FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2022
K-WINGS LOSE TO KOMETS IN FRONT OF HOME SELLOUT CROWD
Kalamazoo's outscored two to one in the third and lost to Fort Wayne on Grateful Dead Night, 5-4.
KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (35-32-1-0) took it all the way to the buzzer versus the Fort Wayne Komets (38-24-6-1), but couldn’t find the equalizer and lost Saturday in front of a sellout crowd for Grateful Dead Night at Wings Event Center, 5-4.
With the net empty and down two, after Fort Wayne took a two goal lead in the third, Jake Slaker (17) scored with the extra attacker to cut the Komets lead to one at the 19:46 mark. Kalamazoo was unable to score on two opportunities in the final 14 seconds. Justin Taylor (30) and Eric Kattelus (8) assisted on the goal.
The K-Wings took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission on the goal by Logan Lambdin (26) at the 5:54 mark. Erik Bradford (30) and Giovanni Vallati (11) assisted on the goal.
Fort Wayne added two goals between the 5:17 mark and the 7:53 mark of the second to take a 2-1 lead, but Logan Lambdin (27) scored to tie the game up at two at the 8:32 mark. Justin Murray (21) and Erik Bradford (31) assisted on the goal.
Then Fort Wayne came back to take the lead just 31 seconds later, but Olivier Leblanc (1) tied it up at three with a minute and 12 seconds remaining in the period. Logan Lambdin (22)and Justin Murray (22) assisted on LeBlanc’s first career goal, while skating four aside.
Jake Kielly (1-2-1-0) made 33 saves in the loss, and Justin Taylor set a new career high in assists on the Slaker goal.
Kalamazoo keeps pace in the Central Division playoff hunt due to a Wheeling and Cincinnati loss on Saturday.
The K-Wings run it back Sunday versus the Komets for Teacher Appreciation Day at Wings Event Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EDT.
Make sure to stick around after the game to skate the ice. Skates rentals are available for just $3 (*due to current ECHL guidelines, players will not be participating in postgame skate).
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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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