Kalamazoo, MI.- On a night where the pregame was headlined by the retirement of former K-Wing goaltender Georges Gagnon’s number one jersey, it was current goaltender Jake Hildebrand who headlined the game stopping a career high 52 of 55 shots, as the K-Wings topped the Walleye 4-3 in the shootout.
Kyle Thomas netted a pair of goals for the K-Wings while Tanner Sorenson added a pair of assists. The K-Wings power play netted multiple goals for the second time in the last three games.
The K-Wings power play got the offense moving in the first period. Kyle Thomas collected a rebound in front of the net and pushed it past Kaden Fulcher to get the home team on the board. Kalamazoo lead 1-0 after the first period, and built off that lead in the second.
At even strength Kalamazoo doubled the lead. Matt Joyaux one-timed a rebound past Fulcher, putting the K-Wing lead at 2-0. Later in the period Kyle Thomas and the power play struck again, putting Kalamazoo up 3-0. On a power play of their own the Walleye would use their 34th shot of the night to break through Jake Hildebrand, cutting the lead to 3-1 after the second.
In the third period the Walleye stormed back to tie the game at 3-3 courtesy of a pair of goals from Matt Register setting the stage for overtime.
After the teams traded chances in the extra period without a goal, Kalamazoo and Toledo headed to the shootout. After a scoreless three rounds in the shootout Kyle Thomas walked it off for the K-Wings sending the puck through the legs of Kaden Fulcher, and the K-Wings home with two points.
The victory was the first of the season in the shootout for the K-Wings.
Jake Hildebrand set a career high with 52 saves for the K-Wings, while Kaden Fulcher stopped 33 of 36 for the Walleye.
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