This past weekend, the Wheeling Nailers made ECHL history, becoming the first franchise in the 24-year history of the league to reach 800 wins, as they defeated the Trenton Titans 6-4 at WesBanco Arena.
The ECHL began play in the fall of 1988, with five teams. One of those teams was the Carolina Thunderbirds, who won a thrilling seven-game series over the Johnstown Chiefs in the first ever Riley Cup Final. The following year, the Carolina Thunderbirds became the Winston-Salem Thunderbirds, which lasted for three seasons. During their time in Carolina/Winston-Salem, the Thunderbirds posted a 121-113-14 record.
In the summer of 1992, the Thunderbirds relocated to Wheeling, and had immediate success, going 40-16-8 during their first season in the Ohio Valley. The Thunderbirds name lasted for a total of four seasons in Wheeling, before the Nailers we know today were introduced. Since the 93 wins by the Wheeling Thunderbirds, the Nailers have won 586 times in 15-plus seasons, including five in their first five games this season.
In honor of the franchise’s 800th win, the Nailers will be celebrating this coming Friday night, when they welcome the Kalamazoo Wings to town. The 800th fan to enter the gates at WesBanco Arena will win the following items:
– Upgraded seats to a skybox for Friday night’s game
– A gift certificate to the concession stand for Friday night’s game
– “The Ultimate Hockey Experience” for a game of their choice, which includes a free dinner for two prior to the game at River City Ale Works, two seats on the bench during warmups, one period in the penalty box, and two seats in a sky box for the game, subject to availability.
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