K-WINGS WEEKLY - WEEK 11

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 3, 2022

K-WINGS SET TO PLAY ON RAINBOW ICE FOR FIRST TIME

Kalamazoo hosts Toledo on Friday, Visit Cincy, and play Wheeling for the first time this season

OVERALL RECORD:  15-10-0

LAST WEEK:  2-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, host the Toledo Walleye Friday night before hitting the road to take on the Cincinnati Cyclones on Saturday and then head to West Virginia to face the Wheeling Nailers on Sunday.

Kalamazoo, winners of four straight, took both games against the Tulsa Oilers this weekend. The K-Wings won in comeback fashion Friday as they scored three goals in the final three minutes to secure a 4-3 victory. In the rematch on Sunday afternoon, the Wings had another three-goal outburst in the first period versus the Oilers and won with ease by a score of 4-1.

Kalamazoo hosts the Toledo Walleye (17-6-0-2) this Friday, January 7 at 7 p.m. EST at Wings Event Center. For that game, the K-Wings will don their “Hockey is for Everyone” themed jerseys. The game also will be played on rainbow ice for the first time in history.

Following the game, the team will auction off the players' game-worn jerseys to benefit the Southwest Michigan Miracle League. The game also features the traditional $2 Friday as well ($2 beer, soda, and hot dogs).

RESULTS

Friday, Dec. 31 –Tulsa 3, Kalamazoo 4 (Wings Event Center– Kalamazoo, MI)| Box Score

>> It was a complete team effort to end the year, and K-Wings finished the month of December on a winning note (6-5). The New Year’s Eve game seemed to be over when former K-Wing Dylan Sadowy (15,16) netted his second goal with 5:23 remaining in the third period to put the Tulsa Oilers up 3-1 . But Kalamazoo had different plans. Wings defensemen Andrew DeBrincat sparked the comeback with his first goal of the season with 2:56 remaining. And then Wings captain Justin Taylor & Logan Lambdin (9) wasted no time in netting the game tying goal 11 seconds later. Wings forward Erik Bradford (8) then put a bow on it, and on 2021, by scoring his third game-winning goal of the season with 33 seconds remaining. The K-Wings controlled play for most of the game and outshot Tulsa 45 to 31. The Oilers scored the opening goal of the game, but Taylor scored just 29 seconds later to keep the game tied. K-Wings starting goaltender Jet Greaves stopped 28 of 31 shots in the win.

Sunday, Jan. 2 – Tulsa 1, Kalamazoo 4 (Wings Event Center –Kalamazoo, MI)| Box Score

>> The Wings opened up the scoring onslaught just over a minute into the first period. Erik Bradford (9) scored after receiving a nifty cross-ice pass from Logan Lambdin. The second goal came just over seven minutes later and it was by far the most impressive goal of the contest. Wings Forward Zach Jordan (7) caught a Dennis Smirnov (1) pass mid-air at the blue line and flicked a wrister past Tulsa goaltender Ryan Ruck to put the K-Wings up 2-0. Bradford (10) capped off the first period by scoring his second goal of the game, which came off a turnover and it pushed Kalamazoo up 3-0 to end the first. Tulsa got a quick goal to start the second period off a Mike McKee (2) but the Oilers wouldn't find the back of the net again. Lambdin (10) added some 3rd-period icing with his goal at the 6:19 mark to extend the lead to 4-1. Wings goaltender Jet Greaves was sensational in the contest, stopping 38 shots en route to his tenth win of the season.

THE WEEK AHEAD

 Friday, Jan. 7 – Toledo AT Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Jan. 8 – Kalamazoo AT Cincinnati, 7:35 p.m. EST – Heritage Bank Center (Cincinnati, OH)

Sunday, Jan. 9 – Kalamazoo AT Wheeling, 4:10 p.m. EST – WesBanco Center, (Wheeling, WV)

 ON THE MOVE

1/2 – Defenseman Alex Brooks signed an SPC contract with Kalamazoo.

12/29 – Defenseman Brenden Miller signed PTO with Iowa (AHL).

12/27 – Forward Max Humitz signed PTO with Grand Rapids (AHL).

 FAST FACTS

·               Cody Corbett played in his 150th ECHL Game on Sunday vs the Toledo Oilers.

·               Erik Bradford extended his point streak to five games on Sunday. That point streak is the longest by a K-Wing this season.

·               Dennis Smirnov recorded his first professional with his assist on Zach Jordan’s first-period goal on Sunday.

TEAM TRENDS

·          Kalamazoo is averaging 4.15 goals/game at home this season.

·          The K-Wings are 8-4 when following a loss this season.

·          The K-Wings are 10-4 when scoring first.

·          The K-Wings are 10-0 when leading after two periods

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:               27 – Erik Bradford

GOAL:                   10   – Justin Taylor, Erik Bradford, Logan Lambdin

ASSISTS:               17 – Erik Bradford

PLUS/MINUS:     +14 – Andrew DeBrincat

PIMS:                    60 – Brenden Miller***

PP GOALS:            6 – Justin Taylor

SH GOALS:          3 – Erik Bradford

GW GOALS:        3 – Erik Bradford

SHOTS:                 82 – Zach Jordan

WINS:                  8 – Jet Greaves

GAA:                  3.05 – Jet Greaves

SAVE %:            .907 – Jet Greaves

* Currently with Cleveland (AHL)

** Currently with Grand Rapids (AHL)

*** Currently with Iowa (AHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:    Last Week – 0/4 (0.0%)

                             This Season – 21/93 (22.6%) – 8th in the ECHL                      

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 0/2 (100%)

                             This Season – 17/73 (76.7%) – 22th in the ECHL