Three Goal First Period Lifts Express to 4-3 Win Over Wings
February 19, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Chicago Express News Release
Kalamazoo, MI - The Chicago Express, proud member of the ECHL and proud affiliate of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, struck three times in the first period and held on for a 4-3 win at Wings Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
RW Tyler Donati opened up the scoring in the contest, as LW Devin DiDiomete started a 2-on-1 rush up the ice and fed Donati for a one-time shot that just got over the glove of Kalamazoo G Maxime Clermont to give the Express a 1-0 lead 5:06 into the first period. The lead lasted just 1:29, as D Harry Young blasted a slap shot from the point that found its way through traffic, evening the score at 1-1. D Scott Wietecha restored Chicago's one goal advantage at 9:05 of the opening frame, as D Jonathan Zion whipped a pass to Wietecha, and blasted a one-timer home for the 5-on-3 goal. F Mike Embach finished off the scoring with 1.6 seconds left in the period, as Chicago led 3-1 after the first.
D Darcy Campbell pushed Chicago's lead to 4-1 early in the second period. During 4-on-4 action, Cambpell took a pass from LW Maxz Gratchev and tapped it home just 1:54 into the second stanza. Kalamazoo got back to within two at 10:06 of the frame, two seconds after a Chicago penalty expired. F Nick Sirota found a rebound in the goal crease and punched it into the back of the net, making the score 4-2, still in favor of Chicago. Sirota had a chance to bring the Wings to within one with a penalty shot just 1:16 later, but Express G Peter Mannino flashed out the left pad to maintain Chicago's 4-2 lead. The score remained 4-2 at the end of the period, with the Wings leading in shots on goal 23-15 over the Express.
Chicago's lead was cut in half just over five minutes into the final frame, as F Trent Daavettila buried a power play at 5:16 of the third. Mannino and the Express held on at the end of the contest, snapping a five game winless skid with a 4-3 win. Mannino ended the night with 32 saves to earn the victory for Chicago.
Power plays: CHI: 1/4; KAL: 1/4
Three stars: 1. D. Campbell (CHI); 2. T. Donati (CHI); 3. H. Young (KAL)
Notes:
RW Tyler Donati is now on a four game assist streak with nine assists during that span... Chicago earned their first win at Wings Stadium, and are now 1-2-1 in Kalamazoo... Chicago snapped a five game winless streak tonight... LW Max Gratchev played in his 100th ECHL game. He finished with one assist and a plus-2 rating... D Evan Stephens increased his points streak to three games, with one goal and four assists during that span... G Peter Mannino stopped a penalty shot in the second period, his second penalty shot save of the season.
The Express hit the road next Friday against the Kalamazoo Wings, and then return home to take on the Florida Everblades on Saturday, February 25 and Sunday, February 26.
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