TOLEDO, OH (WKZO AM/FM) – The Kalamazoo Wings (5-8-0-0) came out swinging in the first with three goals and used the power play to right the ship after Toledo (8-3-1-1) surged in the second period to defeat the Walleye 4-3 at Huntington Center Friday.
Brandon Saigeon (1) threw the knockout punch by sniping in a juicy rebound from the left side with 2:02 left in the second period. Robert Calisti (4) and Ty Glover (6) assisted the game-winner with one second left on the power play via good puck movement and a well-placed shot off the boards.
Erik Bradford (4) opened the scoring by knocking a loose puck into the net from the crease at the 13:55 mark of the first. Glover (5) and Brad Morrison (6) recorded helpers on the K-Wings’ first of two power play goals on the evening.
David Keefer (2) then crashed the back pipe to convert off a saucy pass from Josh Passolt (1) on a 2-on-1 rush. The forwards connected to double Kalamazoo’s lead with 1:51 remaining in the opening stanza.
Chaz Reddekopp (1) extended the lead just 61 seconds later when his shot from the point caromed off the end boards and found its way home after striking the Toledo netminder. Justin Taylor (1) and Drake Pilon (1) were credited with assists on the captain’s tally, and Pilon’s primary assist was his first professional point.
Despite falling behind 3-0 after 20 minutes, Toledo fought its way back into the game with a big second period and scored three goals during the frame. The K-Wings stayed composed and responded with Saigeon’s game-winner.
Goaltender Hunter Vorva (1-2-0-0) made 36 saves and dazzled at times to fend off the Walleye surge, picking up his first win of the season.
Kalamazoo finished the game 2-for-3 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill. Toledo took the final shot total, 39-21.
The K-Wings are back in action Saturday at 7:00 p.m. EST for Lavender Ice versus the Cincinnati Cyclones at Wings Event Center.
Broadcast time on 590/106.9 WKZO is 6:35 pm.
THIS REPORT WAS WRITTEN BY CHRIS CADEAU, VOICE OF THE K WINGS
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