FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2022
K-WINGS BEAT KOMETS, KEEP PACE IN CENTRAL
Kalamazoo earns gritty 2-1 win over Fort Wayne on home ice and keeps playoff hopes alive.
KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (36-32-1-0) dug deep behind stellar goaltending and came up with a huge win over the Fort Wayne Komets (38-25-6-1) on Sunday at Wings Event Center, 2-1.
The game was a scoreless tie after one period, and Fort Wayne seemed to be picking up right where they left off last night, outshooting the K-Wings 18-7. But Kalamazoo came out thumping in the second period.
As the physical play ramped up, so did the K-Wings scoring opportunities. And finally, at the 11:32 mark of the second period, Matheson Iacopelli (21) broke the scoreless tie with a second chance goal. Iacopelli scored from right out in front of the net. Tanner Sorenson (35) took the initial shot, and Kyle Blaney (31) added the second assist on the goal.
Kalamazoo came out blazing in the third, outshooting Fort Wayne 16-5 in the final frame to protect the one goal lead. Then, Blaney(12) added the empty net goal at the 18:38 mark, putting the K-Wings up 2-0. Logan Lambdin (23) and Trevor Gorsuch (3) assisted on the goal.
The Komets did not give up, though, scoring just 22 seconds later. But Kalamazoo slammed the door shut in the final minute.
Gorsuch(23-22-0-0) made 34 saves and was phenomenal in this one, taking home the game’s No. 1 Star. And the K-Wings penalty kill was a perfect 3-3 on the afternoon.
Both Wheeling and Cincinnati won on Sunday, thus Kalamazoo kept pace in the Central Division playoff hunt with just three games remaining in the regular season.
The K-Wings next game is this Wednesday against the No. 3 Nailers at Wings Event Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT. The game is also a special ‘Winning Weekday’ edition of 2-6-9 Night. If the K-Wings win, and make the Kelly Cup Playoffs, fans may exchange their ticket stub for a free ticket to the first K-Wings home playoff game (*some exclusions apply).
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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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