After finding a way to win two of three over the weekend followed by a big 5-2 win on Wednesday against Reading, how do you feel about the Nailers as they get to a big three-in-three over the weekend before the All-Star break?
With all of the player movement that happened prior to the weekend series of games, I was sure the team would be lucky to walk away with two standings points and the chance to stay in the race for the fourth spot in the division. However, after getting big wins on home ice on Friday against Ft. Wayne in regulation followed by an even bigger regulation win in Cincinnati on Saturday, you could see just how tired the team was getting and it was evident with a 2-0 shutout loss on Sunday afternoon against Kalamazoo.
Not only did the Nailers manage to earn four out of a possible six standings points, they also kept Ft. Wayne and Cincinnati from earning any points in those games, which helped them move forward into the third place in the Central Division.
They managed to hold that position this week with a really big 5-2 win against a strong Reading team who are currently in second place in the North Division, and whom the Nailers have had a number of battles with already this year with two games still on the schedule against. Now, with three more home games this weekend (Friday against Ft. Wayne, Saturday against Cincinnati, Sunday against Kalamazoo), it would take a considerably bad weekend to fall out of a playoff spot, sitting four points clear of Ft. Wayne, who are on a four-game losing streak coming in, and Kalamazoo.
Being in such a strong position hitting the midpoint of the season is huge, and going into it with a winning weekend would help this team immensely with keeping the momentum through the break. Two of the games are against teams currently trailing them in the standings, while the middle game is against the team directly ahead of them, so obviously getting the full six points from the huge weekend would go a long way in keeping this team in the competition.
I know that legs can get heavy and teams can struggle when hitting that Sunday game, so it might be more realistic to say they can get four points, but with Kalamazoo coming in for a third in three days as well, I don’t see why the Nailers can’t earn the full six and really solidify themselves within the playoff race at the break.
With all of the player movement that happened last week, we had a chance to see a number of new players in Nailers jerseys over the last week. Who has stood out to you the most and do you think should have the chance to stick with the team once all of the regular players come back?
I must admit, I watched closely to see just how well the new players would fit in with the existing group and keep the boat moving forward. What I saw was even better than I hoped for, as they kept the winning ways going and a number of the guys showed that they had the skill and ability to help this team no matter the situation they came in on.
Roy Kanda filled in on the blue line admirably and did his best in shutting down the other team’s opportunities, but there were moments where he was chasing the puck a little more than you would hope and gave up too many opportunities against.
Luke Santerno gave a good boost on the forward group and slotted into the lineup well, kicking in an assist and helping push play in the offensive zone.
But I think the absolute revelation of this situation has been Bailey Brkin in the goal. There were moments in the games that he played in where he found himself swimming a little bit to be in position and make saves, you’ll have times like that in an educational league.
However, he has accustomed himself very well to the style of play he needs to be a player at this level. He definitely plays a little flashy in the net, and could find himself rubbing the other team the wrong way, but that can definitely be a good thing. If you’re in their head as a goalie, they can become so hyper-focused on taking it to you that they slip a little in other areas and give your team chances. However, this really only works if you’re bringing it every game, and Brkin has done that in spades every time he’s been out there.
In the games he has played beginning this past weekend, Brkin is 3-0 with a 2.00 goals against average and a .943 save percentage, which is extraordinarily high no matter the level being played at, let alone at a level where chances against are expected to be higher. Brkin has stepped up when this team needed him to, with both Taylor Gauthier and Tommy Nappier still up in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Getting this strong play behind them allows the team to push a little more, giving themselves more chances, and with how Brkin has been showing up other teams, has definitely given the Nailers the mental edge.
I think he definitely deserves the chance to stick on this roster even if those two guys make their way back to the Friendly City.
Do you think it’s beneficial or a hindrance to have your last three games leading into the All-Star break be against the same exact teams you just played the weekend before that you beat in two out of the three games?
Once you make the playoffs, you’re obviously stuck in a situation where you’re playing the same team at least four times in a row, if not more, so it’s not a situation that is completely foreign. However, to get this chance during the regular season, especially after having as much success against them as you did the previous weekend, can be huge. You just finished showing these guys you can take it to them and earn victories, even in games where you’re not playing at full strength with the roster, so to have that in their head coming into this weekend could definitely help, especially with the returns of some of the bigger guys on the roster (Addamo and Maniscalco especially).
I also think it can be seen as beneficial because they’re division opponents. Getting wins within the division, with regulation wins being the most important, can only reenforce that you’re prepared to make noise over the second half and into the playoffs. These games can help set the tone for your team for the second half of the year, and coming out and taking the game to them and putting them on their heels, right after doing the same thing last weekend, can put it in their heads when you see them coming up on the schedule again.
I like that the schedule has worked out this way, and I really want to see the Nailers come out and do it all over again to show that they’re here to stay against these other teams.
Assuming the team does have a successful weekend series (winning two out of the three games), what does that do to your expectations for the second half of the season and where the Nailers can end up by the end of the year?
I fully believe the Nailers can and should come away with at least the four standings points that would come with winning two out of three. This team has gotten stronger each and every week as the season has moved along, and they are playing some of the best hockey they have all year just in time for the break to hit. There’s absolutely no reason to think it can’t continue this weekend and after the break, so expectations should remain high moving forward.
Knowing that the Nailers currently sit tied for third with Toledo, seven points behind second place Cincinnati, this weekend can go pretty far in strengthening their bid to moving up even higher in the standings.
My expectations coming into the season was playoffs, and that hasn’t changed, but with how well they’re playing at this point, maybe it’s time to think they should aim higher. There is still a lot of hockey to play after the break, and a lot of those games are against some very bad hockey teams from Norfolk and Iowa, so if Wheeling can find a way to be within a couple points of second place as they come into the second half, why wouldn’t it be fair to think they can find a way to move into one of those top two spots and earn home ice in the first round?
Or better yet, aim even higher and push against Indy and try to take that top spot and get home ice through the divisional games? This should be a realistic aim for this team knowing what they have been able to do so far and what they can do moving forward.
What has you the most excited for the Wizards and Wands game scheduled for this Saturday against Cincinnati?
Of course, any time the team has a big promotion night, it’s sure to be a great time, and this one is no exception. With the Wizards and Wands game, the first 1,700 fans through the door will get a replica wand souvenir to take home, and after getting to see the wand firsthand during the Thursday night sports hour radio program on River Talk, it’s an impressive item to say the least.
It has some heft to it and definitely feels like a real wand, just maybe be a little careful waving it around at face level, if you do.
Having a sorting hat on site in the arena should be real fun and seeing the fans get a chance to be sorted into different houses will be really cool, and separating out the arena into the different houses will allow for a little friendly competition between groups during the Quidditch matches that are planned during the intermission.
I also had a chance to see the specialty jerseys the team will be wearing up close, and they are very high quality and really nice, so whoever bids on them in the auction after the game will be getting a really nice piece of memorabilia.
But really, the most exciting part is going to be the fans, especially those who choose to dress up for the game. I’ve heard the team has already managed to sell north of 3,500 tickets for the game, so to have the building that packed for a HUGE matchup with Cincinnati will be fantastic, and if you are going to the game, make sure to get there early enough to get your hands on one of those wands.
Hopefully this even provides a really fun atmosphere and, more importantly, a big win for the home squad.
