K-Wings Weekly
Published on April 20, 2009 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release
Friday, April 17th @ Fort Wayne (Turner Cup Semi-Finals Game 1: Fort Wayne 3-Kalamazoo 1)
Fort Wayne, IN - After surrendering the game's first goal, the Fort Wayne Komets rallied for three unanswered to defeat the Kalamazoo Wings 3-1 in game one of the Turner Cup Semi-Finals.
Capitalizing on one of their three power-play chances in the first four minutes of play, Kalamazoo struck first blood in game one. Lucas Drake (1st) registered the opening tally 3:39 into the contest by sending a pass off of Nick Boucher.
The most dominating second period team, Fort Wayne outscored their opposition 103-59 (+44) in the regular season. Being consistent, the Komets carried over their second period success into the post-season, lighting the lamp three times.
Justin Hodgeman, who scored the last goal in the Komets' playoff Turner Cup run a year ago, a game-seven cup-clinching marker, registered the equalizer and Fort Wayne's first of this season's playoffs 7:29 into the period.
Less than four minutes later, David Hukalo (1st) gave the Komets their first lead of the game at 2-1. Fort Wayne extended their lead to two goals with 11 seconds remaining in the period, when Brad MacMillan (1st) deflected a Danko Mironovic shot past Joel Martin.
Trying to mount a comeback in the third, a Trent Daavettila breakaway attempt was denied by Boucher, which was one of the IHL's Southern Sports Supplies Goaltender of the Year's 41 saves for the night.
Saturday, April 18th Vs Fort Wayne (Turner Cup Semi-Finals Game 2: Kalamazoo 3-Fort Wayne 2 2OT)
Kalamazoo, MI - The first overtime game of the 2009 Turner Cup Playoffs was claimed by the Kalamazoo Wings as Mark Nebus nudged the puck over the goal line at 14:58 of the second extra frame to beat the Fort Wayne Komets 3-2 in game two of their Semi-Final series.
The venue now shifts back to Fort Wayne for Game Three Sunday evening with the series tied at one game apiece.
Nebus (1st) managed to break around the defense on the left side and slip a shot under Komets goalie Nick Boucher to dramatically end the contest. After a short consultation with the goal judge, referee Jim Hawthorne confirmed that the puck did indeed completely cross the goal line, setting off a celebration just a half hour short of midnight.
David Hukalo came close to winning it for Fort Wayne just a few minutes prior when his slapshot drilled the crossbar behind goalie Jason Tapp. Tapp stopped 41 shots, including all 18 beyond regulation time, to win the goaltending duel with Nick Boucher, who recorded 53 saves in the hard-luck loss.
A physical opening period gave each team two unsuccessful opportunities on the power-play. While neither team was able to register on the scoreboard in the opening 20 minutes, Kalamazoo did outshoot Fort Wayne 14-11.
The Komets used a power play to take the lead in game one of the series, and they repeated the feat in game two, as Mathieu Curadeau (1st), who scored 11 goals against the K-Wings during the regular season, added another at 11:54 of the second. Rick Varone centered the puck from the right-wing half-boards for a Curadeau one-timer that made it 1-0.
Fort Wayne's Kevin Bertram took an interference penalty as the second period ended, putting Kalamazoo on the man-advantage with a fresh sheet of ice to begin the third. Just 52 seconds into the K-Wings' fifth power play of the night, Lucas Drake collected a long rebound resulting from an Anthony Battaglia point shot and buried it into the upper half of the net for his second of the series.
The deadlock didn't even last three minutes, however, as Colin Chaulk (1st) gathered a loose puck to the left of Tapp and threw it under the crossbar to thrust the Komets ahead once more at 3:20.
Happily for the Wings Stadium contingent, the seesaw tilted back in the K-Wings' favor with a little more than 12 minutes left in the third. Trent Daavettila (1st) gloved down a Tommy Lange shot attempt in the crease and calmly tossed it into the yawning cage to tie the score once more and send the contest into extra time.
Sunday, April 19th @ Fort Wayne (Turner Cup Semi-Finals Game 3: Fort Wayne 5-Kalamazoo 1)
Fort Wayne, IN - Special teams proved to be the difference in game three, as the Kalamazoo Wings went 0 for 9 on the man-advantage, while the Fort Wayne Komets generated three power-play goals on eight chances en route to a 5-1 victory to take a two games to one lead in the International Hockey League's best-of-seven Turner Cup Semi-Final series.
Earning a power-play opportunity 26 seconds into the contest on a Rick Cleaver interference infraction, the Komets connected for the lone goal in the period with a man-advantage tally from Keith Rodger (1st) 2:11 into the game.
Outscoring the K-Wings 4-0 in the second period through two games of the series, the Komets continued their stronghold of Kalamazoo exploding for two goals.
Rick Varone (1st) knocked in a rebound 3:44 into the second to extend the Komets lead to 2-0. Following Varone's tally less than two minutes later, Mathieu Curadeau (2nd) deflected a power-play blast from Rod Aldoff to push Fort Wayne's cushion to three goals.
Kalamazoo registered their lone goal 5:08 into the third period, when the league's Aquafina Rookie of the Year Rick Cleaver (1st) snipped a wrist shot over Nick Boucher.
