The ECHL has announced that Wheeling Nailers goaltender Taylor Gauthier has been named Warrior Hockey ECHL Goalie of the Week for the week of December 11-17.
Gauthier, 22, played and won both of Wheeling’s games last week. On Friday, he made 24 saves on 25 shots, as the Nailers defeated the Indy Fuel, 4-1. Then, on Saturday, he stared down one of the top offensive clubs in the ECHL, and denied all 32 shots he faced, as Wheeling blanked the Cincinnati Cyclones, 3-0. Taylor concluded the weekend with a shutout streak of 106:30. Saturday’s shutout was Gauthier’s third this season, as he blanked Kalamazoo on December 3rd and also had an AHL shutout with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins against the Syracuse Crunch on November 10th.
The Calgary, Alberta native is enjoying an outstanding second professional season, as he currently ranks second in the ECHL with a 2.14 goals against average and second with a .928 save percentage. Taylor has an 8-5-1 record with the Nailers this season, and has allowed three goals or fewer in 13 of his 14 starts. In his career, Gauthier has appeared in 53 games between Wheeling and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and has gone 25-16-9.
Gauthier is the second Nailer to earn an ECHL honor this season, following Cédric Desruisseaux, who was ECHL Player of the Month in October. Taylor is the second Wheeling goaltender in the last seven seasons to win ECHL Goaltender of the Week, joining Louis-Philip Guindon in April, 2022. He is also the first Nailer with multiple shutouts in the same season since Matt O’Connor in 2018-19.
Taylor Gauthier and the Wheeling Nailers will play their final game before the holiday break on Friday, when they go to Cincinnati for a 7:35 face-off. Wheeling’s next two home contests will take place on New Year’s Weekend, when the Norfolk Admirals come to town for a series on Saturday, December 30th at 7:10 and Sunday, December 31st at 6:10.
The highlight game of that weekend is Sunday, which is Kids New Year’s Eve, featuring an interactive light show, free sparkling grape juice, as well as New Year’s hats and noisemakers. That will also be a Screen Time Sunday in which one lucky fan will win a new TV courtesy of Walmart, and $2 ice cream sundaes will be available at Flurry’s.
The next Big Six Promotional Game is Super Nailers World on Saturday, January 13th. Season memberships and other terrific ticket plans for the 2023-24 season are available now by calling (304) 234-GOAL. 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.
