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ECHL Kalamazoo Wings

Murray Provides Late-Game Treats in K-Wings Dramatic Win

October 30, 2021 - ECHL (ECHL)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


KALAMAZOO, MI - Late-game heroics from Kalamazoo Wings defenseman Justin Murray broke a 3-3 tie to send the Wings (2-1-0-0) to a 4-3 victory over the Fort Wayne Komets (1-1-0-0) Saturday in front of 3,662 fans at Wings Event Center.

Fort Wayne struck first on a scramble in front of the net, when Anthony Petruzzelli slid a second chance past K-Wings goaltender Jet Greaves 3:40 into the game. The Komets doubled up the K-Wings 14-7 on the shot clock and led 1-0 after one.

Kalamazoo roared back in a wild second period, scoring three times in the first 8:05 of the frame. Rookie Collin Saccoman blasted home his first professional goal, a short-handed shot from the right wing circle, tying the game at 1-1. Michael Davies then cleaned up a loose puck in front of Jiri Patera's net for his first goal as a pro, a power play tally. Finally, veteran Justin Taylor ripped a shot into the top corner of the net to make it 3-1 quickly. A late power play goal from Fort Wayne's Will Graber brought the Komets to within one heading into the second intermission.

Greaves faced a barrage of shots in the final frame, as Fort Wayne fired 13 attempts on net and eventually found the equalizer when Matt Murphy redirected in a point shot. Late in regulation, K-Wings defenseman Brenden Miller was injured on a hard check by Fort Wayne's captain Matt Boudens that warranted a major penalty. On the ensuing power play, Murray snapped a quick shot through Patera's legs from between the circles with 31 seconds left to give Kalamazoo the dramatic win.

Greaves stopped 36 of 39 Komets shots for his first ECHL victory, becoming the youngest goaltender to win a game this season (20 years, 214 days). Following the game, the K-Wings auctioned off the player-worn jerseys to the fans in attendance, with proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society.

The K-Wings next prepare for a home-and-home weekend series next weekend against the Toledo Walleye. Kalamazoo hosts Toledo Friday night at Wings Event Center, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The Walleye then host the K-Wings Saturday at Huntington Center at 7:15 p.m. in what will be Kalamazoo's first road game of the season.

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The Kalamazoo Wings are a professional hockey team located in southwest Michigan that has been a staple in the Kalamazoo, MI professional sports landscape since 1974. The K-Wings compete in the ECHL and are the AA affiliate of the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets and American Hockey League's Cleveland Monsters. Kalamazoo plays their 36 regular season home games at Wings Event Center from October through April.

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