Late Tally Preserves Victory Over Royals

Colins Late Tally Preserves Victory

K-Wings Top Royals 6-4

November 30, 2018

For Immediate Release

Reading, PA. – A late third period tally from Colin Jacobs made the difference Friday night as the K-Wings topped the Royals 6-4 on Friday night.

Reid Gardiner netted a pair of points in his return to Kalamazoo after being reassigned on Thursday. Gardiner was one of three K-Wings to record a multi-point night. Netminder Ivan Kulbakov recorded a victory and an assist on Friday for the K-Wings. Tanner Sorenson netted his first point of the season in his first game since returning to the K-Wings.

The Kalamazoo power play got the K-Wings off to a fast start on Friday night in Reading with a pair of goals in less than two minutes. Wade Murphy opened the scoring 4:43 into regula.tion with his fifth goal of the season. Murphy’s shot from the right side found a way to the back of the net, beating Austin Lotz, and giving Kalamazoo the 1-0 lead. Shortly after the K-Wings found themselves on the man-advantage once again. Off a face-off Tanner Sorenson, in his first game since returning to Kalamazoo, put a shot on net with traffic in front. Perched on the door-step Zach Saar tipped the puck, giving the K-Wings a 2-0 lead. Before the end of the period the lead would be expanded once again. With the teams playing four-on-four hockey Reid Gardiner made a quick impact in his return to Kalamazoo. Ben Wilson dropped the puck to Gardiner, who blasted a one-timer past Lotz, pushing the lead to 3-0. Kalamazoo finished the first period scoring three goals on seven shots.

In the middle frame the Royals cut into the K-Wing lead, outscoring Kalamazoo 3-1 in the period. Breaking in from the blue line, Michael Huntebrinker took a wrist shot that just squeezed through the arm of Ivan Kulbakov, getting the Royals on the board. Midway through the period the K-Wings pushed the lead back to three. Tyler Ganly’s slap shot from the point went through traffic sneaking past Lotz, giving Kalamazoo the 4-1 lead. Reading picked up a pair of goals in the last ten minutes of the period with tallies from Josh McDonald and Frank DiChiara, cutting the lead to 4-3 after forty minutes of play.

Reading knotted the game up just over midway through the third period. Steven Swavely capitalized on a turnover in front of the Kalamazoo net. With the score knotted up the K-Wings struck once more. After Lotz foiled a two-on-one Colin Jacobs cleaned up the rebound in front of the net, putting the puck into a nearly empty cage, giving the K-Wings the lead. Kalamazoo would add an empty net tally from Justin Taylor, skating away with a 6-4 victory.

Ivan Kulbakov stopped 36 of 40 shots in the victory and added an assist on the K-Wings empty net goal. Kalamazoo finished the night two-for-four on the man-advantage.

The K-Wings are back in action tomorrow night as they travel to Wheeling to take on the Nailers for the second time this week.

Kalamazoo Wings single game and half season tickets are available now! More information can be gathered at www.kwings.com.

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.

###