Sports stats



ECHL Kalamazoo Wings

K-Wings Stifled by Monarchs

November 10, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


KALAMAZOO, MI- The Manchester Monarchs utilized five-unanswered goals, including three from Matt White, and stifling defense to defeat the Kalamazoo Wings, 7-3, Tuesday night at Wings Event Center.

Not wasting any time to get on the board, Kalamazoo struck for the game's first goal just sixteen seconds in. Alex Mallet took the puck off of the faceoff and streaked into the offensive zone, firing the puck on net, which caromed off the skate of a Monarchs' player and into the net.

Answering just 2:08 later, Manchester would find the equalizer. Derek Arnold found the loose puck behind the Wings' net and fed a perfect pass to the tape of Troy Power, who lifted a wrister over the glove of Clay Witt, who was making his Kalamazoo debut after being re-assigned from Utica earlier in the day.

Regaining the lead moments later, Mallet found pay dirt for his second strike of the game, and fifth of the season. Cycling the puck around the offensive zone, Dane Fox found an open Brett Ponich at the blue line who ripped a one-timer off the stick of Mallet and past Michael Houser. With the secondary assist, Fox pushed his point streak to five games.

Continuing the seesaw battle, the Monarchs would once again tie the game. While working on a power play, Alex Roach took a blue line slapper which bounced off of the glove of Witt, and directly to the tape of White, who easily deposited the puck in to the net.

Continuing to generate offensive pressure, the Monarchs would find their first lead of the night. Alex Lintuniemi lifted a screened shot from the high slot, which ricocheted off the pad of Witt and right to the stick of White for his second marker of the game.

Just 1:33 into the second frame, the Monarchs would push their lead to 4-2. Speeding through the neutral zone, Joe Diamond skated around the Kalamazoo defender, creating a two-on-one break. Diamond rifled a backhander to the tape of Arnold who punched in his second of the season.

Completing the hat-trick thirty-four seconds later, White would put the Wings in a three-goal hole. Skating from below the goal line, White skated to the left faceoff dot and wristed in his third of the game. That tally would prompt head coach Nick Bootland to replace Witt with Joel Martin.

Bringing Martin in seemed to give the Wings life as they buzzed around the Monarchs' zone, but it was Manchester who would pop in their fifth-straight goal. With the faceoff to the left of Martin, Matt Leitner pushed the puck towards the net off of the puck drop and into the goal.

Beginning the third period, Bootland opted to give the crease back to Witt. Martin ended the night with three saves on four shots in seventeen-minutes and fifty three seconds of work.

Utilizing several different pairings, the Wings were able to create some offense and reduce their deficit to three-goals. Colin Murray forced a turnover at the Monarchs' blue line, creating a two-on-one advantage. Murray pushed the puck to Tanner Sorenson, who snapped his first professional goal over the blocker of Houser.

Manchester refused to let Kalamazoo gain any momentum and pushed their lead to 7-3 midway through the third. Gasper Kopitar took a stretch pass from White, deked around a Wings' defender, and pushed the puck to the far post, past the pad of Witt, to end the scoring for the night.

Notes: It was the first ever meeting between Kalamazoo and Manchester. Dane Fox extended his point streak to five games with an assist on Mallet's second goal. Alex Mallet is the first Kalamazoo player to score multiple goals in a period with his two during the first of tonight's game. The Monarchs scored five unanswered goals between the first and second periods.

Game stats: http://echl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=12770

The Kalamazoo Wings host medieval night at Wings Event Center on Friday, November 13, at 7:00 p.m. against the Evansville Icemen. The night will feature special food, games, and activities all around the concourse. Fans are encouraged to donate new sweatpants, coats, boots, and socks for the Communities in Schools organization. With a donation of two items, fans will get a $5 concession voucher.

Single-game tickets are now on sale! Tickets can be purchased at kwings.com or at the Wings Event Center box office. Box office hours are Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. A $2 discount is applied on all tickets purchased before the date of the game.

Check out the Kalamazoo Wings Statistics



ECHL Stories from November 10, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central