FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 24, 2022
K-WINGS PUSH FUEL TO BRINK, COULDN'T SCORE EQUALIZER AT END
Despite a furious push, Kalamazoo couldn't score on Indy in final minute and lost Thursday, 2-1.
KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings’ (24-23-0-0) sticks didn’t wake up until the final five minutes of regulation in the early game, and the Indy Fuel (21-23-2-3) won by a score of 2-1 at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Thursday.
The drama started with 4:59 remaining in the third, as the K-Wings went to the power play following an Indy tripping minor. That’s when Denis Smirnov (2) gave Kalamazoo the spark it needed to make it a game.
Just 24 seconds into the man advantage, Smirnov parked himself on the left post and flipped home a top of the circle feed from Kyle Blaney (14) to finally solve Fuel goaltender Justin Kapelmaster (5-2-1-1).
It took just 46 seconds for the Fuel to find the penalty box again following the Kalamazoo goal, but the K-Wings couldn’t score and pulled Trevor Gorsuch (12-15-0-0) for the extra attacker with 1:26 remaining.
Kalamazoo created multiple scoring opportunities with the extra skater, the last coming in the final seconds, but Kapelmaster stood tall.
The K-Wings were 1-3 on the power play in the game and were outshot 29-26 in the contest.
Kalamazoo is now on its longest winless streak of the season (5G).
The road trip continues for Kalamazoo against the Wheeling Nailers (27-19-1-0) on Friday. Puck drop at WesBanco Arena is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. EST.
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The Kalamazoo Wings are a professional hockey team located in southwest Michigan that has been a staple in the Kalamazoo, MI professional sports landscape since 1974. The K-Wings compete in the ECHL and are the AA affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets and American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters. Kalamazoo plays their 36 regular season home games at Wings Event Center from October through April.
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