ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers vs. Royals Game Day Snap Shot

November 1, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Back at the Bank

On Friday night, the Wheeling Nailers return to WesBanco Arena for a pair of weekend home games against the Reading Royals and Greenville Road Warriors. After earning at least one point in 28 of 36 home games (21-8-1-6) during the 2012-13 season, Wheeling picked up right where it left off on opening night, defeating the Elmira Jackals, 3-2. Since then, the Nailers have played a pair of games on the road, falling to Cincinnati 4-2 and Toledo 2-0. The Royals enter with a 2-3-0-0 record, but have played in only one game away from Santander Arena, as a 33-save effort from Riley Gill propelled Reading past Elmira, 3-1 on October 25th. Last season, Wheeling and Reading split 12 head-to-head games, with the Nailers taking four of seven in Wheeling.

We're Number One

The brightest spot of the first three games for the Nailers has been the performance of their penalty kill. With 14 successful diffusions under its belt, Wheeling is now the only team in the ECHL who has yet to allow a power play goal to the opposition. After killing off seven penalties in their opening night win over Elmira, the Nailers killed off three and four penalties respectively against Cincinnati and Toledo. On the flip side, the Royals have allowed the second most power play goals in the league (5). However, Wheeling has had the fewest power play chances in the league (9).

Debuting in Different Ways

Three different players will don the Wheeling Nailers colors for the first time in their careers, when they take the ice on Friday night. Former Reading defenseman Dustin Stevenson will make his debut in the Penguins organization, after being loaned to Wheeling from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton earlier in the week. The same is the case for goaltender Eric Hartzell, who gets the nod between the pipes, and will also be making his professional hockey debut. Finally, Sahir Gill's name will be in the lineup, joining Hartzell, to become the sixth and seventh players to make their pro debuts with the Nailers this season.

Three is the Magic Number

Friday night will mark the sixth game of the season for the Reading Royals, who have seen strong performances by defenses and goaltenders in each of their first five contests. In fact, the winning team in all five of Reading's games has scored exactly three goals. The Royals split a pair of 3-2 decisions against South Carolina on opening weekend, before a 3-1 win over Elmira was followed by back-to-back 3-1 losses to Elmira and Greenville. In addition, the winning team has been outshot in four of the five games, including double digit margins in three.

117 and Counting

The Reading Royals joined the ECHL in the fall of 2001, and in that time, geography has led them into a plethora of games against the Wheeling Nailers. Entering this season, the Nailers have collided with the Royals on 116 different occasions during the regular season (nine more in the playoffs) - their highest total against any active team in the ECHL. Cincinnati (96) and Elmira (58) are the only two others over 50. Unfortunately for the home team, Reading has had the upper hand, coming out on top in 66 of those meetings, while also winning or tying each of the last six season series. Wheeling hopes to reverse that trend this season, as the two sides will oppose each other 15 times, bringing the all-time total up to 131.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics



ECHL Stories from November 1, 2013


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