Wings lose in overtime, extend point streak to five games

KALAMAZOO, MI— The Kalamazoo Wings erased four separate deficits against the Brampton Beast on Saturday night, but could not find a way to produce a game winner during a 5-4 overtime loss at Wings Event Center. Though the Wings had their four-game winning streak snapped, they extended their point streak to five games.

It took less than two minutes for Brampton to get on the board and take the night’s first lead. Brandon Marino fired a pass to Chris Leveielle, whose initial drive was stopped by Joel Martin, but the rebound landed back on Leveille’s stick and allowed him to serve a backdoor pass to Marino for an easy finish.

Less than four minutes later the Wings were able to tie the game while working on their first power play of the night. Eric Kattelus controlled the puck at the left-side line and wired a perfect pass to the tape of Justin Taylor, who spun a casual backhand into the goal to equalize at one.

22 seconds later, Brampton took their second lead of the night after a turnover by the Wings helped spring a Beast breakaway. Brandon MacLean stole the puck from the Kalamazoo defense and carried in on Martin, uncontested. His first deke attempt was stopped by Martin, but MacLean followed the play and cashed in on the rebound.

As time continued to tick in the first period, Kalamazoo leveled the score yet again. Taylor led an odd-man-rush up the ice, and pulled the trigger from the right wing side, beating Beast goaltender Andrew D’Agostini to the stick side for his second of the night.

Early in the second period, Brampton re-gained their lead with a quick strike attack. Paul Cianfrini was freed at the left-wing circle and sailed a slap shot into the top corner of the net for his first goal of the season.

The resilient Wings erased yet another deficit four minutes later after a net-front scramble near the crease of D’Agostini. Taylor waved at the puck and missed, but Jimmy Mullin came streaking off the bench and knifed the puck into the goal, knotting the game at three.

Before the period would come to a close, the Beast earned their fourth lead of the game. MacLean tallied his second of the night with less than five minutes remaining in the period, sending the Wings to the dressing room facing a one-goal gap.

As the clock continued to tick down in the third, Kalamazoo’s persistence paid dividends with under two minutes remaining in regulation. Tyler Biggs dropped the puck off to Tyler Heinonen in the high slot, and he zipped a wrister past D’Agostini, deadlocking the game at 4-4 with time winding down. Heinonen’s goal eventually forced a sudden-death overtime period.

Early in the extra frame, Kalamazoo fumbled the puck in the offensive zone, allowing David Vallorani to carry in on a breakaway. With the game on his stick, Vallorani deked at the net and trickled the puck past Joel Martin for the game winner.

Next: Kalamazoo @ Toledo Walleye- Sunday, December 17, 5:15 p.m., Huntington Center.

Broadcast information: Sunday’s game will air on AM 1660 The Fan in Kalamazoo or online at www.1660thefan.com/listen-live.

Single-game tickets are on sale! Tickets start as low as $10 and can be purchased at http://kwings.com/SingleGameTickets or at the Wings Event Center box office.

Wings Event Center, owned and operated by Greenleaf Hospitality Group, is home to the Kalamazoo Wings professional hockey team and a full entertainment venue offering concerts, sporting events, family shows and trade shows. Built in 1974, Wings Event Center values partnerships with the community to bring events and attractions that enrich the lives of residents in the Kalamazoo area.

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