Game Day: Steelheads Make Lone Trip to Kalamazoo

Game #9

Kalamazoo (3-4-0-1) vs Idaho (4-5-0-1)

3:00 pm | Wings Event Center

Watch: ECHL.TV

Listen: 1660 the Fan

Last Time Out:

Four straight goals from the Komets through the second and third periods on Saturday night, pushed the Komets past the K-Wings. Ft. Wayne took their first victory over Kalamazoo this season with the 6-3 victory. Kalamazoo got on the board first as Chad McDonald scored his first ECHL goal just over six minutes into the opening frame. Ft. Wayne would get each of the next four goals, taking a 4-1 lead before Kalamazoo got back on the board. Kalamazoo would cut the lead to two goals twice at 4-2 and 5-3, but they wouldn't be able to overcome the Komets lead. The teams combined to score six of the ten goals in the third period. Wade Murphy and Justin Taylor joined McDonald in scoring for the K-Wings. The loss was the fourth straight defeat for Kalamazoo.

Season Series:

Sunday is the only meeting this season between the K-Wings and Steelheads, and the first meeting ever in Kalamazoo. Last year the K-Wings traveled to Idaho where they took two of three meetings from the Steelheads. Last years matchups were the first ever between the two clubs. The Steelheads managed to salvage a point in two of the three games, forcing Kalamazoo to overtime on one occassion. Idaho is the first team from outside the Central Division that the K-Wings have faced this season. The first eight games of the year all came against in-division foes.

Tayls of Scoring:

Scoring on Saturday night, Justin Taylor extended his scoring streak to three games. This is the eighth time in his career that the forward has scored in three or more games. The longest scoring streak in the forwards career came during the 2015-16 season. Taylor tallied in seven straight games from March 23 through April 6. During that streak the forward scored once in each game. Last year the Mindemoya, ON native set the second best streak of his career, scoring in five straight from December 6 through December 28. Taylor currently leads Kalamazoo with six goals this season.

Scouting the Steelheads:

Idaho wraps up a four-game Central Division trip on Sunday afternoon in Kalamazoo after stops in Indy and Toledo. After topping Indy 5-3 on Wednesday night the Steelheads fell to the Walleye, 4-0 and 3-2 on Friday and Saturday respectively. The Steelheads are no strangers to road games in the early going, playing nine of their first 11 games on the road this season. 

Forward Stephen McParland paces the Steelhead offense this season averaging a point per game so far. The forward has split his points perfectly between goals and assists, netting five goals and five assists in ten games. Rookie Brad McClure ranks second on the squad with nine points, but is first in goals with six. McClure has also tallied the game-winning goal in each of the Steelheads last two victories. Between the pipes Phillippe Derosiers has been the go-to guy for the Steelheads appearing in six games, posting a save percentage of .911 and a goals against average of 2.76. Both Ryan Farragher, recently reassigned to the Steelheads, and Tomas Sholl have also appeared in two games for Idaho this season. 

Upcoming:

Kalamazoo continues a brief homestand next weekend as they host the Toledo Walleye and Brampton Beast. Saturday night is Military Appreciation Night when the Beast come to Wings Event Center. The Wings will be wearing specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game. All proceeds from the auction will go to Talons Out Flight. Fans are encouraged to stick around after the game on Saturday to participate in the live auction that will take place on the ice. 

After next weekends home stand the K-Wings will play four of the next five games on the road, including two trips to Cincinnati and one to Toledo.

Kalamazoo Wings single game and half season tickets are available now! More information can be gathered at www.kwings.com.

Wings Event Center, owned and operated by Greenleaf Hospitality Group, is home to the Kalamazoo Wings professional hockey team and a full entertainment venue offering concerts, sporting events, family shows and trade shows. Built in 1974, Wings Event Center values partnerships with the community to bring events and attractions that enrich the lives of residents in the Kalamazoo area.