Where else can you sit four rows from the ice (right on the blue line) for $15, pay $4 for a beer and listen to an elementary-school chorus group sing the National Anthem? Minor-league hockey – you gotta love it.
I traveled to lovely Wheeling, W.V., last Saturday to watch the Nailers, the ECHL affiliate of the Penguins, play the Kalamazoo Wings. And, as usual, it was an awesome experience. I’ve been to a handful of Nailers’ games over the years and have never walked away disappointed. Why, you ask? Easy – because it’s pretty good hockey for a very reasonable price.
Now, the ECHL is obviously nowhere near the NHL in terms of skill. It’s no AHL either. There’s no Sidney Crosbys or Sergei Gonchars here. Then again, you aren’t paying $80/ticket, $20/parking and $8/beer. Keep in mind that many ECHL players have made it to the NHL over the years, so the league isn’t absent of talent. If you want proof, look no further than Pens’ head coach Dan Bylsma, who had 66 points in 60 games with the Greensboro Monarchs in 1993-94. Current prospects are also playing for the team. 2007 third-round pick Casey Pierro-Zabotel played on Saturday.
The simple fact is Wheeling is only a little more than an hour-drive from Pittsburgh. If you love hockey – and Pittsburgh fans are rabid – it makes sense to travel down and check it out. The most expensive ticket is $20; the cheapest is $13; and all tickets are $5 for kids under 14. There isn’t a bad seat in the house. The WesBanco Arena is actually a pretty cool place to watch a game (the goal horn is quite the auditory experience).
On Saturday I was so close I could smell the equipment and I could hear Kalamazoo’s coach cursing at the referee. The action? Pretty good. I was impressed by the speed of the players and the accuracy of their passes. Both goalies were outstanding, and it was a physical contest.
By now you’re probably asking why I bothered to write this. Well, in case you didn’t hear (or if you did and didn’t give a damn), the Johnstown Chiefs – the only original ECHL team still playing in its original city – will relocate to Greenville, S.C., after the season. That’s right, the same franchise that inspired the all-time classic flick “Slap Shot” and the town that it was filmed in. For some reason or another, this depressed me.
I’m not saying Wheeling is in danger of moving. I have no clue what its financial situation is. But the team averages just 2,639 fans a game, third-lowest in the league, and that can’t be good for the bottom line. (For the record, Johnston was last in the league with 1,959 fans/game.) As I saw first-hand, the arena was practically empty on a Saturday night. The team has been in Wheeling since 1992 and has gone through its share of good and bad times. Nonetheless, it’s a big deal for the area to have a pro team. For what it’s worth, it is part of the Pens’ family. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton shuttles players back and forth to Wheeling all year.
So, if you want to enjoy some good hockey at a great price, I suggest visiting Wheeling next year and checking out the Nailers. Support your local minor-league hockey franchise. Sometimes you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.