Photo by Joe Lovell The Wheeling Nailers celebrate after their win Friday night over the Norfolk Admirals inside WesBanco Arena. The victory preserved the Nailers’ season, as the series stands at 3-1 Norfolk heading into the next game on Saturday inside WesBanco Arena.

WHEELING — There’s not a player or a coach on the Wheeling Nailers that was alive when the Bee Gees had their hit song “Stayin’ Alive.” However, that’s exactly what the Nailers did Friday night.

With their backs to the wall, the Nailers made sure they lived to play another day with a clutch 4-1 victory over visiting Norfolk before a crowd of 2,143 in an Eastern Conference North Division semifinal.

With the much-needed win, Game 5 of the series is Saturday once again inside WesBanco Arena. The Admirals still hold a 3-1 advantage in the best-of-7 series. The puck drops at 7:10 p.m.

“All we’ve talked about is being able to play one more day … one more day,” Wheeling head coach Derek Army said. “It was a great game all around. You can go up and down the lineup, I thought everybody played well.”

Matty De St. Phalle scored twice, Jaxon Castor stopped 29 of 30 shots and the Nailers penalty kill was perfect on five tries.

“Jaxon is a Nailer through and through no matter what,” Army praised. “He’s always going to rise to the occasion. He is a guy who is beloved in that locker room. They all love him. We knew he was going to give us a gutsy effort.”

Castor also closed out the first-round series against Indy last year in the Pittsburgh suburb of Cranberry.

“It was fun. They guys played well, especially on the penalty kill,” Castor, the game’s No. 2 star. “It wasn’t the start I wanted personally, but the guys had my back and we never looked back after that.”

Wheeling struck first — the first time it had led in the series — just 2-minutes, 5-seconds into the game when St. De Phalle stuffed a loose puck past Thomas Milic, who had been a brick wall so far in the series.

“It was a great play by Q (Matthew Quercia) over to Marty (Jason Martel) on a great executed line rush,” De St. Phalle said of his first goal. “I got lucky because the puck was right there for me.”

Norfolk responded less than a minute later when Chyzowski scored on a bad angle to the left of Castor. His shot found its way between Castor and the post to his left.

Cole Tymkin scored what turned out to be the game-winner at the 18:38 of the second period.

With the puck lying loose to the right of the Admirals’ goal, Tymkin, the game’s No. 3 star, went backhand-to-forehand before banging it home. Chase Pietila and Phip Waugh logged assists.

The second 20 minutes was scoreless despite both teams having golden opportunities.

Castor was huge in denying Norfolk’s Colton Young from point-blank range. Milic stopped De St. Phalle and Martel on consecutive breakways.

Early in the third period Castor robbed Denis Smirnov with a huge glove save.

Wheeling, which didn’t have a power play goal in the series, went ahead 3-1 on De St. Phalle’s lamp-lighter with the man advantage at 8:24.

With Chyzowski in the sin bin for slashing, it only took the Nailers seven seconds to make the Admirals pay.

Jack Beck won the face off to Brent Johnson who found De St. Phalle in the left circle. He put the puck between Milic and the post to his right.

“We talked about hitting the goal line because Norfolk likes to push up on the flanks off the face off,” De St. Phalle explained. “I just tried to catch him before he was ready.”

Less than two minutes later, Eli Lieffers blasted a drive from the right circle that zipped past Milic and tickled the twine for a 4-1 advantage.

When asked if Castor earned a start in Game 4, Army didn’t hesitate when answering.

“Yes he did. We’re going to ride the big guy while he is hot.”

Norfolk outshot Wheeling 30-29.

LOOSE PUCKS

— Former Wheeling head coach Peter Laviolette was in attendance to watch his son, Peter Jr., play for the Nailers. Peter was recently let go by the New York Rangers.

— Wheeling could receive some reinforcements after Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was eliminated by Lehigh Valley, 3-2, Friday night in their best-of-3 AHL Calder Cup series. Sergei Murashov was the losing goaltender.

— Murashov and Logan Pietila were recalled by the Baby Penguins after Wednesday’s 5-1 Wheeling loss.

— The attendance was announced at 2,143.

— Should the Nailers prevail in Game 5, Game 6 would be played Monday in Wheeling, as would Game 7, if necessary, on Tuesday.