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ECHL Kalamazoo Wings

K-Wings Down Nailers Behind Vorva Shutout

January 8, 2023 - ECHL (ECHL)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


WHEELING, WV - The Kalamazoo Wings (13-14-3-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets, stopped everything the Wheeling Nailers (16-15-1-0) had to offer and earned a 2-0 shutout victory Sunday afternoon at Wesbanco Arena.

The win went into the book as the first ECHL shutout for Hunter Vorva (5-2-1-0), who made 30 saves and helped the K-Wings penalty kill unit to a perfect 6/6 performance.

The K-Wings drew first blood at the 10:45 mark of the first period as Darby Llewellyn (4) blasted in a slot shot for the game-winner. On the play, Carson Focht (8) carried the puck from center ice up the right side, sent a pass toward the left faceoff circle that got deflected right to Llewellyn's stick in the slot for the goal. Collin Saccoman (5) earned the secondary assist on the goal.

Early in the second period, there was trouble brewing for Kalamazoo with minor penalties called on the K-Wings at the 2:40, 4:52, 7:08 and 8:37 marks. But the penalty kill unit stood its ground, gaining more opportunities shorthanded than the Nailers were able to muster with the man advantage.

That trend culminated in a shorthanded goal by Raymond Brice (8) at the 9:50 mark. Brice skated the puck up the left side, and after his initial shot was stopped, he tucked the puck inside the right post for the shorty. Chad Nychuk (15) and Brandon Saigeon (17) assisted on the goal.

Kalamazoo kept the pressure on in the third period, outshooting Wheeling 16-12 in the final frame to finish with a 36-30 shot advantage to seal the win. The K-Wings are now 6-0-0-0 this season when leading after the first period.

The K-Wings finish the road trip on Wednesday against the Fort Wayne Komets (13-11-3-2). Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m. EST at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

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