K-Wings Hit Win Column, Offense Explodes on Heartlanders
October 28, 2022 – ECHL (ECHL) – Kalamazoo Wings News Release
KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings (1-2-0-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, scored early and often in a 6-3 win over the Iowa Heartlanders (0-3-0-0) on Friday night at Wings Event Center. The win goes in the books as the first career head coaching win for Joel Martin.
The K-Wings raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and never looked back. Two Iowa penalties in the first minute gave Kalamazoo a 5-on-3 opportunity, and defenseman Olivier LeBlanc (1) ripped a shot from the blue line into the net just 1:42 into the game. Brandon Saigeon (1) and Coale Norris (1) assisted on the goal, which went in the books as Norris’ first pro point.
Four minutes later, it was Anthony Collins (1) netting a goal for the K-Wings to make it 2-0 at the 5:50 mark. Daniel D’Amico (1) earned his first professional point as he knocked a loose puck to LeBlanc (1), who had his shot blocked right in front of Collins, and Anthony fired it from the hash marks just outside the right circle.
Saigeon (1) scored his first goal as a K-Wing later in the first to make it 3-0 just seconds after a Heartlander penalty expired at the 17:41 mark. Brandon chipped in his own rebound from right in front of the crease, with Chad Nychuk (2) and Max Humitz (1) assisting on the goal.
Iowa got on the board just before the first period expired, but Norris (1) restored the Kalamazoo lead to three with his first professional goal in the second. Saigeon (2) brought the puck into the zone and sent it to Mason McCarty (3) at the right faceoff dot. McCarty sent it to the front of the net, where Norris was crashing the crease and finished off the goal at the 15:20 mark.
Both teams would score another power play goal before all was said and done, with Matheson Iacopelli (3) striking for the K-Wings at the 7:30 mark of the third. It goes in the books as Iacopelli’s third power play goal of the season, and Erik Bradford (1) picked up his first point this year with the assist.
McCarty (1) then capped the scoring with an empty-net goal after Iowa pulled to within two in the final minute.
Goaltender Evan Cormier (1-0-0-0) looked comfortable in net, and made 27 saves in his K-Wings debut just 24 hours after being loaned to Kalamazoo from Manitoba (AHL).
The K-Wings outshot their opponent for the third game in a row, 37-30. Kalamazoo also went 2-4 on the power play for the unit’s strongest showing of the season.
Saigeon (3), LeBlanc (2), McCarty (2) and Norris (2) all had multiple points in the contest.
Kalamazoo turns around for another home game Saturday versus the Toledo Walleye (2-0-0-0) at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Orange Ice. Join us for trick or treating, a costume contest and the first 1,000 fans will receive a ‘Stranger Wings’ snapback hat.
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