KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings (1-2-0-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, bested the Iowa Heartlanders (3-1-1-0) in a 5-4 Orange Ice OT thriller that saw forward Nolan Walker chart four points (1g, 3a), and forward Andre Ghantous (1) notch the game-winner at Wings Event Center Saturday.
In an instant Orange Ice classic, Ghantous notched his first goal of the season dramatically. Alternate captain Quinn Preston (4) won a defensive zone face-off and laced a timely pass, freeing Ghantous to skate in all alone and then wrap his own rebound around the net and tuck it inside the left post.
The K-Wings also stopped hearts as they needed a 6-on-5 advantage to tie the game at the 19:47 mark. Sending the game into extra time, Zach Okabe (3) launched a rocket from the left circle, finding the stick of Ryan Cox (2) in front of the crease that finessed the puck past the keeper for his second of the game.
Kalamazoo trailed 1-0 heading into the second period, and Okabe (1) knotted the game with a goal at the 59-second mark. Kylor Wall (1) and Nolan Walker (1) picked up assists, as Wall dished the puck to Walker, who proceeded to drop a between-the-legs pass out of the right wing corner to a waiting Okabe.
Walker (1) continued his assault with an unassisted missile past the goaltender from the right circle at the 4:15 mark, giving the K-Wings their first lead of the day.
Iowa quickly knotted the game up at two with a goal at the 4:43 mark of the second.
Then Cox (2) notched his first goal of the game on the power play, as he striped a shot off the netminder that scooted into the left corner of the net. Walker (2) picked up his third point of the day, and rookie Ryan Helliwell (2) earned the secondary assist on the goal.
The Heartlanders then notched two straight goals, one at the 17:02 mark and another on the power play at the 18:13 mark of the third period, to take the short-lived lead.
Goaltender Hunter Vorva (1-1-0-0) was phenomenal in net, making 24 saves in the victory. The K-Wings were 1-for-3 on the power play and outshot Iowa 29-28 in the contest.
Kalamazoo now heads to Bloomington (1-0-0-1) for its first road game of the season on Friday. Puck Drop is at 8 p.m. EDT at Grossinger Motors Arena.
The K-Wings’ next home game is Kids Take Over Day at 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Nov. 2, at Wings Event Center. Get ready for a day where the kids run the show, as the young fans are in charge, from fun in the stands to special game-day roles. After the final whistle, keep the excitement going with our first Fans Skate the Ice event of the season. $5 skate rentals are available.