The Wheeling Nailers, for the second time in as many weeks, have announced changes to their scheduled games due to expectations of high flood levels. Tonight’s game vs. Toledo Walleye, originally scheduled for 7:10, will now begin at 6:00, and tomorrow’s Fan Appreciation game vs. Cincinnati Cyclones will now be played on Sunday with a time still to be determined. Last week, the Nailers had to reschedule their game against the Fort Wayne Komets for the same reason.
Wheeling has a chance to punch their ticket to the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the second time in the last three years tonight with either a win or a loss by the Kalamazoo Wings in any fashion or a loss by the Fort Wayne Komets in regulation. If Wheeling salvages only one point tonight, they would need Kalamazoo to lose in regulation. Toledo and Wheeling have split the first four games of the season series so far; Wheeling has won five of their eight games this season against the Cyclones.
Wheeling will be without goaltender Taylor Gauthier, who was called up to Baby Penguins on March 26th; Gauthier was named to the ECHL All-First Team earlier this week. In 42 games this year with the Nailers, the Alberta Native is 24-16-1 this year with a 2.23 GAA, .923 SV%, and four shutouts, he’s also spent four games with the Wilkes -Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he’s gone 1-2-1with a 3.87 GAA, .889SV%, and one shutout. He hasn’t played in a game since March 16th when he was with the Nailers, where he would make 27 saves in a win against the Iowa Heartlanders.
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