CORALVILLE IA (WKZO AM/FM) – The Kalamazoo Wings (27-27-0-0) fought off serious adversity twice in this hockey game, but in the end the Iowa Heartlanders (26-24-6-1) skated away with the win on Saturday at Xtream Arena by a score of 4-3.
After the K-Wings erased a 3-1 deficit with a late third period goal, Iowa was able to capitalize, while skating 4 on 4, to sneak away on top.
Back in the first, Iowa welcomed K-Wings goaltender Jake Kielly back rudely, as they scored on the game’s first shot at the :38 second mark of the first period.
Kielly would settle (29 saves) and was a huge factor in the K-Wings taking control of the game in the third.
Justin Taylor pulled the K-Wings even at the 3:15 mark off the second with a wicked wrist shot from the right circle. Tyler Rockwell assisted on the goal.
Unfortunately, Iowa scored two power play goals before the end of the second to take a 3-1 lead into the intermission.
Kalamazoo came back out in the third and took it to Iowa. First, Kyle Blaney cleaned up the trash on the left side of the net at the 2:36 mark to pull the K-Wings to within one. Logan Lambdin and Justin Murray assisted on the goal.
Then, Lambdin brought K-Wings all the way back when he streaked in behind the Heartlanders’ defense and buried the snapshot to tie the game at 3-3. The goal was a result of a beautiful stretch pass by Eric Kattelus.
Kalamazoo was unable to capitalize with the extra attacker on the ice for the final 2:04 of regulation, and the K-Wings winning streak ended at three games.
Kalamazoo now heads to Cincinnati (30-22-3-0) for a morning affair with the Cyclones on Wednesday. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:35 a.m. EST at Heritage Bank Center.
Broadcast time on 590/106.9 FM WKZO is 10:15 am.
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