Fort Wayne tacked on a pair of goals from David Hukalo (2nd) and Justin Hodgman (2nd) 15 seconds apart midway in the period to seal the victory.
Boucher stopped 37 shots to improve his playoff record to 2-1, while Jason Tapp recorded 35 saves in defeat, which dropped his record to 1-1.
Fast Forward
Down two games to one, the Kalamazoo Wings will return to Wings Stadium for a 7 p.m. face-off this Wednesday, April 22nd for game four of the best-of-series. While supplies last, fans attending game four will receive a FREE pair of Thundersticks courtesy of Jaspare's Pizza and Fine Italian Food and J.R. Electrical Services.
The semi-finals will head back to Allen County Memorial Coliseum this Friday, April 24th with an 8 p.m. face-off for game four. Game five of the series, if necessary, will be this Saturday, April 25th at Wings Stadium with a start time of 7:30 p.m.
Team Playoff Leaders: Kalamazoo Wings
Goals: Lucas Drake (2 Goals)
Assists: Dominic Osman, Chris Trick (2 Assists)
Points: Rick Cleaver, Lucas Drake, Dominic Osman, Chris Trick (2 Points)
+/-: John Glavota, Chris Trick (+2)
Penalty Minutes: Blair Stayzer (14 Minutes)
Power Play Goals: Lucas Drake (2 Goals)
Short Handed Goals: Entire Team (0 Goals)
Game Winning Goals: Mark Nebus (1 GW)
Shots: Rick Cleaver (18 Shots)
Overtime Goals Mark Nebus (1 Goal)
Shooting Percentage: Lucas Drake (14.3%)
Goals Against Average: Jason Tapp (2.71)
Save Percentage: Joel Martin (0.919)
No Place Like Home
With their double-overtime victory at Wings Stadium last Saturday, the K-Wings continued their playoff success at home. Dating back to the 2006-07 season, Kalamazoo has won their last five playoff contests at Wings Stadium.
It's Tricky
Defenseman Chris Trick has earned assists in back-to-back games for the K-Wings. Trick, who shares the K-Wings lead in plus/minus at +2, is on a two-game point streak and shares the team lead with two helpers.
Stuck in the Middle
So far in the playoffs, the K-Wings have had trouble generating offense in the second period. Through three games, Kalamazoo has been outscored 6-0 in the second period.
Generating Chances
In three games in the playoffs, the K-Wings have not hesitated in firing the puck to the net. Kalamazoo leads all IHL teams in the postseason with 136 shots.
The Obscure Stat of the Week
Last Saturday's marathon double overtime finish was the fifth double-overtime game and third longest playoff game (94:58) overall in the K-Wings' 35-year history. The only contests that went longer were the K-Wings 3-2 victory over the Flint Generals on April 22, 1977 (106:30) and Kalamazoo's 4-3 loss to the Detroit Vipers on April 25, 1997 (97:09).
Tickets! Get Your Tickets!!
Tickets for all K-Wings home games are now on sale. Catch all the action as your K-Wings play the very best the IHL has to offer. Tickets are on sale now by calling the Wings Stadium Ticket Office at (269) 345-5101.
Get On-Line
This season, the best way to keep track of the K-Wings is to log onto www.kwings.com. The site has player profiles, information about Wings Stadium events, and much, much more.
Cleaver and Drake on the Radio
Join special guests Rick Cleaver and Lucas Drake as they join Head Coach Nick Bootland and the "Voice of the K-Wings" Mike Modugno on "K-Wings Live". The show is on The Classic Hits Station WLKM (95.9 FM) and online through the B-2 Networks through www.kwings.com from 7-8 p.m. at Old Burdick's Bar and Grill inside the Holiday Inn Kalamazoo on South 11th Street.
K-Wings on Radio
Catch all the K-Wings games, home and away, on the K-Wings Radio Network (95.9 FM WLKM & B-2 Networks on kwings.com). Join the "Voice of the K-Wings" Mike Modugno for all 76 regular season games plus the playoffs. Pre-game coverage begins with the Kalsee Credit Union Pre-Game Show 15 minutes prior to face-off. For the most complete coverage of the K-Wings from the opening face-off to the final buzzer, keep your radio tuned this season to the K-Wings Radio Network.
Upcoming Games
Wednesday, April 22nd Vs Fort Wayne 7:00 PM (Turner Cup Playoffs: Semi-Finals, Game Four)
Friday, April 24th @ Fort Wayne 8:00 PM (Turner Cup Playoffs: Semi-Finals, Game Five)
*Saturday, April 25th Vs Fort Wayne 7:30 PM (Turner Cup Playoffs: Semi-Finals, Game Six)
*Tuesday, April 28th @ Fort Wayne 7:30 PM (Turner Cup Playoffs: Semi-Finals Game Seven)
(* Denotes Games that Will Only Be Played If Necessary)
International Hockey League 2 Stories from April 20, 2009
- Muskegon Lumberjacks E-news: Free Team Posters Tuesday, April 21st and Wednesday, April 22nd - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Turner Cup Tidbits - IHL 2
- K-Wings Weekly - Kalamazoo Wings
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