READING, Pa – Making ECHL history, the Kalamazoo Wings established a league-record by recording three goals in a span of 29 seconds early in the first period and carried that momentum to a 5-4 victory in game two of the Eastern Conference Semifinals over the Reading Royals and now lead the series two games to none.
Just like he did in game one, Dean Strong (2nd) started the scoring for the K-Wings with a wrister from the right circle six minutes into the contest.
Kalamazoo only needed 12 seconds after Strong’s tally to light the lamp again, as Justin Taylor (4th) extended his goal streak to four games by lifting a backhand over Ben Scrivens.
Seventeen seconds later, Taylor (5th) struck again, notching his second of the night on rebound.
Reading cut Kalamazoo’s to two goals with a wrap-around marker from 17:11 in the first period from Robert Slaney (1st).
Over a minute later, the K-Wings were at it again, this time it was a power-play marker from Andrew Fournier (3rd) to push Kalamazoo’s lead back to three goals.
In the first two games of the series, Kalamazoo has outscored Reading 8-1 in the opening 20 minutes.
Aided by four power-play chances in the second period, the Royals rallied back in the stanza outshooting the K-Wings 18-7 and scoring bookend goals in the stanza.
Stealing the puck at his own blue line, Yannick Riedeau (2nd) scored on a breakaway 1:20 into the period to bring the Royals back to within two goals.
Late in the period, Reading capitalized on one of their power-plays, as Rob Kwiet snipped his first goal of the postseason from the high slot.
Kalamazoo would score the eventual game-winning goal 2:50 into the third period with a power-play goal from Darryl Lloyd (2nd). Both of Lloyd’s goals in the playoffs have been game-winners.
With six minutes remaining in regulation, Ben Gordon (2nd) would bring the Royals back to within a single-goal, but the K-Wings would hang on to the one-goal victory.
Kalamazoo finished the game 2-for-3 on the power-play, while Reading went 1-for-7 with the man-advantage.
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