WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
KALAMAZOO, MI – A busy weekend ended with a big victory for the Kalamazoo Wings (4-2-0-1) as they defeated the Allen Americans, the defending Kelly Cup Champions, on Sunday evening at Wings Event Center.
On Friday, the K-Wings picked up a point after taking their game against the Wheeling Nailers to overtime but losing in the shootout.
Following the game, the two teams headed to Wheeling, West Virginia for a game on Saturday night. The Nailers manhandled the K-Wings, defeating them by a score of 8-1.
Back on the bus following that game, the K-Wings made the trek back to Kalamazoo to face off against the Americans on Sunday afternoon.
Showing no signs of fatigue, the K-Wings came out flying on Sunday, scoring three first period goals in route to a 5-3 victory over the Americans.
The K-Wings struck first in the game as Tyler Biggs scored his second goal of the season. On the power play, Biggs sent a shot from the right circle that flew under the blocker of Jamie Murray for the early one goal lead.
Just four minutes after falling behind, the Americans tied the game at 1-1 on a Tanner Eberle wrist shot through traffic that beat Joel Martin.
Just under two minutes later, the K-Wings regained their one goal lead on their second power play of the game. Like he did the night before, Charlie Vasaturo fired a shot into the net for a 2-1 K-Wing advantage.
Just 28 seconds later, Tyler Shattock took a Lane Schiedl rebound and put it into the net for a 3-1 lead.
Keeping themselves in the game, the Americans J.P. LaFontaine scored his first goal of the season to cut the K-Wings lead to 3-2.
Shattock score the lone goal of the second period, his second of the game, to give the K-Wings a 4-2 lead.
Continuing their momentum into the final period, the K-Wings added to their lead as Biggs scored his second of the night with a shot from the top of the circle that slid past Murray for a 5-2 lead.
Travis Brown added a goal later in the period to make it a 5-3 game.
The Americans tried to get something going in the closing minutes of the game by pulling Murray for a sixth attacker, but the K-Wings defense and goaltender Joel Martin stood tall.
The K-Wings travel to Brampton, Ontario a Friday night game. After an off day on Saturday, the K-Wings take on the Wheeling Nailers on Sunday. The next home game will be on November 9th when the K-Wings host the Toledo Walleye at 10:30 am for their annual Education Day game.
K-Wings News and Notes
Martin picked up his 190th career win with Kalamazoo, leaving him six shy of a team record. Kalamazoo’s power play went 3/4 and the penalty kill went 3/3. Vasaturo has three goals through his first seven games of 2016-17, after scoring four goals all of last season. Kalamazoo are 2-0-0-0 against Allen all time. Rioux-Legault’s second-period assist was his first professional point.
By: Mark C. McGlothlen
