WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings (20-13-2-2) and the Quad City Mallards (10-23-2-1) tangled in a pair of games this weekend, each featuring speciality jerseys that featured Marvel characters.
The ECHL and Marvel announced earlier this season that each team in the ECHL would wear special Marvel themed jerseys at some point this season. The home team wore Capitan America jerseys while the visiting team wore Iron Man jerseys.
On Friday, the K-Wings traveled to Quad City to wrap up their eight-game road trip. The K-Wings, with their win on Friday, ended their swing with a 6-2 record.
The K-Wings came out flying Friday night, scoring three goals in the first period. Justin Taylor, Ben Wilson and Tyler Heinonen scored for the K-Wings. The Mallards Keegan Kolesar added a goal for the Mallards.
Jimmy Mullin scored the lone tally in the second period to give the K-Wings a 4-1 advantage. The goal by Mullin was a power play goal.
In the third, the K-Wings continued to pour on the offense. Mullin added his second of the night just over a minute into the final period. Kolesar added his second of the night later in the period for a 5-2 K-Wing lead.
Mackenze Stewart scored a pair of goals in a span of three minutes. Taylor added his second of the night to close out the scoring to give the K-Wings an 8-2 victory.
The good times continued for the K-Wings on Saturday, as the K-Wings carried a 3-0 lead into the final period of play on home ice.
Heinonen scored his second goal in as many nights early in the first period for the 1-0 K-Wing lead.
Charlie Vasaturo and Tyler Biggs added a pair of goals midway into the middle stanza for a 3-0 lead.
The K-Wings outshot the Mallards 31-11 in the first two periods.
Setting the tone early in the third period, the Mallards Kolesar scored his third goal in the past two nights to put the Mallards on the board.
Regaining their three-goal lead minutes later, Aaron Irving gave the K-Wings a 4-1 lead with his fifth of the season.
The K-Wings seemed poised for another victory, but the Mallards, with 20 shots in the period, came storming back.
At the 17:11 mark of the period, Matt Pohlkamp cut the K-Wings lead to 4-2. Just over a minute and a half later, Kolesar scored his second of the night to bring the Mallards to within one with his fifth of the season.
Kyle Follmer scored just 26 seconds later to complete the comeback for the Mallards and send the game into overtime.
Neither team scored in overtime, forcing the sudden death shootout.
Each team sent 7 shooters to the ice during the shootout, but only Chris Izmirlian was able to score to give the Mallards an incredible 5-4 comeback victory.
The K-Wings played the Indy Fuel Sunday afternoon at Wings Event Center.
Following Sunday’s game against the Fuel, the K-Wings will travel to Wheeling, WV to take on the Nailers. They will return home for three games this weekend. On Friday, they will host the Fort Wayne Komets and then play a pair against the Indy Fuel on Saturday and Sunday.
By: Mark C. McGlothlen
