K-WINGS CHARGE OUT OF THE GATE, DROP KOMETS ON ROAD

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

April 12, 2023

K-WINGS CHARGE OUT OF THE GATE, DROP KOMETS ON ROAD

Kalamazoo scores three first-period goals, adding two more on the way to victory in Fort Wayne on Wednesday.

BOX SCORE

FORT WAYNE, IN – The Kalamazoo Wings (28-36-5-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, built on a three-goal first period all the way to victory against the Fort Wayne Komets (33-29-4-3) Wednesday, winning 5-3 at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

The K-Wings jumped on the scoreboard first as Robert Calisti (12) found twine at the 5:25 mark of the first period. Ayden MacDonald (13) found Raymond Brice (4) for the initial shot, and Calisti blasted home the rebound from the left faceoff dot.

Kalamazoo made it 2-0 off the stick of Coale Norris (11) on a power play at the 10:25 mark of the first. David Keefer (3) took the initial shot from the left circle, and Norris was waiting at the bottom of the right circle to pump in the rebound. Collin Saccoman (15) earned the secondary assist on the goal.

Just 16 seconds later, however, Fort Wayne responded with a goal to make it 2-1.

At the 15:24 mark, Luke Morgan (9) pushed his own rebound into the back of the net to extend the lead back to two. On the play, MacDonald (14) forced a turnover in the offensive zone, found Norris (8) in the right circle, and Norris fed Morgan crashing the crease who scored on his own rebound out front.

Fort Wayne struck back at the 11:10 mark of the second period to draw within one again. 

Then, Connor Fedorek (1) made his first professional goal the game-winner at the 17:06 mark. The milestone came on a 3-on-1 rush, Brice (5) fed the puck from the left side to Justin Taylor (19) coming down the slot, and he forwarded it to Fedorek to fire it home.

The Komets once again had a quick response, scoring just 28 seconds after Fedorek’s goal to make it 4-3.

But the K-Wings stood tall, with Ben Copeland (5) scoring on the power play at the 1:38 mark of the third. Copeland picked up the rebound off of the initial shot by Justin Murray (29), skated behind the net and into the left circle before sending a wrist shot into the back of the net. Brad Morrison (16) collected the secondary assist on the power play tally.

Hunter Vorva (12-9-2-0) was spectacular in net for the K-Wings, stopping 38 of 41 shots faced including all 18 of Fort Wayne’s shots on net in the third period, helping Kalamazoo to a 3 for 3 performance on the penalty kill.

The K-Wings head back home to face the Toledo Walleye (44-18-4-3) Friday at 7:00 p.m. EDT at Wings Event Center.

It’s the last regular-season $3 Friday game of the season, and we want to celebrate you, the fans. Get your tickets HERE, and cheer on the K-Wings while enjoying $3 beers, sodas and hot dogs. We’ll also be giving away free team posters upon entry to the arena.

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This Sunday is the last game of the regular season for the K-Wings, and what better way to show our appreciation to the one who created ice, than to celebrate Mother Nature and Earth Day. The Indy Fuel will be in town, and we're going to have the last K-Wings jersey auction of the season. Get your tickets HERE.

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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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