KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Kalamazoo Wings (26-34-4-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, took it to the Fort Wayne Komets (32-25-4-3) and fended off a third-period charge on their way to a 4-3 victory on Friday at Wings Event Center.
Justin Murray led the K-Wings with a goal (4) and three assists (25, 26, 27) for the first three-assist and four-point game of his career. It also goes in the books as the first 4-point game for any K-Wing this season.
Ben Copeland (4) scored the game-winning goal at the 9:52 mark of the third period after Aidan Spellacy laid a big hit on Fort Wayne’s Oliver Cooper to start a chain of events that led to two Komets heading to the penalty box. With the 5-on-3 advantage, Brad Morrison’s (12) initial shot was blocked, and Copeland collected the puck, skated to the top of the slot and fired it into the top-right corner. Murray earned the secondary assist on the goal.
Kalamazoo opened the game’s scoring at the 16:43 mark of the first off the stick of Morrison (13), who earned his first goal as a K-Wing as well in the process. Morrison drove the puck up ice right down into the slot on a 3-on-2 rush, firing a wrister just inside the right post. Murray had the lone assist on the opening goal.
Murray then found the back of the net himself just 2:15 seconds later to make it 2-0 Kalamazoo. The K-Wings captain flung the puck in from the left point, and it deflected off of a Fort Wayne defender into the back of the net. Luke Morgan (15) and Aidan MacDonald (11) assisted on Murray’s score, with MacDonald earning his first point as a K-Wing with the helper.
The Komets responded with a goal in the opening minute of the second period to trim the deficit to 2-1.
Kalamazoo struck right back as MacDonald (6) scored his first goal with the K-Wings just 44 seconds later to extend the lead back to two. On the play, Murray skated behind the Komets’ goal and found Connor Fedorek (1) at the blue line. Fedorek then fired a shot that MacDonald redirected into the back of the net. The assist went in the books as Fedorek’s first professional point.
Fort Wayne then netted goals at the 1:53 and 3:22 marks of the third to tie the game. But the K-Wings responded with more offense the rest of the way, outshooting the Komets 40-26 in the contest.
Evan Cormier (10-18-3-0) was stout in net throughout the evening, making 23 saves on 26 shots faced, and helped Kalamazoo to a perfect 5-for-5 performance on the penalty kill with some highlight-reel rejections.
The K-Wings immediately face the Iowa Heartlanders (18-33-13-1) Saturday at 7:00 p.m. EDT at Wings Event Center.
With Kalamazoo Wings release
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