K-Wings Weekly: Week 7

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 6, 2021

K-WINGS, FORT WAYNE FIGHT FOR TOP OF TABLE

Kalamazoo wraps up series with Utah Monday, three-game homestand highlights weekend

OVERALL RECORD:  10-5-0

LAST WEEK:  2-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, conclude a successful season series with the Utah Grizzlies on Monday night before hosting the Hoosier state teams for a three-game weekend homestand starting Friday.

It was revenge weekend for Kalamazoo as former Grizzlies Trevor Gorsuch and Erik Bradford were key contributors in both Friday and Saturday’s wins over Utah. Gorsuch allowed only one goal Friday while Bradford had three assists in a 3-1 victory. On Saturday, Bradford scored twice, including the game-winner in a 4-2 win on Saturday in Salt Lake City.

Kalamazoo plays host to Fort Wayne in another edition of $2 Friday for a 7:00 p.m. EST face-off. It’s Elf Night on Saturday in a 7 p.m. rematch with the Komets at Wings Event Center. The K-Wings will wrap up the weekend with a Sunday matinee with the Indy Fuel at 3 p.m. for the annual Teddy Bear Toss game.

RESULTS

Friday, Dec. 3 – Utah 1, Kalamazoo 3 (Maverik Center–Salt Lake City, UT) | Box Score

>> The game started slowly as neither team found the back of the net in period one. The K-Wings outshot the Grizzlies 14 to 5 in the first frame. Utah opened the scoring midway through the second period. Kalamazoo would respond. K-Wings Defensemen Brenden Miller sucked in defenders and made a pass to a wide-open Max Humitz. Humitz beat the goalie top left to even the score. The K-Wings would pull away in the third period. During a 5-on-3 power-play opportunity, a shot from Erik Bradford rebounded and K-Wings captain Justin Taylor put in the ultimate game-winner. In the ensuing 5-on-4 situation, a disjointed defense left forward Tanner Sorenson open between the circles. Sorenson hit the one-timer to ice the game. Trevor Gorsuch saved 24 of the 25 shots faced for his third victory of the season.

Saturday, Dec. 4 – Utah 2, Kalamazoo 4 (Maverik Center–Salt Lake City, UT) | Box Score

>> The K-Wings opened the scoring midway through the first period. A give-and-go left Jake Slaker open between the circles. Slaker nailed a one-timer that ricocheted and trickled past the goalie. Things would get interesting in the third frame. 30 seconds into the period, K-Wings goaltender Trevor Gorsuch had an incredible three-save sequence. The Grizzlies were awarded a penalty shot but were denied by Gorsuch. 4:19 into the third period, Grizzlies forward Tyler Penner found the net to tie the game. Kalamazoo forward Erik Bradford would respond two and a half minutes later. Bradford cleaned up a Max Humitz breakaway to find the net and give the K-Wings the lead. A minute later, Bradford fired a slap shot from the left wing that snuck through the legs of the goalie to make it 3-1 K-Wings. The Grizzlies would score a shorthanded goal before Tanner Sorenson iced the game with an empty-net goal with less than a minute remaining. Gorsuch was incredible for the second night in a row, stopping 35 of the 37 shots he faced.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Monday, Dec. 6 – Kalamazoo AT Utah, 9:10 p.m. EST – Maverik Center (Salt Lake City, UT)

Friday, Dec. 10 – Fort Wayne AT Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Dec 11 - Fort Wayne AT Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Sunday, Dec. 12 - Indy AT Kalamazoo, 3:00 p.m. EST - Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

ON THE MOVE

11/30 – Forward Max Humitz returned on loan to Kalamazoo from Grand Rapids (AHL).

12/1 – Defenseman Giovanni Vallati was recalled from loan by Cleveland (AHL).

12/3 - Goaltender Joe Murdaca was traded from Cincinnati (ECHL) to Kalamazoo.

12/3 - Goaltender Jet Greaves was recalled from loan by Cleveland (AHL).

12/3 - Forward Carson Focht was reassigned to Kalamazoo from Abbotsford (AHL)

FAST FACTS

·               Friday’s victory in Utah marked the K-Wings’ first victory on a Friday this season. They were previously 0-4.

·               Kalamazoo converts 32% of their power play opportunities at Wings Event Center, 3rd in the ECHL

·               Brenden Miller is second among defensemen in goals in the ECHL with 5 and second in points with 16.

TEAM TRENDS

·               Kalamazoo is 10-1 when they score three goals or more this season

·               The K-Wings are 6-0 when they score on the power play

·               The K-Wings are 6-1 in games played on Saturday

 STATISTICAL LEADERS

 POINTS:               17 – Justin Taylor

GOAL:                   7   – Justin Taylor

ASSISTS:               11 – Brenden Miller

PLUS/MINUS:   +8 – Brenden Miller

PIMS:                    29 – Brenden Miller

PP GOALS:          5 – Justin Taylor

SH GOALS:         2 – Erik Bradford

GW GOALS:       2 – Erik Bradford

SHOTS:                 43 – Zach Jordan, Tanner Sorenson

WINS:                  6 – Jet Greaves*

GAA:                    2.91 – Jet Greaves*

SAVE %:              .908 – Jet Greaves*

* - currently with Cleveland (AHL)

** currently with Grand Rapids (AHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:    Last Week – 2/8  (15.4%)

                             This Season – 12/52  (23.1%) – 5th in the ECHL                           

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 0/5  (100%)

                             This Season – 8/44  (79.5%) - 18th 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