CINCINNATI- Tying the game with 19 seconds remaining, the Cincinnati Cyclones fought back from a one goal deficit to defeat the Kalamazoo Wings 5-4 in a shootout Wednesday night
For the fourth straight game, the K-Wings surrendered the contest’s first goal. Battling in front of the net, Josh Shalla (16th) jammed in a rebound 7:06 into opening period.
Responding six minutes later when Eric Kattelus flipped a pass off the boards to himself and then proceeded to skate to the slot, where he earned his sixth goal of the campaign on a backhander.
Jumping ahead late in the period, Gergo Nagy (5th) gave the K-Wings a 2-1 lead with a power-play tally with just under two minutes remaining in the period.
Using a slap shot from the middle of the left circle, Shane Tacker (2nd) knotted the game at 2-2 early in the second period.
Bouncing back in the middle of the frame, Kalamazoo pulled back ahead when Nagy found former Cyclone Michael Neal cutting towards the net for this eight goal of the season.
Momentum for the K-Wings would be short-lived, as Geoff Irwin scored on a wrister from between the circles 12:57 into the second to tie the game at 3-3.
Striking quickly in the third period, Justin Taylor (7th) scored his team-leading second shorthanded goal of the season 47 seconds into the period to give the K-Wings their third lead of the night. Dating back to January 31st, the last three goals Taylor has scored have all come from special teams (2 shorthanded, 1 power-play) situations.
Following the goal from Taylor, Cincinnati’s Sam Brittain left the game due to injury and was replaced by Branden Komm.
With Komm pulled in the final seconds of regulation, Joe Pendenza (3rd) forced overtime with a rebound marker with 19 seconds remaining in regulation.
Winless in four shootout attempts prior to Wednesday, Cincinnati outscored Kalamazoo 2-0 to secure the victory.
Joel Martin made 41 saves in the shootout loss.
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