Wheeling Nails Down Playoff Berth
Nailers win to punch first postseason ticket since 2016
Photo Provided KALAMAZOO, MI -- Playoff hockey is back in Wheeling, West Virginia.
For the first time since 2016, the Wheeling Nailers have clinched a spot in the Kelly Cup Playoffs following Wednesday's 3-2 triumph on the road over Kalamazoo.
Nailers head coach Derek Army was a part of that team that made a memorable run to the Kelly Cup Finals and to now coach Wheeling back to the playoffs -- he is reminded of something the great Derek Jeter once said.
"This is very special," Army said. "I always think of the Derek Jeter quote, 'Thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee.' That applies to Wheeling for me. I love this place and this incredible staff and team."
He's not alone.
Army truly believes the reason why Wheeling has put together such a strong campaign (37-29-4 = 78 points) is because everybody has the same mindset -- it's great to be a Wheeling Nailer.
"This has been a huge team effort from everyone from (assistant coach) Ryan's (Kuwabara) mentality to myself to the staff and the players," Army said. "The aspect of winning and the pride of being a Nailer, that's why we have had success. Everyone loves being a Wheeling Nailer."
Army is Wheeling's fourth coach since its last playoff appearance and he helped guide this playoff run in just his first full season at the helm.
"You definitely feel the pressure but for me, this is a different group," Army said. "It's a different age for us. Our mentality is, 'We are winners.' The culture has shifted to that and we take pride in that."
As the Nailers took the ice on Wednesday knowing what was at stake, Army admits there was a different feel to the game but it was one that he and his players live for.
"Our message to these guys was, 'These are the fun ones. You don't grow up as a kid imagining you are playing in the 43rd game of the season. You want the ones that mean the most. But we can't ride the waves. We have to stay even keel and play it shift by shift.'
"There was a different feel because (Kalamazoo's) season was on the line but we approached it one shift at a time and in five-minute segments."
The Nailers didn't let the moment overwhelm them. They jumped on the board first as Cam Hausinger lit the lamp at 11:40 of the first period.
They doubled the lead in the second as Justin Almeida recorded a power play goal for a 2-0 cushion.
Kalamazoo cut the deficit in half moments later but Hausinger had the answer. With 6:46 remaining in the second period, Hausinger took a feed from Sam Houde and Josh Maniscalco and buried it in the back of the net for what proved to be the game-winning goal.
The Wings did add one more goal later in the second but ECHL Goalie of the Week Louis-Philip Guindon was a brick wall the rest of the way as he stopped 35 shots to earn the victory.
Wheeling also killed two Kalamazoo power plays to secure the victory.
"Our penalty kill really stood out for us," Army said. "L-P Guindon was great in net and we had some huge blocks from David Drake and Felix Pare. Every player gutted up down the stretch for us and it was a great team victory."
Wheeling plays its final home game of the regular season on Friday when Fort Wayne visits WesBanco Arena at 7:10 p.m. and the Nailers wrap up the campaign at Fort Wayne at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.