ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers vs. Walleye Game Day Snap Shot

January 11, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


WHEELING NAILERS

(15-12-1-5, 36 PTS, 1st Atlantic, 7th East)

88 GF, 98 GA

PP: 12.4% (14-for-113), 20th

PK: 85.2% (121-for-142), 12th

21-F-Sahir Gill (7 goals, 18 assists, 25 points in 28 games)

2-D-Mike Ratchuk (7 goals, 12 assists, 19 points in 32 games)

7-F-Max MacKay (6 goals, 10 assists, 16 points in 23 games)

98-F-Chaz Johnson (5 goals, 10 assists, 15 points in 33 games)

22-F-Jack MacLellan (7 goals, 3 assists, 10 points in 17 games)

1-G-Mike Condon (10-5-4 record, 2.42 GAA, .922 Sv% in 19 games)

TOLEDO WALLEYE

(10-18-3-0, 23 PTS, 5th North, 13th East)

90 GF, 119 GA

PP: 19.0% (23-for-121), 3rd

PK: 83.8% (98-for-117), 17th

12-F-Travis Novak (7 goals, 12 assists, 19 points in 21 games)

23-F-Alden Hirschfeld (4 goals, 14 assists, 18 points in 31 games)

10-F-David Gilbert (8 goals, 8 assists, 16 points in 20 games)

9-F-Kevin Lynch (5 goals, 9 assists, 14 points in 29 games)

25-F-Louis-Marc Aubry (5 goals, 6 assists, 11 points in 16 games)

14-D-Joe Gleason (2 goals, 8 assists, 10 points in 20 games)

30-G-Hannu Toivonen (5-8-0 record, 3.92 GAA, .891 Sv% in 14 games)

Head-to-Head

Season Series: Nailers 1, Walleye 1

Season Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 1, Walleye 0

All-Time Series: Nailers 18, Walleye 17

All-Time Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 13, Walleye 7

Different Team, Same State

For the second game in a row, the Wheeling Nailers will battle a team from Ohio, as they welcome the Toledo Walleye to WesBanco Arena. On Thursday night, the Nailers dropped a 4-2 decision to the Cincinnati Cyclones. Cincinnati opened the scoring midway through the first period, then tacked on a power play goal in the second, before Jacob Lagace put Wheeling on the board with his first goal as a Nailer. Drew Schiestel also netted his first goal in a Wheeling uniform, but those two markers weren't enough. The Nailers are now 4-4-0 against Ohio teams this season.

Not Enjoying Life on the Road

On Friday night, the Toledo Walleye saw their home record drop to 7-7-0, as they fell to the Fort Wayne Komets, 3-2. The setback ended a brief two-game home winning streak for Toledo, who has experienced major struggles on the road in 2013-14. The Walleye has dropped four straight tilts on enemy ice, as well as 11 of its last 12 away from Northwest Ohio. The Walleye's three road victories are tied for the fewest in the ECHL, as it enters Saturday's game with a 3-11-3 mark as the visiting team. Utah (3-11-1) is the only team with fewer points when playing away from home.

Shots, Goals, and Wins Run Together

Over the course of the last seven games, Wheeling has struggled to produce shots on goal, and unfortunately, that has translated into a 1-5-1 record during those seven contests. The two games with points took place on January 3rd and 4th against Elmira, and on both occasions, the Nailers had over 30 shots on goal. Thus far this season, Wheeling has taken at least 31 shots in 11 games, posting an 8-2-1 record in that scenario. When the Nailers' shot total is 30 or fewer, their record is 7-10-5. Wheeling has outshot its opponent six times this season (3-3-0), while being outshot 25 times (11-9-5), and tying shots twice (1-0-1).

Best Power Play in the East

Although the Walleye has had its struggles during the first half of the season, one area that has had great success has been the team's power play. Toledo enters Saturday night's contest with the third best power play in the ECHL, connecting at a rate of 19.0%. A significant amount of those tallies have come away from Huntington Center, as the Walleye has scored 15 of its 23 power play goals on the road. The Eastern Conference's top ranked power play was held off of the scoreboard on Friday night, after it had found the twine in the previous two tilts.

Two Games, Two Shutouts

The Nailers and Walleye have played just two of their ten head-to-head clashes so far, with both teams skating away victorious on home ice. Interestingly enough, both battles were won with shutouts, as Mac Carruth was perfect on 30 shots for Toledo on October 26th, while Mathieu Corbeil denied all 39 shots he faced for Wheeling on November 30th. Those blankings marked the sixth and seventh shutouts in the 35-game all-time series, which is currently led by the Nailers, 18-17. Both teams have had a decided edge at home, as Wheeling enters Saturday with a 13-7 advantage at WesBanco Arena.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics



ECHL Stories from January 11, 2014


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