39TH ANNUAL GREEN ICE KICKS OFF TRIO IN KALAMAZOO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 13, 2023

39TH ANNUAL GREEN ICE KICKS OFF TRIO IN KALAMAZOO

 Kalamazoo hosts Fort Wayne Friday for the grandaddy of all painted ice games, which nears max capactiy.

OVERALL RECORD:  23-30-4-0

LAST WEEK:  0-2-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, play three contests this week, all at Wings Event Center. First, the K-Wings square off with the Fort Wayne Komets this Friday on Green Ice, presented by Southern Michigan Bank & Trust. Then, it’s a battle with the Toledo Walleye Saturday before finishing the weekend set versus the Iowa Heartlanders.

Last week, the K-Wings went 0-2-0-0 (1-4, 3-5).

On Friday, Kalamazoo hosted the red-hot Toledo Walleye, dominated for two of three periods and lost by a score of 4-1. The Walleye scored just 13 seconds into the game and made it 2-0 with a goal at the 6:14 mark of the first. The K-Wings outshot and out-chanced Toledo the rest of the way, and Raymond Brice scored for Kalamazoo at the 18:37 mark of the third period. But two empty-net goals for the Walleye in the closing minutes put the game out of reach. 

Then on Saturday, the K-Wings traveled west to face the Iowa Heartlanders and fell 5-3. Justin Taylor opened the scoring just 34 seconds in, but Iowa responded with a goal on their first shot at the 1:04 mark of the first. Kurt Gosselin notched a power play goal at the 8:15 mark to restore Kalamazoo’s lead heading into the break. But the Heartlanders scored twice in the second period, and again at the 4:09 mark of the third to take a 4-2 lead. Max Humitz drew the K-Wings to within one 2:20 later, but an empty-net tally by Iowa at the 18:22 mark sealed the game for Iowa.

This Friday is the 39th Edition of Green Ice in Kalamazoo. The K-Wings are set to host the Fort Wayne Komets in the painted ice game that started them all, going back to professional hockey’s first green-painted ice surface at Wings Event Center back in 1983. The game is already at Standing Room Only (SRO), so get your tickets before it hits max capacity HERE.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

The K-Wings play three games this week, with all three at home at Wings Event Center on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

First, on Friday, Mar. 17, the K-Wings host the Fort Wayne Komets for ‘Green Ice’ at 7:00 p.m. EDT at Wings Event Center. Remember to wear green to match the K-Wings’ specialty jerseys, and get ready to bid on those jerseys at the postgame auction! It’s also a $3 Friday, so enjoy $3 beers, sodas and hot dogs.

The K-Wings then host the Toledo Walleye on Saturday, Mar. 18 at 7:00 p.m. EDT for ‘Gladiator Night’ at Wings Event Center. Take our hands, because we’ll only offer it once as the K-Wings pay homage to the classic 90s movie ‘The Gladiator.’ We WILL ensure that you’re entertained as Kalamazoo and Toledo get after it for another key Central Division matchup.

Finally, on Sunday, Mar. 19 at Wings Event Center, the K-Wings host the Iowa Heartlanders for ‘Mascot Madness’ at 3:00 p.m. EDT. Slappy, the Kalamazoo Wings’ iconic mascot, is inviting all his friends to the Wings Event Center. You won’t want to miss the mascot game of broomball during the intermission, and to make this Sunday more special for Slappy, bring your skates to skate with him and the team post-game.

RESULTS

Friday, Mar. 10 – Toledo 4, Kalamazoo 1 (Wings Event Center - Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>>  The Kalamazoo Wings (23-29-4-0) pushed the Toledo Walleye (38-15-4-2) to the brink but the Walleye held on for a 4-1 victory with two empty net goals on Friday at Wings Event Center. Toledo struck first just 13 seconds into the game and pushed the lead to 2-0 at the 6:14 mark of the first period. The K-Wings refused to go down easy, outshooting and out-chancing the Walleye the rest of the way out. Kalamazoo pulled goalie Pavel Cajan (5-3-0-0) with around three minutes remaining and down by two. Just moments after a great scoring opportunity for the K-Wings, Toledo sent the puck from goal line to goal line for an empty netter at 17:24 of the third. But the K-Wings still weren’t done. Raymond Brice (12) reached a new career-high in goals shot on the rush from the right circle with 1:23 left on the clock. Another empty-net goal by the Walleye at the 19:18 mark completed the scoring in the game. Cajan was stout throughout, keeping the K-Wings alive with 20 saves on 22 shot attempts.

