CINCINNATI, Ohio – Goaltender Maxime Clermont turned aside 31 shots while Trent Daavettila potted the game winning goal as the Kalamazoo Wings (20-12-1-2) defeated the Cincinnati Cyclones (14-12-0-4) by a 3-1 final score in front of 4,989 at U.S. Bank Arena on Friday night.
The Wings flew out to an early lead in the opening frame; Taylor Ellington led off the scoring when he wristed a shot past Cyclones net minder Chet Pickard (L, 25 saves, 5-8-0-1) at the 7:02 mark for a power play goal. Then, not even two minutes later, Trent Daavettila took a wrist shot that squeezed through Pickard’s pads and into the net for a 2-0 Kalamazoo edge. Cincinnati cut the deficit in half just before the intermission when David Leaderer sent a point blast through Wings goaltender Maxime Clermont (W, 31 saves, 6-4-0) for his third lamp-lighter of the year, making it 2-1 Kalamazoo after 20 minutes of play.
Despite a pair of power plays for both sides in the second period, neither team was able to find the net, so the Wings remained ahead 2-1 heading into the second intermission.
The Cyclones dominated in the scoring-chance department throughout the third period, outshooting the Wings 13-4 in the final frame. However, the lone goal came off the stick of Wings forward Nick Sirota at the 14:14 mark, extending the Kalamazoo cushion to 3-1. Behind Clermont’s 31-save performance, they held on to win by the same score.
The Cyclones Radio Network Three Stars of the Game are as follows:
First Star: Trent Daavettila (Game-winning goal for Kalamazoo)
Second Star: Maxime Clermont (Winning goaltender, 31 saves)
Third Star: David Leaderer (Lone goal for Cincinnati)
The Cyclones are back on the ice again at U.S. Bank Arena again tomorrow night when they play host to the Wheeling Nailers at 7:30pm.
