WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
Dylan Sadowy is used to scoring goals at Wings Event Center. Those goals, however, were scored against the Kalamazoo Wings (1-1-0-0) when Sadowy was a member of the Toledo Walleye.
Now a member of the K-Wings, Sadowy made his presence known in a big way during the K-Wings 46th home opener against the Cincinnati Cyclones (1-0-1-0) on Saturday night.
The Cyclones had the K-Wings number last season, winning 9 of their 11 meetings.
On Saturday night, the two teams played a balanced game, even though the Cyclones out-shot the K-Wings 31-22.
“I thought it was a very good game,” Sadowy said. “We played strong and fought hard. We had a great crowd at home opener.”
Brennon Sanford put the K-Wings on the board early in the first period. Adam Dauda attempted a shot at the net, but was pushed aside by a Cyclones player, leaving the puck at the doorstep of the goal. Sanford came in and tucked the puck into the net for his first professional goal.
The Cyclones came storming back with a goal of their own just over a minute later as a shot by Mason Mitchell hit off the stick of a K-Wing player and into the net to knot the game at one goal apiece.
Regaining the lead early in the second period, Yannick Vielleux scored his first of the season for the K-Wings on a strange play.
Vielleux was behind the Cincinnati net when his stick became lodged in the Zamboni doors. As Vielleux skated off to get a new stick, the action moved down toward the K-Wings net.
As Vielleux was heading back with his new stick, Sanford sent a pass to Vielleux, who then scored on a breakaway to make it a 2-1 game.
John Edwardh scored a power play goal for the Cyclones to tie the game 2-2. The second period proved to be a feisty one, featuring three fights and 76 penalty minutes.
The score remained tied until the Cyclones Jesse Schultz gave them their first lead of the game with just under four minutes remaining in regulation.
With just a minute and a half left in regulation and goaltender Jake Hildebrand pulled for an extra skater, Sadowy struck for his first goal of the season to tie the game 3-3. The goal by Sadowy was also the K-Wings first power play goal of the year.
“We were down by one with under two minutes to go and we ended up getting a power play,” Sadowy said. “I’m a net front guy and that’s where I like to play, (Aaron) Thow got a soft little shot in on the net and I got lucky and just tipped it under the goalies armpit and next thing you knew we were going to overtime.”
This season, the ECHL has expanded overtime from a five minute three-on-three to a seven minute three-on-three, which is something Sadowy favors.
“Yeah they’ve changed the overtime to seven minutes, which I am a big fan of,” Sadowhy said. “It also will give guys that may not get a chance to play and opportunity to play and give the fans a more fast pace game.”
If Sadowy likes the extended OT, he was in a hurry to get the game over with on Saturday night as he scored the game winning goal just six seconds into the extra frame.
The goal was his second of the night and second on the power play.
“Tanner put a perfect pass into an area and I just tipped it up and over the goalie,” Sadowy said. “Our whole team played hard and Hildy (Jake Hildebrand) stood on his head in net for us which allowed us to win the game.”
Sadowy notes the importance of special teams.
“Power plays are a key factor in many games,” Sadowy said. “They can either win or lose you a game and as you can see, this game it won it for us.”
Now a K-Wing after three years as a Walleye, Sadowy said that while he is used to scoring at Wings Event Center for a different team, that this year it is for the K-Wings fans and the K-Wings team and he will do everything he can to help this team win.
The K-Wings are back in action this Wednesday night as they host the Fort Wayne Komets. Puck drop is 7:00 p.m.
By: Mark C. McGlothlen
