Port Huron Falls to Kalamazoo 3-2
October 15, 2011 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Port Huron Fighting Falcons News Release
PORT HURON, MI - The Port Huron Fighting Falcons fell 3-2 to the Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings at McMorran Arena Saturday. The game was the first of three consecutive matchups between the Fighting Falcons and the Jr. K-Wings.
The Jr. K-Wings scored three goals in a span of just over two minutes early in their first game in Port Huron, and a great effort by the Fighting Falcons over the next 54 minutes ultimately fell short.
Trevor Boyd opened the scoring with an unassisted goal 3:39 into the first period. Chris Leone made a great lead pass that led to a Robbie Payne breakaway goal about a minute and a half later to put Kalamazoo up 2-0.
Fighting Falcons goalie Peter Megariotis changed sticks after the Payne goal, but Taylor Burden's rebound goal 36 later gave Kalamazoo three goals in the game's first six minutes.
Port Huron got on the board at the seven-minute mark when Mike Moroso tipped a Logan Lemirande shot past Kalamazoo goalie Alex Okicki. Easton Powers also earned an assist on the play.
Kalamazoo outshot Port Huron 10-9 in the first period, and headed to the locker room with a 3-1 lead.
The Fighting Falcons controlled the play for the majority of the second period, but were unable to close the margin despite outshooting the Jr. K-Wings 15-2. Moroso got a penalty shot when Okicki threw his stick to make a save; his fake beat Okicki, but the shot slid wide of the net.
Ian Miller scored from a very sharp angle on a power play opportunity midway through the third period to pull the Fighting Falcons within a goal; Kody Polin and captain Ryan Teal assisted on the goal.
Despite the surging momentum, Port Huron was unable to get another goal. The Jr. K-Wings controlled the puck in the final minute, and Megariotis was unable to get to the bench to get a sixth skater on the ice for one last chance.
The Jr. K-Wings outshot the Fighting Falcons 12-10 in the third period, but managed just 24 overall while Port Huron fired 34.
Powers, Rick DeRosa and Sean Gammage all took fighting penalties for Port Huron, while Danny Hamburg, Matt Wurst and Robbie Payne dropped the gloves for Kalamazoo.
Alex Okicki turned away 32 of 34 shots for his fifth win of the season.
Peter Megariotis bounced back from a tough start, stopping Kalamazoo's last 18 shots of the game, and 21 of 24 overall. Megariotis' first regulation loss of the season drops him to 3-1-1, and snaps a five-game unbeaten in regulation streak to start the season.
In other North Division action, the Michigan Warriors earned a 4-3 shootout victory over the Traverse City North Stars, while the Jamestown Ironmen overcame a 3-1 third-period deficit and defeated the Chicago Hitmen 4-3 in overtime. Only nine points separate the first-place Warriors from the last-place Ironmen, by far the smallest first-to-last gap in the NAHL.
With the loss, Port Huron drops to third place in the North Division at 6-5-2, one point ahead of Traverse City. Kalamazoo takes sole possession of second place with the win, and at 8-3-0 they remain three points behind the Warriors.
The Fighting Falcons will get another shot at the Jr. K-Wings tomorrow afternoon, as they travel to Kalamazoo for a 2 p.m. rematch at Wings West. These teams will face off again at McMorran Arena Friday, October 21 at 7 p.m.
Single game tickets are available now at the McMorran Arena Box Office. Tickets in any section are just $7 this season. Student, senior citizen and military tickets are only $6.
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North American Hockey League Stories from October 15, 2011
- Bobcats' Win Streak Ends at Seven with 3-0 Defeat - Bismarck Bobcats
- IceRays Hold on for 8-7 Victory - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Port Huron Falls to Kalamazoo 3-2 - Port Huron Fighting Falcons
- Kalamazoo's Road Victory Makes Eight of Nine - Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings
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- Robbed Again: Nichols Records Third Shutout - Wenatchee Wild
- Jacks drop first of two in Wenatchee - Odessa Jackalopes
- Bulls Beat Topeka 5-3 as the Rivalry Is Renewed - Amarillo Bulls
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