Wheeling, WV.- A three-goal second period sent the K-Wings skating past the Nailers 5-2 on Saturday night in Wheeling, winning their third straight game.
Kyle Thomas extended his scoring streak to six-games. Brendan Bradley has points in all three games since returning to the K-Wing lineup. Tanner Sorenson netted his tenth multi-point game of the year, while Reid Gardiner notched his 13th of the season.
Kyle Blaney scored for the second straight game, to open the scoring in the first period. Blaney collected a puck as it bounced off Brendan Bradley’s skate in the high slot. Blaney quickly took the puck and wristed it into the top corner past John Muse to put the K-Wings up 1-0. Later in the period the Nailers power play evened the game up. Michael Phillips snuck behind the K-Wings defense, finding himself all alone in the high slot. Phillips sent a shot past Jake Hildebrand, tying the game at 1-1.
The K-Wings offense exploded for a trio of goals, including two power play goals in the middle period. Bradley fed a pass to Kyle Thomas in the high slot who netted his 10th goal of the season, to give the K-Wings a 2-1 lead. Later in the period the power play went to work for the K-Wings. With a pair of four-on-three chances Reid Gardiner scored a pair of goals less than a minute apart. Pushing the K-Wing lead to 4-1 after the first.
In a penalty filled third the Nailers drew within two at the 7:01 mark of the period as Johnny Austin netted his second goal of the season. Another power play goal for the K-Wings capped off the scoring. Brendan Bradley tipped a Jagger Dirk slap shot past Muse with 4:31 left in regulation for his second goal of the season, and to end the scoring at 5-2 Kalamazoo.
The K-Wings skated out with a 5-2 victory, topping the Nailers for the fifth straight time.
Jake Hildebrand stopped 21 of 23 shots in the victory. Kalamazoo finished the night three for six on the power play.
Kalamazoo is back in action on Wednesday night at home against the Indy Fuel.
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.
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