Estero, FL- Fighting off two third period deficits, the Kalamazoo Wings were able to earn a point from the overtime, but unable to secure the victory in a 5-4 shootout loss Saturday night against the Florida Everblades.

Sneaking just to the left of the net, Nick Sirota (13^th) lifted a wrister over the shoulder of John Muse 4:26 into the contest to give the K-Wings the early advantage. The goal from Sirota extended the forward’s point streak to a K-Wings’ currently team-high of six games. ‘

Jamming in a rebound 1:30 later, Brayden Irwin knotted the game with his 10^th goal of the season. Florida struck again midway in the stanza with a power-play marker from Trevor Bruess (15^th) to put the ‘Blades ahead 2-1.

Taking advantage of their first power-play of the night, Darryl Bootland (11^th) notched his team-leading 24^th tally of the season, deflecting a Mike Matczak slap shot into an empty net, when Muse collided behind the net with a K-Wing trying to play the puck and couldn’t get be back to the crease.

Grabbing the lone goal of the middle period, the Everblades reclaimed the lead 15:46 into the second with a tally from Scott Pitt (16^th).

Starting a stretch of three goals under two minutes between the two teams, Trent Daavettila (15^th) lunged in the crease and pushed a rebound across the line to tie the at 3-3 6:26 into the third period. The goal was Daavettila’s seventh power-play goal of the season, which ties him with Matczak and Justin Taylor for the team-lead.

Forty seconds later, while on a power-play, David Rutherford (22^nd) regained the lead for the Everblades by scoring his team-leading 10^th power-play goal of the season.

 Not wasting anytime, Sam Ftorek (10^th) recorded the equalizer 1:10 later with slap shot from the right point, which forced overtime.

Florida outscored Kalamazoo 1-0 in the shootout receiving their lone goal from the third shooter Mathieu Roy.

For Game Stats: http://echl.com/stats/official-game-report.php?game_id=9374.

The K-Wings will return home to Wings Stadium to start a season-long six-game home stand on Wednesday, February 22^nd at 10:30 a.m. versus the Toledo Walleye during Education Day, presented by Bronson Orthopedic Sports Medicine, Edison Electric, McDonald’s, Meijer and Rx Optical. 

Tickets for all K-Wings home games are $12.90 and $16.90 for adults and only $6.90 for kids ages 12 and under. The price for all K-Wings premium night games (all colored ice games and New Year’s Eve game) are just $1 more. Fans can save money by purchasing K-Wings single game tickets in advance because tickets purchased on the day of a game increase by $1. 

For more information about tonight’s game, please contact Mike Modugno, director of public relations and broadcaster at (269) 349-9772, extension 220.

-www.kwings.com-