Photo by Joe Lovell Wheeling’s Jordan Martel (51) celebrates after one of his two goals Tuesday night as the Nailers blanked the Indy Fuel 3-0 in Game 4 of their ECHL Central Division semifinal series inside WesBanco Arena. The Nailers lead the best-of-7 series, 3-1.

WHEELING — The Wheeling Nailers moved to within one win of advancing in the ECHL playoffs Tuesday night.

Jordan Martel scored a pair of goals — both on the power play — and goaltender Jaxon Castor recorded his first professional shutout as the Nailers posted a 3-0 blanking of the visiting Indy Fuel in Game 4 of their Central Division semifinal series inside WesBanco Arena.

“Our best players came through tonight,” Wheeling head coach Derek Army said. “Jordan Martel has been our best scorer all season and he got two tonight.”

The victory, Wheeling’s third straight after a Game 1 setback, gives the Nailers a 3-1 advantage in the best-of-7 series. Game 5 is set for Saturday night inside the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in the Pittsburgh suburb of Cranberry. The puck drops at 7:10.

“Jaxon played great and the guys in front of him blocked a lot of shots and didn’t give up a whole lot, but when we did he was there,” Army praised. “I think the biggest save was the 2-on-1 break there late in the third. I didn’t like the way we played it, but Cast was there.

“We’re lucky to have him.”

Castor said he loves playing in Wheeling.

“It feels awesome,” he said of the shutout. “I love these guys and I love playing here.”

Special teams were huge for Wheeling. It killed off all five Indy power-play opportunities while lighting the goal lamp twice.

“I think we missed a couple of power-play opportunities, but it came through when we needed it to,” Army continued. “Our penalty kill was superb and you have to credit Jaxon for that.”

Martel made it 1-0 at the 13-minute, 19-second mark of the opening period. With the Fuel’s Seamus Malone in the penalty box for cross-checking, Lukas Svejkovsky and Justin Addamo worked the puck to the left side of the crease where Martel ripped a one-timer that sailed past Mitchell Weeks and tickled the twine.

“That first goal was crucial,” Army said of Martel’s fourth of the series. “It wasnice to start with the lead.”

The Nailers made it 2-0 in the second period when Martel once again found the net with the man advantage. Svejkovsky recorded his second assist of the game as he collected a loose puck, sent it to Martel who unleashed a laser that found the top left corner of the net at 14:21.

Castor, who made 20 saves, came up with his biggest when he denied Matus Spodniak on a 2-on-1 short-handed break with 3:15 remaining to play.

“He’s been playing really well for us,” Martel said of Castor. “He’s made some huge saves for us. We’re proud to have him in the net, for sure.”

David Jankowski capped the scoring with an empty-net goal at 19:43 with an assist going to Matthew Quercia.

“We’re not taking anything for granted. The last win is the hardest to get, so we’re going to give it our best,” Martel said.

With the reality of losing three straight setting in, the Fuel tried to take out their frustrations just as the final buzzer sounded, resulting in several misconduct penalties. The Fuel’s Matthew Cairns was assessed a 5-minute fighting major, along with a game misconduct. Teammate Christopher Cameron received a double minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct and Indy’s Jon Martin got hit with a 10-minute misconduct. Wheeling’s Quercia and Louis Roehl were given two minutes each for roughing.

PUCK DROPS

–The three stars of the game went to Castor, Martel and Svejkovsky.

–Monday’s overtime win was the fifth at home in Wheeling franchise history.

–Prior to Castor’s whitewashing Tuesday, the last playoff shutout at home belonged to Mike Condon on April 23, 2014.

–The attendance for Monday night was announced at 1,737. Three more fans attended last night.