Yahoo Sports Mavericks And Nailers Tangle In Big Weekend Matchup
For the first time this season, the Kansas City Mavericks and Wheeling Nailers will square off in a three-game weekend series beginning Friday night in Wheeling.
The Nailers come into Friday with a 26-8-2 record, good for 54 points and first place in the North Division. Kansas City sits second in the Mountain Division with a 22-10-3-1 record and 48 points. The Nailers are ranked second in the Eastern Conference, while Kansas City is third in the West. Wheeling has the second-best record in the ECHL behind the defending Kelly Cup Champion Florida Everblades, while the Mavericks rank seventh overall.
The two clubs have met just three times over the last five years, with Kansas City holding a 2-1-0 edge, all on home ice.
Over their past 10 games, the Nailers are 6-3-1, while Kansas City is 5-4-1 in their last 10.
Both teams are coming off victories in their last game. The Nailers won a hard-fought 4-3 victory in overtime against the Worcester Railers. Massachusetts native Matt Koopman scored the game-winner in his home state just 49 seconds into OT. Wheeling split the four-game series with the Railers, with each contest being decided by one goal.
Kansas City claimed a 5-1 win over the Rapid City Rush last Saturday at Cable Dahmer Arena. The Mavericks scored all five of their goals through the first two periods before Connor Mylymok scored Rapid City’s only tally late in the second.
Wheeling is 13-2-1 at home so far this season, while the Mavericks are 7-5-2-1 on the road.
At home, the Nailers are 12-for-49 (25.2%) on the power-play. On the road, KC is 11-for-77 (14.3%) with the man advantage. On penalty-kill, Wheeling is 82.1%, while the Mavericks are 77.2% away from home.
Chris Ortiz leads the Nailers in points (5-31-36), followed by Atley Calvert (13-22-35) and Matty De St. Phalle (13-21-34).
Cade Borchardt and Max Andreev are tied for the team lead in scoring for the Mavericks with 42 points. Borchardt leads in goals with 23 and has been hot over the past month, including back-to-back hat tricks in December. Casey Carreau is right behind them with 28 points (15-13-28).
In net, rookie Sergei Murashov has had a phenomenal season. In his first season playing in North America, the 20-year-old native of Russia is second in the ECHL in wins (15) and ranks 10th in goals-against average (2.41).
Kansas City rookie Victor Ostman comes in at No. 14 in the league with a 2.52 GAA.
Earlier this week, the ECHL announced its mid-season All-Stars. Murashov, Ortiz and Calvert were selected to represent the Nailers, while Borchardt cracked the list for Kansas City.
Puck drop for Friday and Saturday’s games is scheduled for 7:10 Pm ET. Sunday’s contest is set for 4:10 Pm ET.
