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Kalamazoo Wins on Road, Sets Up Saturday Finale

March 30, 2012 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings News Release


Port Huron, MI- In a game that featured two teams within a point of one another for the division lead, it was Kyle Gattelaro of the Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings who stole the spotlight. His hat trick lead the Jr.

K-Wings to a 7-4 victory over the Port Huron Fighting Falcons on Friday night in Port Huron.

Capitalizing early in the first period, Kalamazoo jumped out to a quick lead just 3:45 into the opening frame. The goal came off a high slot wrister from the stick of Nick Kovalchik (10th), which zipped past Port Huron goalie, Max Milosek.

Five minutes later, Port Huron pulled even on the seventeenth goal of the season by Logan Lemirande. The goal, which was scored at the 8:40 mark of the first, came on a high-slot one-timer over the glove of Kalamazoo goalie, Alex Okicki.

Late in the first, and tied at one apiece, Drew Graves scored his team-lead tying 26th of the season on a forehand to backhand deke that followed a tic-tac-toe passing play, set up by Kovalchik and Dan Cesarz. The 2-1 lead for Kalamazoo would hold until the end of the first, and into the second period.

Midway through the second period, a two-on-one break for Kalamazoo led to a three-goal lead for the Jr. K-Wings. Jacob McDowell took the initial shot, which was saved by Milosek, but Kyle Gattelaro was there on the doorstep to jam home his 21st of the season.

Port Huron clawed back with a goal of their own, just a minute and ten seconds after the Gattelaro tally. Brett DeAndrea snuck behind the Kalamazoo defense, and put one past Okicki to draw within a goal.

When it looked as if Kalamazoo would take a one goal lead into the locker room, Port Huron tied the game at 3-3 on the 26th goal of the season by Ian Miller. His team-leading tally came with just five seconds left on the clock in the second.

Port Huron jumped out early in the third period with the 15th of the season by Easton Powers. The goal gave the Fighting Falcons a one-goal lead, their first of the game, with 18:32 to play in the third.

The remaining 18:32 of the period belonged to Gattelaro and the Jr.

K-Wings. Gattelaro pulled Kalamazoo even at 5-5 with his second goal of the night, and his 22nd of the season.

Two minutes and thirty-six seconds later, Gattelaro capped off the hat trick with his 23rd goal of the season. The goal lifted Gattelaro to his first career hat trick, and a one-goal lead for his team.

Three minutes later, the Jr. K-Wings took a two-goal lead with an insurance marker from Graves. The goal was his second of the night, and gave him sole possession of the team lead (27).

Finishing off a four-unanswered goal run by the Jr. K-Wings was McDowell.

His marker late in the third gave Kalamazoo a commanding 7-4 lead that would not be challenged.

Okicki (15-9-2) picked up the victory in the contest, and Kalamazoo took over first place in the North Division for the first time

The two teams will face-off tomorrow afternoon at the Borgess Health Rink at Wings West in Kalamazoo, in the regular season finale that will decide the winner of the North Division crown.

K-Wings will return to the Borgess Health Rink at Wings West again on Saturday, March 31st against the Port Huron Fighting Falcons.

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