FORT WAYNE, IN – A third period power play goal from Austin Farley helped the Kalamazoo Wings (18-22-6-1) force overtime in an eventual 3-2 loss to the Fort Wayne Komets (22-19-6-2) Wednesday at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
The K-Wings jumped out to an 8-2 shots advantage in the first period, but went 0-for-2 on their first two power play opportunities. Fort Wayne took an undisciplined penalty late in the frame and Boston Leier broke the scoreless deadlock on the ensuing power play when he knocked in a rebound on the short side of Dylan Ferguson. Leier was penalized after the goal and with another delayed Kalamazoo penalty, A.J. Jenks tapped in a backdoor pass.
Fort Wayne gained the lead when Ben Jones slid a pass across to Gabriel Verpaelst, who one-timed a shot past Jake Hildebrand as the net was coming dislodged. After review, the Komets goal stood and they carried that 2-1 lead into the third.
Kalamazoo started the third period with a full two-minute power play and Farley lifted a loose puck from the edge of the crease over Ferguson’s left pad to make it 2-2. The teams skated the remaining 18-plus minutes of regulation without a tie-breaking goal, as the game went to overtime.
Drake Rymsha flipped the puck to himself and ripped a shot into the net from the right circle to win the game for the Komets 2:46 into the extra session.
The K-Wings return home to face the Toledo Walleye in Kalamazoo’s annual Pink Ice Game at 7 p.m. Friday at Wings Event Center.
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