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ECHL Kalamazoo Wings

High-Scoring Swamp Rabbits Down K-Wings

November 25, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


KALAMAZOO, MI- The Kalamazoo Wings showed a late spark, but were downed by the high-scoring attack of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in a 6-2 loss on Friday night at Wings Event Center.

Greenville took advantage of an early turnover by Kalamazoo in the first two minutes of period number one and cashed in after stealing the puck deep in the Wings' zone. Angelo Micelli was fed a tape-to-tape pass from Trevor Gerling, and Micelli buried his third of the season with a nifty forehand to backhand move.

Kalamazoo matched Greenville's pace through the next 15 minutes but couldn't match the score, as the Swamp Rabbits built upon their lead at the 17:29 mark of the first period and while working on a power play. Michael Joly patiently held the puck and freed up some space to drive the goal and tuck the puck past Wings' goalie Nick Riopel.

Just 52 seconds later, the Swamp Rabbits maintained their pressure and were able to strike for their third unanswered goal of the period. Micelli circled with the puck behind the Kalamazoo goal and tapped it to Paul Zanette, whose one-timer found the corner of the net.

After aiming to regroup in the intermission, Kalamazoo couldn't contain the quick-strike attack of Greenville, as the Swamp Rabbits tallied their fourth of the game just over two minutes into the second period. Joly carried along the right wing and snapped a stick-side wrist shot that beat Riopel, propelling Greenville to a 4-0 lead. After the early second-period goal, Riopel was pulled in favor of Joel Martin.

Three and a half minutes after the goaltender replacement, the Swamp Rabbits were at it again offensively and earned their fifth of the night. Spiro Goulakos's slap shot was kicked away by the pad of Martin, but the rebound slid to the stick of Joly who jammed home his hat-trick goal and lifted his team to a 5-0 lead.

Early in the third period, Kalamazoo upped their intensity and were rewarded for their efforts. Scott Henegar's shot through traffic was re-directed by Blake Hietala and into the goal for Hietala's first career ECHL tally, which put the Wings on the board for the first time on the night.

Three minutes later, Kalamazoo parlayed with a second unanswered goal, getting the effort off the tape of Tyler Biggs. The winger darted into the Greenville zone and twisted a heavy slap shot that sailed through the pads of Swamp Rabbits' goalie Jeff Malcolm and into the net.

Greenville halted Kalamazoo's momentum later in the period, as Zannette notched his second of the night with a deflection that initially hit the post, but caromed off the skate of Martin and over the line, capping off a 6-2 victory for the visitors.

Next: Kalamazoo @ Elmira Jackals- Wednesday November 30, 7:05 p.m., First Arena.

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