Wings drop divisional tilt to Komets

KALAMAZOO, MI— The Kalamazoo Wings and Ft. Wayne Komets entered the third period in a one-goal affair, but the visitors from Ft. Wayne used a three-goal third to skate past the Wings in a 6-2 final on Saturday at Wings Event Center.

After exchanging early chances, it was the Komets who generated the first two goals of the game. With a delayed penalty to Kalamazoo and an extra attacker for Ft. Wayne, they used great offensive-zone control to set up a backdoor one-timer by Anthony Cortese to make it 1-0.

The visitors added to their lead ten minutes later and on a power play, completing a quick strike play to double their edge. Zac Larraza camped out behind the goal and dished the puck in front to Gabriel Desjardins for a low-slot tap in.

With under a minute to go and operating on their first power play of the game, the Wings drew to within a goal at the 19:29 mark of the frame. Kyle Blaney held the puck at the top of the left circle and delivered a beautiful pass to the backdoor, where Justin Taylor tapped in his team-leading 28th of the season.

After Kalamazoo controlled the first few minutes of play in the second period, the Komets caught a winded Wings’ unit in a long shift and cracked their lead back to a pair of goals. Justin Hodgman held the puck on the left wing and fired a long-range slap shot which trickled through the legs of Joel Martin and in.

Less than four minutes later, Kalamazoo roared right back for their second of the night with some lightning-quick transition from their own zone. Eric Kattelus stretched the puck to the Komets’ line where Jimmy Mullin was on the receiving end. Mullin handed a pass to a trailing Josh Pitt, whose glove-side wrist shot went in for his 25th of the season.

Entering the third period in a one-goal game, Ft. Wayne took control and didn’t look back. Desjardins scored his second of the night early in the frame, then Dennis Kravchenko and Louick Marcotte tallied less than a minute apart late in the period. The three-goal outburst from the Komets wrapped up a 6-2 final in their favor.

Next: Kalamazoo vs. Indy Fuel- Saturday, March 10, 7 p.m., Wings Event Center.

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

Stats: https://www.echl.com/stats/game-center/15714

Photo credit: Kimberly Moss

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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