The Philadelphia Wings (3-7) hoped to take advantage of a Swarm team(2-7) that played just finished playing 19 hours ago. But it was not to be. The Swarm stung the Wings with a 15-14 victory.
The Wings started off quick scoring four times and chasing starter Zach Higgins. Tyler Carlson didn’t fair much better as the Wings took a 7-3 lead after the first quarter. As the second quarter started, the Swarms Kiel Matisz would score on the power play to cut the lead to 7-4. Both teams would score twice after tat and the Wings held a 9-6 advantage.
As we started the third quarter the Wings looked to have it in hand as goals by Tracey Kelusky (1G/1A) and Pat Saunders (4G/2A) only eighteen seconds apart built the lead to 5 and chased Carlson to the bench as the Swarm went back to Higgins. Both teams would alternate goals before the wheels came off.
Minnesota went on a seven goal run that started at 4:43 of the third and went to 8:55 of the fourth to take a 14-12 lead. Four of the goals scored by rookie Logan Schuss (5G/2A). Kevin Crowley (2G/8A) would score thirty three seconds later to bring his team within one. A goal by Scott Jones put the Swarm back up by two 15-13. Jordan Halls goal (3G/1A) with forty five seconds left would be the final goal of the afternoon as a last second effort fell short. Brandon Miller received his first start of the season stopping 42/57 shots and also picked up 2 assists.
Swarm went 5-5 on the power play, while the Wings only went 2-7.
The Wings have now lost the tie-breaker to the Bandits, and the Swarm as they both take the season series 2-1. Both of the Swarms wins this season have come at the hand of the Wings on their own floor.
Wings look to regroup as they are idle this week as they prepare to face the Knighthawks on March 8th in Rochester before facing them again eight days later for another 4pm Sunday home game.
