FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 9, 2020

KALAMAZOO MOVES INTO FIFTH ENTERING FOUR-GAME WEEK

K-Wings eight points behind Indy with two meetings this week sandwiching Green Ice Weekend.

OVERALL RECORD:  23-29-8

LAST WEEK:  1-3-0

RESULTS

Wednesday, Mar. 4 – Cincinnati 5, Kalamazoo 2  (Heritage Bank Center – Cincinnati, OH) | Box Score

>> The Kalamazoo Wings fell behind 13 seconds into Wednesday game against the Cincinnati Cyclones at Heritage Bank Center, but found a way to tie the game late in the frame, when Austin Farley swept a loose puck into the net after the initial shot clanked off the crossbar. The Cyclones then received eight of the next nine power plays in the final two stanzas, including three in the second period and five in the third. Leading 2-1 after two, Cincinnati scored on three of its five third period man-advantages to open the lead up to 5-1, before Spencer Naas tipped an Ian Edmondson shot late in regulation to give Kalamazoo its second goal.

Friday, Mar. 6 – Kalamazoo 4, Wheeling 2  (Wings Event Center – Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>> A seventh victory in eight tries against Wheeling helped the K-Wings leapfrog the Nailers into fifth place in the Central Division with a 4-2 win Friday at Wings Event Center. Brennan Sanford deflected a Ben Wilson shot into the net one minute into the game to put Kalamazoo in front. Wheeling tied the game before the end of the period, but Spencer Naas scored his second goal in as many games to give the K-Wings a 2-1 lead. Again, the Nailers had an answer. Finally, Aaron Thow put Kalamazoo ahead for good with a one-timer late in the second period power play that proved to be the game-winner. Short-handed for the first time in the final minutes of the game, Kyle Blaney gave the K-Wings some insurance with a short-handed empty net goal from the full length of the ice.

Saturday, Mar. 7 – Fort Wayne 7, Kalamazoo 4  (Memorial Coliseum – Fort Wayne, IN) | Box Score

>> Kalamazoo raced out to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes Saturday in Fort Wayne thanks to goals from Tanner Sorenson 48 seconds into the game and Justin Taylor with 11 seconds remaining. That momentum swung into the Komets favor quickly thanks to three second period goals in a 4:10 span to give Fort Wayne the lead. Garret Ross then scored his first of two power play goals with 23.5 seconds left in the frame to force a 3-3 tie entering the third. The Komets regained the lead six seconds into the third period and Brady Shaw completed his hat trick to make it 5-3. Ross then buried his second goal midway through the final frame to cut Kalamazoo’s deficit to one, but Fort Wayne added two power play goals down the stretch to finish a 7-4 win.

Sunday, Mar. 8 – Toledo 5, Kalamazoo 1  (Wings Event Center – Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>> The K-Wings peppered Toledo goaltender Billy Christopoulos with 21 first period shots Sunday, but fell behind 2-0 after Gregor MacLeod scored on a short-handed penalty shot and Josh Kestner answered less than two minutes later. The Walleye added two more goals in the second period to pad their lead to 4-0 after 40 minutes. Kalamazoo showed no quit in the third period, as Kyle Blaney finally broke through on the K-Wings’ 36th shot 1:22 into the frame to spoil Christopoulos’s shutout bid. Even with a 17-4 shots advantage in the third period and a 52-23 margin for the game, Christopoulos stopped 51 leading Toledo to a 5-1 win.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, Mar. 11 – Indy vs Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Friday, Mar. 13 – Newfoundland vs Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Mar. 14 – Cincinnati vs Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Sunday, Mar. 15 – Kalamazoo AT Indy, 3:05 p.m. – Indiana Farmers Coliseum (Indianapolis, IN)

ON THE MOVE

3/4 – Forward Zach Saar suspended by the team with his rights retained.

3/4 – Defenseman Mitch Eliot recalled by Vancouver (NHL) and reassigned to Utica (AHL).

3/4 – Defenseman Josh Teves recalled by Vancouver (NHL) and reassigned to Utica (AHL).

3/6 – Forward Chad McDonald signed to standard player contract.

3/7 – Forward Reid Sturos signed to standard player contract.

FAST FACTS

• Ian Edmondson has 5 assists in his last 5 games.
• Tanner Sorenson and Aaron Thow have 3-game point streaks (1g, 3a).
• Garret Ross is second on the team with 5 power play goals after scoring two Saturday in Fort Wayne.

TEAM TRENDS

• Kalamazoo generated 52 shots on goal Sunday against Toledo, a season high.
• The K-Wings are 7-1-0 against Wheeling with three meetings left in the season series.
• Kalamazoo jumped the Nailers into 5th place in the Central Division for the first time since Nov. 9

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:               39 – Justin Taylor

GOALS:                 20 – Taylor

ASSISTS:               26 – Kyle Blaney

PLUS/MINUS:    +13 – Ian Edmondson

PIMS:                   107 – Luke Sandler

PP GOALS:          6 – Taylor

SH GOALS:          1 – Four Players

GW GOALS:        5 – Taylor

SHOTS:                163 – Matheson Iacopelli

WINS:                   16 – Jake Hildebrand

GAA:                     3.57 – Hildebrand

SAVE %:               .887 – Hildebrand

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:    Overall – 42/233  (18.0%) – 11th in ECHL

                                Last Week – 3/12  (25.0%)

PENALTY KILL:   Overall – 191/251  (76.1%) - 26th in ECHL

                                Last Week – 8/14  (57.1%)

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2-6-9 NIGHT – WEDNESDAY

Let’s do another “2-6-9 Night” so you can save money on great seats and great eats! Enjoy $2 beers and sodas, $6 wings baskets and get into the game with just a $9 ticket. Take advantage of these great discounts as the K-Wings host the Indy Fuel Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at Wings Event Center.

GREEN ICE WEEKEND – FRIDAY & SATURDAY

We’ve expanded our annual Green Ice Game to a two-night extravaganza at Wings Event Center. Green Ice Weekend begins Friday at 7:00 p.m. when the K-Wings face the Newfoundland Growlers for the first time ever at Wings Event Center. We will also be celebrating Kalamazoo’s finest during Guns and Hoses Night Friday, honoring local police officers, firefighters and first responders. To add to the fun, it’s also $2 Friday’s featuring $2 hot dogs, sodas and green beers. Saturday is the K-Wings’ annual Green Ice Game at 7:00 p.m. against the Cincinnati Cyclones. Stick around after the game for a postgame jersey auction of the special St. Patrick’s Day jerseys.

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