Photo by Joe Lovell The Wheeling Nailers, pictured as a team before game three of their Central Division Final series against the Toledo Walleye. Game three is set for Wednesday at 7:10 inside WesBanco Arena.

WHEELING — Despite being down 2-0 in their ECHL Kelly Cup Central Division Final to the Toledo Walleye, Wheeling Nailers head coach Derek Army is fully confident in his squad as it returns home tonight for Game 3 inside WesBanco Arena. The puck drops at 7:10.

“We’re right where we want to be. I think we’ve played really well,” Army said Tuesday morning prior to taking off for practice inside the Ice Castle in the Pittsburgh suburb of Castle Shannon. “We were one bounce away in Game 1 from being on top. In the second game we made it 4-3 and had a really good look right after that, but unfortunately it just didn’t go in the net.

“I liked the pressure we were able to apply and turn into our favor,” he added.

Game 4 of the best-of-7 series will also be played at WesBanco Arena on Friday, also at 7:10, with a Game 5, if necessary, on Saturday in the Friendly City. If needed, Games 6 and 7 will shift back to Toledo and the Huntington Center on Monday, May 13 and Tuesday, May 14.

“I think the guys will feed off the energy our fans bring,” Army continued. “We’ve played great at home. It’s a tough building to play in and I hope our fans bring all of their air horns, signs and noisemakers to make it as loud as they possibly can.”

Army was unsure of any lineup changes.

“I don’t know yet what we’ll do,” he admitted. “Throughout the history of the NHL and hockey, in general, countless teams have come back from being down 2-0 and winning a series. It’s nothing new to us. We won four straight against Indy. We’re certainly not panicked or afraid of this moment by any stretch.”

Toledo won Game 1 last Friday 2-1 in overtime and captured Game 2 by a 5-3 count on Saturday.

On Friday, the Walleye’s Brandon Hawkins skated to the bottom of the right circle, where he sent a wrist shot into the top-right corner of the net. The lamp-lighter was Hawkins’ second overtime tally of the playoffs, and it came on his 13th shot of the night.

Wheeling took a 1-0 lead off a Walleye turnover midway through the second period. Team captain Justin Addamo carried the puck in on the left side before sliding a pass to Jordan Martel, who roofed a wrist shot from the right side of the slot.

It remained that way until Mitchell Lewandoski swatted the puck out of mid-air and past Wheeling goalie Jaxon Castor with a little more than five minutes remaining in regulation.

John Lethemon picked up the win for Toledo, as he made 25 saves on 26 shots. Castor stopped 33 of the 35 shots he faced.

On Saturday, Castor denied 37 of 41 shots he faced, but the Nailers couldn’t rally down the stretch. They trailed 2-1 after one period and 4-2 after two before making it 4-3 on Justin Lee’s second net-finder of the game at the 8:57 mark. However, Riley Sawchuk’s empty-netter in the waning seconds sealed the deal.

Isaac Belliveau also scored for Wheeling.

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