KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings (20-20-3-3), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, return home victorious after exploding for three first-period goals and three multi-goal scorers, beating the Cincinnati Cyclones (21-22-3-0) on Wednesday at Heritage Bank Center, 6-4.
Kalamazoo enjoyed a four-point performance from Quinn Preston (2g, 2a) as well as three multi-point outings from David Keefer (2g, 1a), Josh Bloom (2g) and Davis Pennington (2a).
Keefer (4) sniped the game-winning goal inside the right post at the 16:00 mark of the third period. On the game-winner, Preston (24) sent a pass to Pennington (25) in the left circle, who passed behind his back to Keefer for the floater that found a home, capping his second goal of the night.
Cincinnati struck first at the 12:32 mark, but Kalamazoo quickly responded.
Preston (18) answered with a net-front wrister at the 14:14 mark. On the play, Robby Drazner (9) received a Jayden Lee (16) pass and rushed towards the netminder’s right flank. Drazner then backhanded a pass across the crease to Preston for the equalizer.
Keefer (3) then lit the lamp with a top-shelf snipe at the 16:47 mark. On the setup, Powell Connor (5) cleared the puck around the endboards to Preston (23). The alternate captain then sent a pass to Keefer in the high slot, who transitioned into the right circle before firing it home.
Preston (19) continued the K-Wings’ first-period push with his second goal of the night 25 seconds later at the 17:12 mark. On the goal, Keefer (15) collected a loose puck and fired a shot from above the right circle that found Preston’s stick and deflected into the net, making the score 3-1.
Unfortunately, the Cyclones held the middle frame momentum, responding with a trio of goals at the 55-second and 3:30 marks, then again on the power play at the 6:45 mark.
However, Bloom (5) evened the game on the rush at the 10:48 mark. On the equalizer, Pennington (24) passed to Zach Okabe (27) from the defensive zone, who then chipped a pass to Bloom over the left point. Bloom then rushed towards the crease and undressed the goaltender to knot the score at four.
Bloom (6) went on to add the empty-net insurance goal with 16-seconds remaining in regulation. On the play, Colin Bilek (11) corralled a loose puck and led a pass to Bloom just over center ice for the empty net goal.
Tyriq Outen (3-1-0-1) was stout in net, making 27 saves, and the K-Wings went 3-for-4 on the power play.