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From the time he arrived as coach of the Wheeling Nailers last January, Greg Puhalski has asked very little of his players. Simply put, he wants them to play hard, play smart, sound defense, and for each guy to stick up for his teammates whenever and wherever the situation calls for it.

Suffice it to say he's a happy man this morning.

Jordan Morrison had a goal and two assists, Aaron Clarke, Bryan Ewing and Nick Johnson had multiple-point nights and the Nailers (11-2-1-4 - 27) threw their weight around in a sound, 5-2 victory against Elmira (9-6-0-2 - 20) on Saturday night at WesBanco Arena in a game that featured five altercations - three in a 6-second span near the end of the third period.

''Regardless of who we're playing, we've got to dictate how we play and I think we did that,'' Puhalski said.

''After starting this week with not such a good game here at home, we ended it the right way and we can build going into next weekend's games.''

Wheeling's energy on this night frustrated the Jackals to the point they took a couple liberties with Nailers goaltender Curtis Darling, running him on two occasions. The first was cleaned up by Cedrick Bernier who took exception to Kaleb Betts' rough play at 11:22 of the first.

The next altercation occurred at 17:59 of the second with the Nailers on the power play. Elmira's Pierre Luc-Faubert tripped up Darling, who had come out of the net to play the puck in the right circle. Faubert skated up the left side of the ice near the benches and was rudely met by defenseman Reid Cashman, sent down last week from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

''That's what we need from everyone involved- it was good to see Reid stick up for Curtis there, and also Cedrick,'' Puhalski said. ''I think all the guys that got engaged in battles were doing it for the right reasons - for the hockey club.

''That's always a positive, something you can draw upon.''

Wheeling took the lead at 9:18 of the first on the power play when Cashman, stationed at the top of the left circle, found Morrison who tallied his fifth of the season by finishing off a pretty cross-ice pass just to the right of the crease.

After the Jackals knotted it with a power-play tally of their own, the Nailers struck again with the man advantage. Elgin Reid's shot from the point was stopped by Elmira goaltender Mitch O'Keefe, but Clarke gathered the puck on the backhand and lifted it top shelf for his eighth at 17:32.

The Nailers, who have been struggling on the power play lately, finished 2-for-6.

''I thought we distributed the puck well,'' Puhalski said. ''The power play, which has been struggling, was good (Saturday).''

Conversely, a penalty-killing unit that had given up just three goals in its last 30 chances, stayed hot by limiting the Jackals to one goal in five chances.

Wheeling made it a 3-1 game before the intermission as Ewing made a nice play at center to chip it ahead to Morrison, who in turn faked a slapper coming down the left wing before feeding it in front to Nick Johnson who walked down the slot and buried his league leading-tying 14th of the season.

The Jackals scored the only goal of the second 35 seconds in, but the Nailers put the nail in the coffin with two in the third.

At 4:04 of the period, Clarke feathered a pass into the mid-slot where Andrew Lord deflected it home for his fifth. Tommy Goebel added the secondary assist, moving back in front in the ECHL scoring race with his 27th point.

But the prettiest play may have come at 11:19 when Morrison and Brock Sheahan played a game of give-and-go from center ice in, culminating on Sheahan's first goal of the season.

''Brock Sheahan got his first goal of the year - it was nice to see,'' Puhalski said. ''I thought we played a real good energy game.

''It was a real good home game for us and a well-deserved two points.''

That's when it got interesting, with the Nailers' Lord, Todd Spencer and Cliff Loya dropping the gloves with Guillaume Lepine, Joe Grimaldi and Ryan Gibbons, respectively.

''Guys having fun, just battling,'' Puhalski said. ''Elmiria's got pride and they're not going to lie down.''

Elmira1 1 0 - 2

Wheeling3 0 2 - 5

1st Period: Scoring - 1. Wheeling, J. Morrison (5) (R. Cashman, B. Ewing) 9:18 PP; 2. Elmira, P. McIlveen (3) (C. Switzer, W. Cunningham) 13:08 PP; 3. Wheeling, A. Clarke (8) (E. Reid, M. Ganzak) 17:32 PP; 4. Wheeling, N. Johnson (14) (J. Morrison, B. Ewing) 18:54; Penalties - P. McIlveen Elm (delay of game 63.2) 7:42, S. Tomko Elm (high-sticking - minor 60.2) 8:59, K. Betts Elm (roughing - minor 51.2, fighting - major 47.13) 11:22, C. Bernier Whl (fighting - major 47.13) 11:22, T. Spencer Whl (roughing - minor 51.2) 11:22, B. Sheahan Whl (interference - minor 56.2) 11:34, E. Reid Whl (interference - minor 56.2) 12:49, C. Korchinski Elm (hooking - minor 55.2) 15:58.

2nd Period: Scoring - 5. Elmira, R. Gibbons (2) (P. McIlveen) 0:35; Penalties - E. Reid Whl (hooking - minor 55.2) 0:46, S. Tomko Elm (tripping - minor 57.2) 4:40, T. Holm Whl (interference - minor 56.2) 11:28, B. Doucet Elm (tripping - minor 57.2) 16:00, P. Faubert Elm (tripping - minor 57.2, fighting - major 47.13) 17:59, R. Cashman Whl (instigating - minor 47.10, fighting - major 47.13) 17:59, B. Doucet Elm (holding the stick - minor 54.2) 18:22, T. Spencer Whl (tripping - minor 57.2) 18:22.

3rd Period: Scoring - 6. Wheeling, A. Lord (5) (A. Clarke, T. Goebel) 4:04; 7. Wheeling, B. Sheahan (1) (J. Morrison, N. Johnson) 11:19; Penalties - W. Cunningham Elm (interference - minor 56.2) 4:23, N. Johnson Whl (slashing - minor 61.2) 13:59, B. Scero Elm (slashing - minor 61.2) 19:43, C. Bernier Whl (slashing - minor 61.2) 19:43, G. Lepine Elm (fighting - major 47.13) 19:47, A. Lord Whl (fighting - major 47.13) 19:47, J. Grimaldi Elm (fighting - major 47.13) 19:49, T. Spencer Whl (fighting - major 47.13) 19:49, R. Gibbons Elm (fighting - major 47.13) 19:53, C. Loya Whl (fighting - major 47.13) 19:53.

ELM Shots: 6 8 9 TOTAL: 23, WHL Shots: 11 10 10 TOTAL: 31

Power Play: Elmira 1-5, Wheeling 2-6.

Goaltenders: Elmira O'Keefe 7-3-0-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 60:00 SV: 26 GA: 5 (L), Wheeling Darling 8-2-0-3 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 60:00 SV: 21 GA: 2 (W).

Attendance : 2961

Referee: Barry Pochmara (10); Linesemen: Ray King (39), Zach Roberts.