Wave fall to Wings, 18-16

The Milwaukee Wave were unable to hold off the Wichita Wings’ rally losing 18-16 in the first of three games in Wichita over the next week. The 11-2 Wave still lead the division and have the best record in the league.

The Wave was out in front until late in the fourth quarter. The Milwaukee Wave took a 2-0 lead over the Wings when Greg Howes found the corner of the net. Tom Oatley took advantage of the Wings being caught in transition adding the second goal of the night. Jamar Beasley pulled one back for the Wings less than a minute after Oatley’s goal getting the Wings on the board. Jonathan Greenfield struck with 50 seconds left in the 1st quarter giving the Wave a 6-2 lead. The Wings got the first and only power play of the night as J.P. Rodrigues was sent to the penalty box for boarding. At the beginning of the second quarter, with Rodrigues still in the penalty box, the Wave scored their first short-handed goal of the season when Ian Bennett netted a goal. The Wings’ Bryan Perez scored from close range cutting the Wave’s lead to 8-4. Freddie Moojen of the Wings found the back of the net and brought the Wings to within just two at 8-6. The Wave continued their pressure with a Joe Hammes goal extending their lead to 10-6. Howes received credit for his second goal of the night after the ball bounced off a Wings’ player into the goal. Victor Quiroz then surprised the Wave when he blasted a quick 3 point goal on a restart cutting the Wave’s lead to 12-9 going into halftime.

The Wave and Wings continue their back and forth goals into the third quarter. Rodrigues struck first for the Wave followed by Bennett’s second goal of the night extending the Wave’s lead to 16-9. The Wings fight back when Quiroz and Beasley both recorded their second goals of the night within 19 seconds of each other bringing the Wings to within three points at the end of the 3rd quarter. Both teams applied defensive pressure in the fourth quarter. Quiroz completed his hat trick with four minutes left in the fourth quarter cutting the lead to one at 16-15. Kevin Ten Eyck struck from 3-point range to give the Wings their first lead of the game with less than two minutes left in the game. Although the Wave added a sixth attacker the Wings goalkeeper, Sanaldo Carvalho, made a last second save to hold the Wave scoreless in the fourth quarter and give the Wings an 18-16 win over the Wave.


The Milwaukee Wave plays on the road in Wichita tomorrow night and next Thursday before returning home on January 29th.