WHEELING, WV – Christmas came early for the Kalamazoo Wings (9-14-3-0) as they headed into the holiday break with a pair of victories.
After a five-day break, the K-Wings will host the Indy Fuel and Fort Wayne Komets this Friday and Saturday night at Wings Event Center. Game time is 7 pm for both games.
On Friday, the Central Division leading Cincinnati Cyclones came to town. Before Friday night’s game, the K-Wings were 1-6-1-0 in their eight games against the Cyclones so far this season.
With the K-Wings trailing the Cyclones with just 3:51 remaining in the game, the K-Wings mounted a comeback attempt against the tough Cyclones squad.
Just minutes after the Cyclones took a 5-3 on a power play goal by Justin Schultz, Dylan Sadowy, who scored a goal in the first period, scored his second of the night to cut the lead to 5-4 with 3:51 left in the game.
Sadowys first shot attempt was blocked by Cyclones net-minder Michael Houser, but Sadowy got his own rebound and tapped it into the net.
With just 49 seconds remaining in regulation, a battle in front of the goal resulted in Sadowy’s third goal of the game, giving him the hat-trick, tying the game at five goals apiece.
Justin Taylor had a chance to win the game in overtime as he stormed down the ice on a breakaway, but was denied by Houser.
Seconds later, Zach Diamontoni was able to knock the puck away from a Cyclones player, sending a pass to Matt Iacopelli, how took off toward the net on a breakaway of his own.
This time, Houser was unable to stop the puck, giving the K-Wings a hard fought, come-from-behind 6-5 victory.
The Cyclones went 3-for5 on the power play while the K-Wings went 1-for-3. Both teams had 37 shots on goal. Jake Kielly was in net for the K-Wings. Justin Taylor and Adam Dauda scored the other two goals for the K-Wings.
Following the game, the K-Wings boarded the bus and headed to Wheeling, West Virginia to take on the Nailers on Saturday night.
Two first period power play goals by the K-Wings set the tone on Saturday night as they went on to defeat the Nailers 4-2. Justin Taylor and Zach Frye scored for the K-Wings. The Nailers Nick Saracino scored in between the two K-Wing goals.
The score remained 2-1 after a scoreless second period.
Taking a page from the first period, the K-Wings scored a pair of goals with the Nailers scoring one. Iacopelli scored is second in as many games and Kyle Blaney added an empty-net goal to give the K-Wings a 4-2 win on the road.
K-Wings News and Notes
Forward Yannick Veilleux was loaned to Laval (AHL). Forward Garret Ross was acquired in a trade with Jacksonville (ECHL) for future considerations.
The hat trick by Dylan Sadowy was not only the first of the season by the K-Wings, it was also the first of Sadowy’s career. Matheson Iacopelli scored the game-winning goals in back-to-back games. Kyle Blaney has seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) during a season-best five-game point streak.
By: Mark C. McGlothlen