Trenton, NJ, October 17, 2009 -The Kalamazoo Wings overcame a 1-0 deficit at the end of the first period with a five goal surge in the second period and defeated the Trenton Devils Saturday night, 6-2 at Sovereign Bank Arena.
Trenton came out strong in the first period, controlling the tempo, ultimately outshooting opponent Kalamazoo 17 to 6. Only one of those shots found the back of the net, as the Devils took a 1-0 lead at eight minutes into the game thanks to a
Kyle Kucharski goal from the right wing, beating Kalamazoo goalie
Julien Ellis on the long side. Captain
Trevor Kell was credited with the lone assist. The Devils could not replicate their preseason power play success, failing to convert on three extra-man chances.
The Wings used the first intermission to regroup and the second period to take control. The game tying goal came less than three minutes into the period when Rick Cleaver beat Devils goalie
Dave Caruso on the blocker side. Assists were credited to
Mathieu Curadeau, who fed Cleaver from the corner, and
Jeff Mason.
Less than two minutes later, the Devils'
Myles Stoesz received a double minor for hooking and cross checking leading to a four minute Kalamazoo power play. Though the Devils were able to prevent the Wings from scoring with the extra man, the tone was set for the flurry of offense that would ensue.
At 14:13 into the second,
Darryl Lloyd was awarded a penalty shot after he was tripped near the Devils crease on a breakaway. He beat Caruso on the blocker side for his third goal of the season to put the Wings up 2-1, a lead his squad would never relinquish.
Fifteen seconds later,
Mathieu Curadeau notched another for Kalamazoo, from the sticks of
Darryl Bootland and Ryan Cleaver. Following two more Wings goals scored on Devils netminder
Dave Caruso, including a second from Lloyd, Kalamazoo headed into to the second intermission up 5-1.
In the third, Trenton provided the only successful power play conversion of the night following a hooking call on defenseman
Jeff Mason.
Trevor Kell used his pinpoint accuracy to score off the cross bar over Ellis' right shoulder and made it a three goal deficit at 5-2. Kalamazoo forward
Darryl Bootland beat Caruso for the games final tally, to make it a 6-2 win for Kalamazoo.
The Devils drop to 0-1 on the season, as the Wings begin their first ECHL season with consecutive wins. 3,232 fans were on hand for opening night at Sovereign Bank Arena, which will also be the sight for the Devils' second game, as Trenton looks to bounce back against the Wings Sunday at 4 p.m.