Saturday, Mar. 11 – Kalamazoo 3, Iowa 5 (Xtream Arena - Coralville, IA) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (23-30-4-0) took the lead twice early against the Iowa Heartlanders (15-30-12-1) on Saturday, but fell 5-3 at Xtream Arena. Justin Taylor (14) scored just 34 seconds in on a breakaway and the first shot of the game. Iowa then responded quickly, scoring on its first shot at the 1:04 mark. Kurt Gosselin (5) pushed the K-Wings back out on top, scoring on the power play at the 8:15 mark of the first. The Heartlanders then scored three straight to regain the lead with two in the second and one in the third. Max Humitz (14) pulled the K-Wings back within one at the 6:29 mark, stopping a shot by Justin Murray (21, 22) with his skate in the left circle and sending it into the net before the Iowa defense could react. Iowa finished the scoring in the game with an empty-net goal at the 18:22 mark of the third period. Evan Cormier (8-17-3-0) made several fantastic stops to keep Kalamazoo in the game, finishing with 23 saves on 27 shots faced.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Friday, Mar. 17 – Fort Wayne at Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EDT – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Mar. 18 – Toledo at Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EDT – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Sunday, Mar. 19 – Iowa at Kalamazoo, 3:00 p.m. EDT – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

ON THE MOVE

Mar. 6 - Goaltender Pavel Cajan was loaned to Kalamazoo from Cleveland (AHL)

Mar. 7 - Defenseman Ole Julian Bjørgvik-Holm was returned from loan by Kalamazoo to Cleveland (AHL)

FAST FACTS

·           Forward Justin Taylor’s assist on Friday, coupled with his goal Saturday, extend his current point streak to three games (2g, 1a)

·           Forward Raymond Brice reached a new career-high in goals (12) with his goal in Friday’s loss to Toledo. 

·           Defenseman Justin Murray earned two assists in Saturday’s loss at Iowa for his sixth multi-point game of the season. Murray now has four assists in his last three games 

TEAM TRENDS

·       22-3-3-0 when scoring 3+ goals

·       12-9-4-0 in one-goal games  

·       9-2-3-0 when tied after the 2nd Period

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:               32 – Brandon Saigeon, Justin Taylor

GOALS:                 16 – Matheson Iacopelli

ASSISTS:              24 – Brandon Saigeon

PLUS/MINUS:    +10 – Leif Mattson 

PIMS:                     89 – Justin Murray

PP GOALS:              6 – Max Humitz, Matheson Iacopelli

PP ASSISTS:        12 –  Justin Murray

SH GOALS:             2 – Raymond Brice, Justin Taylor

GW GOALS:            3 – Raymond Brice, Max Humitz

SHOTS:               161 – Justin Taylor

WINS:                   10 – Hunter Vorva

GAA:                   2.58 – Hunter Vorva

SAVE %:             .918 – Hunter Vorva

* Currently with Cleveland (AHL)

** Currently with Columbus (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 1/4 (25.0%%)

                           This Season – 33/202 (16.3%) – No. 23 in the ECHL                         

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 0/1 (0.0%)

                            This Season – 156/202 (77.2%) – No. 21 in the ECHL

  --

The Kalamazoo Wings are a professional hockey team located in southwest Michigan that has been a staple in the Kalamazoo, MI professional sports landscape since 1974. The K-Wings compete in the ECHL and are the AA affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets and the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters. Kalamazoo plays their 36 regular season home games at Wings Event Center from October through April.

###