K-WINGS WEEKLY: Late Orange Ice Rally Kickstarts K-Wings into Week 3

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 1, 2021

LATE ORANGE ICE RALLY KICKSTARTS K-WINGS INTO WEEK 3

Kalamazoo takes down defending champions Fort Wayne ahead of home-and-home weekend series against Toledo.

OVERALL RECORD:  2-1-0

LAST WEEK:  1-1-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, prepare to face the Toledo Walleye in a home-and-home weekend series after defeating the defending Kelly Cup Champion Fort Wayne Komets 4-3 Saturday at Wings Event Center.

Following a hard-fought 1-0 loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones on Friday in Kalamazoo, the Wings bounced back and beat the Komets in dramatic fashion during the team’s annual Orange Ice Game Saturday. Defenseman Justin Murray provided the game-winning goal in the final minute, sending the 3,662 fans home happy.

Kalamazoo hosts Toledo at 7:00 p.m. Friday at Wings Event Center for another $2 Friday, featuring $2 beers, sodas and hot dogs from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The K-Wings then hit the road for the first time this season in a rematch with the Walleye at Huntington Center in Toledo Saturday at 7:15 p.m. Fans can watch that game at Old Burdick’s at Wings West during the team’s first official Watch Party, starting at 7:00 p.m.

RESULTS

Friday, Oct. 29 – Cincinnati 1, Kalamazoo 0  (Wings Event Center – Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>> The Kalamazoo Wings and Cincinnati Cyclones faced off at Wings Event Center Friday for the first of eight meetings this season. The fans were treated to a goaltender’s dual between Cincinnati’s Mat Robson and Kalamazoo’s Jet Greaves. Following a scoreless first period, the Cyclones broke the deadlock late in the middle frame when Louie Caporusso snapped a one-timer from the slot into the net for the only goal of the game. The K-Wings outshot their visitors 32-19 for the game, but Robson closed the door with a 32-save shutout, handing Kalamazoo its first loss of the season.

Saturday, Oct. 30 – Kalamazoo 4, Fort Wayne 3  (Wings Event Center – Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>> The K-Wings, dressed as Ghostbusters, hosted the Fort Wayne Komets for Kalamazoo’s annual Orange Ice Game Saturday at Wings Event Center. In the first of 14 meetings this year, the Komets jumped out to an early 1-0 lead and carried that lead into the locker room after 20 minutes. Kalamazoo’s Collin Saccoman evened the score early in the second period with a short-handed goal from the right wing circle. Michael Davies then put the K-Wings in front when he buried a shot out of a net-mouth scramble for a power play goal. Justin Taylor made it 3-1 just 22 seconds later to complete a stretch of three goals in the first 8:05 of the middle frame. Fort Wayne cut into the lead with a power play goal of their own before the second intermission and found the equalizer with 3:11 left in the game. But a late major penalty by the Komets gave Kalamazoo a power play, leading to Justin Murray’s game-winning goal with 31 seconds left.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Friday, Nov. 5 – Toledo vs Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Nov. 6 – Kalamazoo AT Toledo, 7:15 p.m. – Huntington Center (Toledo, OH)

ON THE MOVE

10/28 – Goaltender Jet Greaves loaned to Kalamazoo by Cleveland (AHL).

10/28 – Defenseman Giovanni Vallati recalled from loan by Cleveland (AHL).

10/29 – Goaltender Kade Phipps released from standard player contract.

FAST FACTS

• Jet Greaves became the youngest goaltender to start an ECHL game this season Friday (20 years, 213 days).
• Defensemen Collin Saccoman and Michael Davies both scored their first professional goals during the second period Saturday.
• Justin Taylor scored his 214th goal in a K-Wings jersey Saturday, ranking third in franchise history.

TEAM TRENDS

• Kalamazoo has two short-handed goals in their first three games of the season.
• Both K-Wings game-winning goals have been scored by defensemen (Brenden Miller and Justin Murray).
• Kalamazoo has scored a goal in the first or last minute of a period three times already this season.

STATISTICAL LEADERS (PRESEASON)

POINTS:               3 – Erik Bradford, Tanner Sorenson

GOALS:                 2 – Max Humitz

ASSISTS:               2 – Erik Bradford, Cody Corbett, Tanner Sorenson

PLUS/MINUS:    +3 – Brenden Miller, Giovanni Vallati*

PIMS:                   12 – Justin Taylor

PP GOALS:          1 – Michael Davies, Justin Murray

SH GOALS:          1 – Erik Bradford, Collin Saccoman

GW GOALS:        1 – Brenden Miller, Justin Murray

SHOTS:                11 – Matheson Iacopelli

WINS:                   1 – Trevor Gorsuch, Jet Greaves

GAA:                     2.00 – Trevor Gorsuch

SAVE %:               .944 – Trevor Gorsuch

* - currently with Cleveland (AHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:    Last Week – 2/8  (25%)

                             This Season – 2/9  (22.2%) – 12th in the ECHL

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 7/8  (87.5%)

                             This Season – 9/11  (81.8% - 16th in the ECHL

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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 American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters. Kalamazoo plays their 36 regular season home games at Wings Event Center from October through April.

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