K-WINGS TOP FUEL BEHIND TAYLOR’S HISTORIC PERFORMANCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 26, 2022

K-WINGS TOP FUEL BEHIND TAYLOR’S HISTORIC PERFORMANCE

Kalamazoo scores three goals in the third period, secures the 4-2 win at Indy and wins fourth-straight.

BOX SCORE

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings (7-5-1-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, won their fourth game in a row, third-straight in comeback fashion and Justin Taylor became the K-Wings all-time goal scorer in a 4-2 victory against the Indy Fuel (9-5-1-0) Saturday in Indianapolis.

Taylor(2, 3) notched career goals No. 239 and 240, tying and passing both Kevin Schamehorn and Mike Wanchuk in the contest. Hunter Vorva (1-1-0-0) was also rock-solid in his first action for the K-Wings since Oct. 26, as he made 35 saves on 37 shot attempts to earn his first ECHL victory.

Taylor tied the all-time record with the first goal of the game at the 9:57 mark of the first period. He rushed up the left side on a breakaway, going forehand then backhand as he crossed through the goalmouth for the goal. Anthony Collins (2) and Ryan Cook (3) earned the assists.

Indy then netted a pair, one in the first and one in the third, to take the lead.

And that’s when Taylor erased it with his record-breaker at the 6:03 mark of the third. Justin parked himself in front of the crease and tipped in a shot by Chad Nychuk (6) on the power play.  Max Humitz (5) had the second assist on the historic goal.

Just two minutes and two seconds after Taylor’s game-tying goal, Humitz (3) delivered the game-winning goal. Mason McCarty (7) extended his point streak to four games with a masterful saucer pass, from the bottom of the right circle to his left, right onto Humitz’s stick that had top-shelf eyes. Brandon Saigeon (6) picked up the second assist on the goal.

The game got interesting at the end as both teams headed to the box, first Indy then Kalamazoo, allowing the Fuel to have a power play opportunity in the final minutes of the game.

Yet, that’s when Kalamazoo slammed the door.

Moments after the Fuel emptied their net, for a 6-on-4 advantage, the K-Wings defense stood tall on the Fuel’s zone entry at their own blue line, and Raymond Brice (5) flipped a puck with eyes from Kalamazoo’s zone into the empty goal. Brice’s insurance goal was unassisted.

The K-Wings have now won five of the last six games.

Kalamazoo and Indy run it back tomorrow afternoon for the back half of the home-and-home series at Wings Event Center. Puck drop will be at 3:00 p.m. EST for Kalamazoo’s ‘Autism Awareness’ game.

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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 the 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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