K-Wings blow up Fuel with seven goal explosion

KALAMAZOO, MI – A four-goal second period onslaught led the Kalamazoo Wings (10-14-3-0) to a 7-3 win over the Indy Fuel (14-14-0-0) in the first game back from holiday break Friday at Wings Event Center.

The two teams combined for just nine shots in the opening period, as Indy struck first with a Spencer Watson power play goal from the right circle in the final minute of the frame. The goal came on the Fuel’s second shot of the game.

Kalamazoo answered with a bang, scoring four times in the second period, the most in any period this season. Ben Wilson cut through the slot and deflected a Dylan Sadowy centering feed into the net to tie the game at 1-1. The assist was Sadowy’s first of four in the game.

Aaron Thow put the K-Wings in front for good when he trailed a short-handed 2-on-1 rush and Kyle Blaney fed him a pass. Thow quickly shot it over Charles Williams blocker for his third goal of the season. Kalamazoo then made it 3-1 when Justin Kovacs tapped in a loose puck out of a net mouth scramble for a power play goal.

Indy scored a second power play goal when Derian Plouffe banked a centering pass off of a K-Wings defender in the crease from beneath the goal line to cut the Fuel’s deficit to one, but Justin Taylor answered with 1:24 left in the second period with a power play goal of his own. It was Taylor’s third power play marker in as many games and the eventual game-winner.

Dylan McLaughlin scored 5:30 into the third period with a wrist shot from the left circle to bring Indy back to within one, but Luke Sandler fired a low shot from way out just 17 seconds later to put Kalamazoo up 5-3. Less than two minutes later, Tanner Sorenson scored his first of two goals when he one-timed a centering pass in front of the net from Sadowy in the corner. Sorenson’s second goal came in garbage time to make it 7-3, finishing off a four-point (two goals, two assists) game. Jake Hildebrand stopped 35 of 38 shots for his second straight victory.

The K-Wings next host the Fort Wayne Komets at 7 p.m. Saturday at Wings Event Center. Kalamazoo will be honoring its affiliation with the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks and American Hockey League’s Utica Comets by wearing affiliation-themed jerseys voted as the winner of the K-Wings’ annual Fan-Designed Jersey Contest. The player-worn jerseys will be auctioned off following the game.

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