The Indy Fuel and the Wheeling Nailers will meet in the opening round of the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Veteran ECHL writer Justin Cohn breaks down the series and tells you what you should keep an eye on during the series.

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Central Division Semifinals

No. 2 Indy Fuel (39-25-8) Vs. No. 3 Wheeling Nailers (38-28-5)

• Game 1 – Friday, April 19 at 7 p.m. ET at Indy
• Game 2 – Saturday, April 20 at 7 p.m. ET at Indy
• Game 3 – Monday, April 22 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling
• Game 4 – Tuesday, April 23 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling
• Game 5 – Saturday, April 27 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling (If Necessary) *
• Game 6 – Monday, April 29 at 7 p.m. ET at Indy (If Necessary)
• Game 7 – Tuesday, April 30 at 7 p.m. ET at Indy (If Necessary)

*Game 5 would be played at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pennsylvania.

Indy And Wheeling Top Scorers

Indy’s Cameron Hillis had 18 goals and 61 points during the regular season; Wheeling’s Jordan Martel had 35 goals and 58 points, though that included 16 games with Utah.

What You Need To Know About The Indy Fuel

The Fuel dominated the regular-season series with Wheeling, going 8-2-1. 

Indy has a deep, talented group of forwards, but nothing it does is particularly flashy. 

The Fuel are opportunistic; they’ll pounce on turnovers in the defensive or neutral zone and quickly turn them into scoring chances in the offensive zone. 

Indy also brings a physical edge to games, especially defenseman Christopher Cameron and D.J. King, who finish a lot of checks. 

Indy is playing its final games at Indiana Farmers Coliseum and will move to a new arena in Fishers, Indiana, next season.

What You Need To Know About The Wheeling Nailers 

When goaltender Taylor Gauthier, a first-team All-ECHL selection this season, was called up to the AHL on March 28, it was natural to wonder what it would mean for the Nailers’ defense down the stretch. 

Jaxon Castor has stepped up; he stopped 48 of 49 shots in the final two regular-season games, a 4-1 victory over Fort Wayne and a 6-0 victory over Cincinnati, to get the Nailers into the postseason. 

Wheeling is mighty dangerous offensively, but it’s going to have to limit mistakes in transition against the Fuel. 

It’s worth noting that Game 5 of this 2-3-2 formatted series won’t be played at WesBanco Arena, but at the Pittsburgh Penguins’ practice arena in Cranberry, Pennsylvania.

Two Players To Watch In Indy-Wheeling Series

Indy’s Andrew Bellant went from nice player to a look-at-that-guy player in the past couple weeks with six goals and seven points in six games. 

Wheeling’s Justin Addamo returned from the AHL on April 3 and was relatively quiet his first two games, but he had six assists in two games last week. If he can keep contributing offensively, it would alleviate the pressure on Martel and help elevate the games of those around him.

X-Factor For The Indy-Wheeling Series

Coaching. 

This series features two of the best head coaches most ECHL fans probably don’t know much about. 

Wheeling’s Derek Army, who is in his fourth season despite being only 33, does an excellent job of making adjustments in games, and winning a seven-game series with Fort Wayne in 2022 surely taught him a lot about succeeding as an underdog. 

Indy’s Duncan Dalmao, 45, in his third season with the Fuel, did a great job resurrecting a team that looked like it wouldn’t be much of a factor early in the season. He’s yet to get the Fuel a playoff series win, though.

Indy Fuel Vs. Wheeling Nailers Predictions

It’s tough to overlook the Fuel’s head-to-head record, even if they’re only 2-1-0 since Jan. 13, but this series feels like it’ll have high-scoring games, and that favors the Nailers a little bit. 

And, if Gauthier should return, then look out. Wheeling wins in six games.

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