FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 24, 2020

K-WINGS WRAP UP FEBRUARY WITH THREE-GAME WEEK

Kalamazoo hosts Fort Wayne Tuesday, before heading to Indy Friday and Kansas City Saturday.

OVERALL RECORD:  20-25-8

LAST WEEK:  1-2-1

RESULTS

Monday, Feb. 17 – Brampton 4, Kalamazoo 3  (CAA Centre – Brampton, ON) | Box Score

>> A buzzer-beating game-tying goal with 6.3 seconds left in regulation was overturned after video review for goaltender interference, as the Kalamazoo Wings suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to the Brampton Beast Monday afternoon at the CAA Centre. Kalamazoo fell behind 1-0 early, but tied the game 50 seconds later thanks to a goal from Zach Frye. Defenseman Ian Edmondson then gave the K-Wings a 2-1 lead with a breakaway goal before the first intermission. Brampton went back in front with two power play goals in the second period, but rookie Cory Dunn tied the game at 3-3 for Kalamazoo in the third period, but the Beast regained the lead and killed off a 5-on-3 K-Wings power play late. Justin Kovacs scored the tying goal in the waning seconds to force overtime, but after a lengthy review, the goal was overturned.

Wednesday, Feb. 19 – Fort Wayne 5, Kalamazoo 4  (Memorial Coliseum – Fort Wayne, IN) | Box Score

>> After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, the Kalamazoo Wings clawed back in the middle frame to force a 3-3 tie heading into the third. Playing two men short due to injuries early in the game, the K-Wings outshot the Komets 15-2 in the second period. Forward Tanner Sorenson scored twice, including the first goal of the frame to make it 3-1, as well as the equalizer on a power play in the final minute. Austin Farley added the other Kalamazoo marker in the K-Wings’ comeback. Fort Wayne went back in front with two straight goals in the final stanza, but Justin Taylor capped off a 3-on-1 rush to get Kalamazoo back to within one. Ultimately the Komets held on for the 5-4 win at Memorial Coliseum.

Friday, Feb. 21 – Indy 5, Kalamazoo 4, OT  (Wings Event Center – Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>> A game that featured four lead changes and 85 combined shots saw the Indy Fuel beat the Kalamazoo Wings 5-4 in overtime Friday at Wings Event Center. Aaron Thow scored early to put the K-Wings in front, but the Fuel answered. Then Brennan Sanford made it 2-1 before Indy scored twice to end the opening frame up 3-2 after a short-handed goal in the final minute. Following a scoreless second period, Kalamazoo evened things up thanks to a power play marker from Garret Ross. Defenseman Eric Kattelus made it 4-3 with just under nine minutes left, but Derian Plouffe forced overtime with a goal inside five minutes. Plouffe added the game-winner on a power play in overtime to complete a 4-point game (2g, 2a), as Indy picked up the two points, leaving Kalamazoo with just one.

Saturday, Feb. 22 – Kalamazoo 3, Wheeling 2  (Wings Event Center – Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>> The first time the Kalamazoo Wings led the Wheeling Nailers Saturday at Wings Event Center was when Kyle Blaney scored a dramatic tiebreaking goal with 10 seconds left in the game. Wheeling scored in the opening minute of the game, but Austin Farley tied things up for Kalamazoo before the first intermission. The Nailers notched the only goal of the second period to go back in front, but K-Wings captain Ben Wilson tied it up with a wrist shot from the right circle with 9:15 left in the third. As the game neared overtime, Blaney ripped a shot from the right circle that beat the Nailers goaltender, giving the K-Wings a dramatic 3-2 victory in regulation. Jake Hildebrand stopped 35 of 37 Nailers shots to earn the win.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Tuesday, Feb. 25 – Fort Wayne vs Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Friday, Feb. 28 – Kalamazoo AT Indy, 7:35 p.m. – Indiana Farmers Coliseum (Indianapolis, IN)

Saturday, Feb. 29 – Kalamazoo AT Kansas City, 8:05 p.m. ET – Silverstein Eye Centers Arena (Independence, MO)

ON THE MOVE

2/21 – Defenseman Mathias Ahman signed to standard player contract.

FAST FACTS

• Austin Farley has a 3-game point streak (2g, 3a).
• Ian Edmondson has 8 points (2g, 6a) with a +6 rating through 11 games in February.
• Kyle Blaney has 3 points (1g, 2a) in two games since returning from a month-long injury.

TEAM TRENDS

• Kalamazoo is 6-1-0 against Wheeling this season, its best record against any division opponent.
• The K-Wings are 12-4-8 in one-goal games.
• Kalamazoo’s 43 shots Friday matched a season-high, set Oct. 12 at Fort Wayne in the season opener.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:               33 – Kyle Blaney

GOALS:                 16 – Matheson Iacopelli

ASSISTS:               24 – Blaney

PLUS/MINUS:    +12 – Ian Edmondson

PIMS:                   107 – Luke Sandler

PP GOALS:          6 – Justin Taylor

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

GW GOALS:        5 – Taylor

SHOTS:                163 – Iacopelli

WINS:                   13 – Jake Hildebrand

GAA:                     3.65 – Hildebrand

SAVE %:               .887 – Jake Kielly

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:    Overall – 39/212  (18.4%) – 9th in ECHL

                                Last Week – 2/18  (11.1%)

PENALTY KILL:   Overall – 175/229  (76.4%) - 26th in ECHL

                                Last Week – 13/17  (76.5%)

--

2-6-9 NIGHT – TUESDAY

We love “2-6-9 Wings Night” so much, that even though it isn’t a Wednesday, we want you to enjoy $2 beers and sodas, $6 wings baskets and $9 tickets on Tuesday when we take on the Fort Wayne Komets at 7:00 p.m. at Wings Event Center. That’s a better deal than any ‘Taco Tuesday’, if you ask us!

--

#StrongAloneUnstoppableTogether