FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 10, 2020

KALAMAZOO STARTS STRETCH OF SEVEN GAMES IN 11 DAYS

K-Wings win two out of three and begins busy stretch Wednesday at Fort Wayne, before returning home Friday and Saturday.

OVERALL RECORD:  18-22-6

LAST WEEK:  2-1-0

RESULTS

Wednesday, Feb. 5 – Kalamazoo 3, Kansas City 2  (Wings Event Center – Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>> The Kalamazoo Wings returned home from a season-long six game road trip and jumped out to a 1-0 first period lead thanks to a goal from Austin Farley Wednesday against Kansas City. The Mavericks tied the score 3:39 into the second period, but Justin Taylor put the K-Wings back in front. Kansas City again had an answer, forcing a 2-2 split heading into the third period, but Matt VanVoorhis scored the game-winning goal 5:05 into the final frame, as Jake Hildebrand stopped 26 of 28 shots to move to 4-0-1 in his last five starts.

Friday, Feb. 7 – Kalamazoo 5, Fort Wayne 4  (Wings Event Center – Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>> After falling behind 1-0 in the first period, Boston Leier tied the game 20 seconds into the second period and Ian Edmondson gave the K-Wings the lead past the midway point. The Komets then scored back-to-back goals to go back in front 3-2, but Austin Farley scored the equalizer with 25 seconds left in the middle stanza. Two consecutive goals from Seamus Malone and Aaron Thow in the first 8:28 of the third period gave Kalamazoo a 5-3 cushion, but the Wings had to kill off four penalties in the last 10 minutes of the game. Fort Wayne scored once with the goaltender pulled for an extra attacker to make it 5-4 with 1:11 to play, but Kalamazoo hung on to win its second straight.

Saturday, Feb. 8 – Indy 4, Kalamazoo 2  (Wings Event Center – Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>> In the final game of the week, the K-Wings gave up the first goal on an Indy power play 12:19 into the game, but tied it at 1-1 later in the opening frame, when Justin Kovacs snapped a shot into the net from between the face-off circles. The Fuel scored the only goal of the second period and added another power play goal in the third to go up 3-1. Indy went 2-for-7 on the man-advantage in the game. The K-Wings made it interesting, when Mitch Eliot skated into the slot and fired a shot past the Fuel goaltender, but Indy added an empty net goal to complete its 4-2 win.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, Feb. 12 – Kalamazoo AT Fort Wayne, 7:35 p.m. – Memorial Coliseum (Fort Wayne, IN)

Friday, Feb. 14 – Toledo vs Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Feb. 15 – Brampton vs Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

ON THE MOVE

2/6 – Defenseman Mitch Eliot assigned to Kalamazoo from Utica (AHL) by Vancouver (NHL).

2/6 – Forward Seamus Malone loaned to Kalamazoo by Utica (AHL).

2/9 – Defenseman Mitch Eliot reassigned to Utica (AHL) by Vancouver (NHL).

2/9 – Forward Seamus Malone recalled from loan by Utica (AHL).

FAST FACTS

• Justin Kovacs has a 6-game point streak (3g, 5a).
• Matt VanVoorhis has at least one point in 9 of his last 10 games (2g, 8a).
• Boston Leier returned from injury Wednesday and has 8 points (4g, 4a) in the last 6 games.

TEAM TRENDS

• The K-Wings have picked up points in 7 of their last 9 games (5-2-1-1).
• Kalamazoo starts a stretch of 7 games in 11 days Wednesday at Fort Wayne.
• The K-Wings have been short-handed 7 times or more in 11 different games this season.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:               31 – Matheson Iacopelli

GOALS:                 16 – Iacopelli

ASSISTS:               22 – Kyle Blaney

PLUS/MINUS:    +8 – Ian Edmondson

PIMS:                   97 – Luke Sandler

PP GOALS:          6 – Justin Taylor

SH GOALS:          1 – Brennan Sanford, Tanner Sorenson, Aaron Thow

GW GOALS:        4 – Iacopelli, Taylor

SHOTS:                159 – Iacopelli

WINS:                   12 – Jake Hildebrand

GAA:                     3.58 – Hildebrand

SAVE %:               .888 – Hildebrand

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:    Overall – 33/176  (18.8%) – 8th in ECHL

                                Last Week – 1/11  (9.1%)

PENALTY KILL:   Overall – 152/198  (76.8%) - 25th in ECHL

                                Last Week – 12/16  (75.0%)

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PINK ICE – FRIDAY

Support cancer research and wear pink Friday, when the Kalamazoo Wings host the Toledo Walleye at 7:00 p.m. Friday at Wings Event Center for the annual Pink Ice Game. Plus, bring your date for a Valentine’s Day celebration! Enjoy $2 beers, sodas and hot dogs with our $2 Friday special.

WMU/ESPORTS NIGHT – SATURDAY

Join the K-Wings on Saturday, as they host the Brampton Beast at 7:00 p.m.! Plus, support WMU and embrace the phenomenon of Esports! Purchase the WMU/K-Wings Ticket Package to receive a FREE WMU K-Wings hat and show off your ESports skills at a VIP pre-game event, and so much more. View package details, here.

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