IHL 2 Kalamazoo Wings

K-Wings Silenced by Lumberjacks

Published on January 30, 2009 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


Kalamazoo, MI - Nine different Muskegon Lumberjacks earned points as the Kalamazoo Wings were stifled 5-0 by their West Michigan rivals Friday night at Wings Stadium.

Adam Bartholomay led the Muskegon charge with a goal and an assist, while league-leading scorer Todd Robinson picked up a pair of helpers. Robinson now has 66 points - 17 goals and 49 assists - on the year.

The loss curtailed a three-game winning streak on home ice for Kalamazoo, which was an IHL-best 13-3-0-0 at Wings Stadium coming into the contest.

The K-Wings outshot the Lumberjacks in the first period 10-9, but Muskegon enjoyed the better scoring chances and was able to capitalize twice in the opening frame.

Billy Collins (9th) slammed in a Chad Costello centering pass at 5:19 to open the scoring. Costello created the opportunity by drawing a Kalamazoo defender behind the goal, then finding a wide-open Collins at the edge of the crease for the tap-in.

Robin Bouchard (8th) made it 2-0 at 15:26, a goal that K-Wings goaltender Jason Tapp would probably like to have a second chance at stopping. Bouchard blasted a slap shot from the top of the right circle that struck Tapp in the shoulder, bounded high into the air and dropped just barely over the goal line.

The Wings Stadium faithful surely expected a better second period, but it would only get worse for the home side in the middle 20 minutes.

Muskegon's Matt Gens (6th) kept the crowd quiet at 1:24 when he boomed a 55-footer over Tapp's right leg on the power play. The Lumberjacks poured it on with another goal courtesy of their league-leading man-advantage unit at 12:00. This time it was Darryl McArthur (7th) connecting on a long distance shot from Bartholomay and Frank Littlejohn.

Bartholomay (6th) appeared to put an early end to Tapp's night at 16:44 with an unassisted tally from the inner edge of the left circle. K-Wings head coach Nick Bootland sent Joel Martin into the crease to finish the second, but Tapp returned to the net to begin the third.

The only suspense remaining in the final period was whether goalie Clayton Pool would earn the Lumberjacks' first shutout of the season. He would do just that, despite four K-Wings power plays in the period - including two separate five-on-threes.

Pool finished with 33 saves on as many shots, including his best late in the second period as he stretched out his arm along the ice to deny Tommy Lange's stuff attempt.

Pool's starting counterpart Tapp turned away 28 of 33. Martin came up with two saves in just over three minutes of game action.

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from January 30, 2009


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