Americans rally falls short

Photo credit: Kalamazoo Wings
 

Kalamazoo, Michigan -The Allen Americans, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators dropped the first game of a three-game road trip in Kalamazoo on Friday night by a score of 3-2 at Wings Event Center.

Each team found the back of the net in the opening frame. Allen lit the lamp first as Colin Jacobs took a pass from Liam Finlay and beat Wings goalie Hunter Vora for his fourth goal of the season to put the Americans up 1-0 at the 8:43 mark. Kalamazoo would tie the game four minutes later as Brad Morrison netted his ninth of the season to even the game at 1-1.

Kalamazoo grabbed their first lead of the night in the second period as Josh Passolt scored his 20^th of the year beating Mark Sinclair in front of the Allen net to give the Wings a 2-1 lead. That was the way the period ended with The Americans down 2-1.

Kalamazoo added to their lead in the third period as former Americans defenseman Chaz Reddekopp scored his fourth of the season to give the Wings their biggest lead of the night at 3-1. Allen pulled goalie Mark Sinclair late in the period and it paid off as Colin Jacobs deflected a Eric Williams shot into the Wings net to make it a 3-2 game. That would be the final score as Kalamazoo held off the Americans in the final minute sending Allen to their fourth straight loss.

Blake Murray will return on Saturday night from his two-game suspension as the Americans and Wings meet in Game 2 of a three-game series.

Three Stars:
1. KAL - B. Morrison
2. KAL - E. Bradford
3. KAL - C. Reddekopp