KALAMAZOO, MI— Propelled by a two-goal performance from Justin Taylor and another stellar outing from netminder Nick Riopel, the Kalamazoo Wings picked up a 4-1 victory over the Quad City Mallards and moved into the fourth and final playoff position in the Central Division with 18 games remaining in the season.
With an energetic start to the first period, the Mallards peppered a series of chances against Riopel in the opening minutes. The visitors were finally able to get one to leak through, as Jack Nevins carried to the goal and muscled a shot that trickled through the pads of Riopel and into the goal for the only tally of the first.
Trailing by a goal, Kalamazoo were a completely different team in the second period and dominated every element of the frame. After keeping a puck deep in the Quad City end, Tyler Biggs turned in the high slot and knuckled a wrister over the glove of Adam Vay and tied the game at one.
Five minutes later and on a counter attack through center ice, Peter Schneider dropped a pass to Sean O’Rourke, who had joined the rush from his defensive position. O’Rourke took one step towards the goal and fired a wrist shot with perfect placement that flew into the top corner for his first career goal.
As the lop-sided second period continued, Kalamazoo added a third marker off a well-executed faceoff. Taylor won the draw back to Eric Kattelus, who drove a shot towards the goal that Taylor tipped past a screened Vay. Kalamazoo’s domination in the second frame sent them into the third period with a 3-1 lead.
Both teams fought for every inch during the third, but Kalamazoo’s defense was too mighty for Quad City to break. With Vay on the bench for an extra attacker in the closing minutes, Cam Darcy slid the puck ahead to Taylor, who buried it into the empty net, putting the icing on a 4-1 home victory.
With Kalamazoo Wings release
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