalonde is 4-1-2 for Toledo. The Walleye got the upper hand in four of seven head-to-head clashes a year ago.
Finally, Cincinnati brings its 8-6-0 record (tied for third place) to town for two. Power play goals have flown in at a rapid rate in games involving the Cyclones, who have scored 12 and allowed 11. Ryan Kirwan's 14 points are tied for the most among rookies, while Jake Johnson has 13 assists, which are the second most among defensemen. Ken Appleby and Kyle McClellan have alternated the last eight games in goal, with each posting a 2-2-0 mark. Wheeling defeated Cincinnati, 5-3 on opening night.
Buy Tickets for Upcoming Games
Wed. Nov. 26 - Thanksgiving Eve w/ IWC Wrestling
Sat. Nov. 29 - Bluey Night
Sun. Nov. 30 - Pups & Pucks
Sat. Dec. 6 - Wizards & Wands: Spells in the Snow
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