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Time for Nailers to Ramp Things Up

WHEELING — One of the cliches often thrown around in hockey circles is that games in October and November mean as much as the ones coming down the stretch toward the playoffs. If that’s truly the case — it certainly is — it’s time for the Wheeling Nailers to find their game.

Through two weekends of play, Coach Jeff Christian’s club has secured one of a possible six points and sits last in the ECHL’s North Division with a record of 0-2-1.

”The message is stick together … it’s early and we’ve got a lot of young players,” Christian said. ”We have to learn how to win and to close out games.

”We have to do the right things, but it’s a process.

”Me as a coach, I have to be patient. I am not happy, but I asked the guys to be positive and stick together. It’s the only way that we’re going to learn as a team..”

Making matters worse is an unbalanced scheduled used by the league. Wheeling has already lost twice against divisional foes and only has 22 such games remaining.

”It’s tough. We’ve got to get these points because we don’t play these guys,” Christian said.

Meurs Magic

Fans’ excitement went through the roof this summer when it was announced the team had agreed to terms with 23-year-old right winger Garrett Meurs. He scored a combined 57 points including 30 goals during his first two seasons in the league with Fort Wayne.

Meurs is a skilled player that has a bit of pest intertwined in his game. And already in his short time in Wheeling, Meurs has shown a propensity for finding the back of the net.

A former fifth-round pick (123rd overall) of the Colorado Avalanche, Meurs has two goals in three games with the Nailers and is a plus-3.

”I thought Meurs had a great game. I thought he dominated,” Christian said following last Friday night’s 4-3 home loss to Reading. ”

Notes

The Nailers have played — and lost — three straight one-goal games to begin the season. … Kevin Shulze and Gage Quinney each garnered their first pro points last weekend. … Veteran Jordan Kwas leads Wheeling in scoring with three points (1G-2A). … The Nailers are yet to record a fighting major.

This Weekend

Friday, 7 p.m.

Wheeling at Kalamazoo

Saturday, 8:05 p.m.

Kalamazoo at Wheeling

For the first time this season the Nailers will go out of conference when they play a home-and-home with Kalamazoo, beginning tonight on the road. The Wings, now members of the Western Conference’s Central division, are off to a 3-1 start and have outscored opponents, 11-4.

Justin Taylor is the team’s leading scorer with six points.

Last season, the Nailers and Wings faced off eight times, with Kalamazoo coming out on top in five of the eight. The season series triumph has changed hands in five consecutive seasons, with Wheeling winning in 2012-13 and 2014-15, and the Wings prevailing in 2011-12, 2013-14, and 2015-16.

Shawn Rine can be reached via email at: srine@theintelligencer.net

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