The ECHL has announced that Wheeling Nailers goaltender Taylor Gauthier has been named Warrior Hockey ECHL Goalie of the Week for the week of March 11-17.
Gauthier, 23, enjoyed another spectacular week between the pipes last week, as he played in all three games to help the Nailers earn five out of six possible points on the road against the Iowa Heartlanders. Taylor posted his largest save total of the week in Wednesday’s opener, as he made 29 saves on 32 shots in Wheeling’s 3-2 overtime defeat. Next, on Friday night, the netminder was perfect through 60 minutes and beyond, as he denied all 27 shots he faced for his fourth shutout of the season in a 1-0 overtime triumph. Finally, on Saturday night, Gauthier closed out the week in style with a 27-save effort, as the Nailers held off Iowa, 2-1. The second year goalie has dominated the Heartlanders in his career, as he now owns a 6-0-1 record, a 0.98 goals against average, and a .963 save percentage in seven head-to-head clashes.
The Calgary, Alberta native is beginning to make his mark in the Wheeling record books with his sensational season. For a single season in team history, Gauthier currently ranks tied for fourth in wins (24), tied for fourth in shutouts (4), and fifth in minutes played (2,477). From a league standpoint this season, Taylor ranks first in goals against average (2.23), wins (24), shutouts (4), saves (1,104), games played (42), and minutes played (2,477), and is tied for third in save percentage (.923). He has allowed two goals or less in 23 of his 42 appearances, and has allowed three goals or less in 36 of 42 contests.
Gauthier is also etching new history by winning this award, as he becomes the first Wheeling netminder ever to win Warrior Hockey ECHL Goalie of the Week four times in the same season. He is the fifth goaltender in ECHL history to do so, joining Alaska’s Chris Beckford-Tseu (2005-06), Idaho’s Thomas Sholl (2019-20), Greenville’s Ryan Bednard (2020-21), and Orlando’s Clint Windsor (2020-21). He is the second Wheeling backstop to earn the honor four times in his career, joining Peter Delmas, who did so over the course of three seasons. The ECHL record for a career is seven.
The Nailers will begin a four-game homestand on Tuesday morning at 10:45 against the Indy Fuel in their annual Education Day Game. Wheeling will also be home on Friday at 7:10 for Ladies Night against the Kalamazoo Wings, before the highlight game of the week – Wizards & Wands on Saturday at 7:10 against the Fort Wayne Komets. The first 2,500 fans at Wizards & Wands will receive a free wizard wand. There will also be a Sorting Hat station, acceptance letters to Wizarding School, specialty jerseys, Butter Beer, Quidditch, and fans can sit with their house. The Wheeling Nailers, considered one of the top things to do in Wheeling, West Virginia, provide affordable family entertainment for fans throughout the Ohio Valley.
