KALEINIKOVAS HAS A CAREER NIGHT HELPING BISON TO 5-2 WIN

IMAGE COURTESY OF BLOOMINGTON BISON MEDIA TEAM 

NORMAL, Ill. – The 27-year-old from Lithuania, Mark Kaleinikovas, recorded his season-high three points against the Kalamazoo Wings on Friday night, with two goals and an assist.

The Bison got off to a slow start, giving up a goal from Colin Bilek just 2:13 into the game. The first period was a story of defense as both teams had only single-digit shots on goal, with the Bison only shooting five times, none finding the net.

The Wings came out firing in the second period, shooting six times in the first ten minutes, compared to Bloomington’s lone shot. However, after a slashing penalty on the wings at 9:03, the Bison took over.

At 12:46 Kaleinikovas got his first point of the night with the first goal for the Bison, tying the game 1-1. The Bison kept up the pressure, scoring again less than two minutes later, this one by forward Ayden MacDonald, who scored his first goal in seven games.

The Bison made a statement to end the period, getting the last six shots of the period in under ten seconds, but Kalamazoo’s goalie Ty Young held strong and kept them from extending their lead.

Bloomington had all the momentum going into the third period, shooting four times in just over five minutes, and scoring at 3:59 with Nikita Sedov getting an assist from Kaleinikovas.

At 9:25 Kaleinikovas got his second goal, tying his season high, and putting the Bison up 4-1. The Wings started to heat up in the middle of the third, scoring at sixteen minutes, but it was too late.

Eddie Matsushima put the game away with a fifth Bison goal with just over 2 minutes left in the game, and the Bison secured a 5-2 victory.

Kaleinikovas is playing his first season with the Bison, and in the ECHL as a whole after playing internationally since 2014. He has made a statement already tying for fourth in team points, third in goals scored, and fifth in assists.

The Bison play their final game in Kalamazoo on the 7th, before heading to Fort Wayne to take on the 24-12 Komets on the 8th.   

For all things Bloomington Bison, stay tuned to wznd.com.