K-WINGS WEEKLY - WEEK 12

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 10, 2022

K-WINGS SET FOR MEADMORE JERSEY RETIREMENT AND MARVEL NIGHT

Kalamazoo enjoys three-game home stand inside four games in five days

OVERALL RECORD:  16-12-0-0

LAST WEEK:  1-2-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, are set to host a week of exciting events with three home games inside a four in five nights schedule. The weekend is highlighted by sending K-Wings legend Neil Meadmore’s No. 27 to the rafters on Saturday. 

First the Fort Wayne Komets arrive on Wednesday for 2-6-9 / Winning Wednesday night -  then the Toledo Walleye come to town on Friday for Marvel night - next the Cincinnati Cyclones head in on Saturday night for the Jersey Retirement - and the weekend rounds out with the K-Wings hitting the road for a rematch with the Komets on Sunday.

The home games this Wednesday, Friday and Saturday all start at 7 p.m. Sunday’s road matchup starts at 5 p.m.

Last week, Kalamazoo dropped the first two games but rebounded Sunday. The Wings lost on Friday night at home to the Toledo Walleye, 4-2, in the first ever hockey game played on rainbow ice. On Saturday, Kalamazoo fell to the Cincinnati Cyclones 5-4 at Heritage Bank Arena in Cincinnati. The K-Wings then beat the Wheeling Nailers in West Virginia on Sunday, 5-1.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

WEDNESDAY: On ‘2-6-9 Night’, fans can enjoy $2 beers and sodas, $6 wings baskets and receive a ticket to the game for $9. It’s also a ‘Winning Wednesday.’ Fans are able to trade their ticket stub in at the Box Office immediately following a K-Wings win to redeem a complimentary ticket for the next Wednesday home game (Feb. 9).

WINNING WEDNESDAY NOTE: If applicable, tickets must be claimed postgame, within 30 minutes, at the Box Office.

FRIDAY: ‘Marvel Night’ will feature a post-game Groot Jersey (game-worn) auction that will benefit the Kalamazoo Optimist Hockey Association (KOHA). Additionally, there’s a ‘Groot Costume Contest,’ with the winner receiving a Guardians of the Galaxy fun pack. Finally, the game is a traditional $2 Friday, where fans can enjoy $2 beer, soda and hot dogs!

SATURDAY: ‘Jersey Retirement Night’ will seal Neil Meadmore’s legacy in K-Wings lore. The pregame retirement ceremony will start at 7 p.m. and the first 1,000 fans receive a mini retirement banner!

RESULTS

Friday, Jan. 7 – Toledo 4, Kalamazoo 2 (Wings Event Center– Kalamazoo, MI)| Box Score

>>  Keeping with the recent trend, the K-Wings answered a deficit by coming back to take the lead in the second period on Hockey is for Everyone night in Kalamazoo. The K-Wings offense mustered just four shots on goal in the first period. The Walleye scored with 12:48 remaining in the first frame to open the scoring. Forward Max Humitz (9) ignited the second period comeback. Humitz found himself on the receiving end of a wonderful display of passing by Giovanni Vallati (4) to tie the game at one just under four minutes into the period. The K-Wings then took the lead on a cross-ice Logan Lambdin (4) feed to Andrew Debrincat (2) with 56 seconds remaining in the second period. Toledo netted three goals in the final frame to claim victory. K-Wings goalie Trevor Gorsuch finished the game with 40 saves.

Saturday, Jan. 8 – Cincinnati 5, Kalamazoo 4 (Heritage Bank Arena – Cincinnati,OH)| Box Score

>>  The Wings fell just short against the Cyclones due to a second period Cincinnati outburst, and lost on Saturday at Heritage Bank Arena, 5-4. The first period ended deadlocked at one, thanks to a goal by Michael Davies (2) to tie the game at the 8:19 mark. Davies snapped a 23-game goalless streak with the tally.  Raymond Brice (5) sank his penalty shot opportunity early in the period. But the second period is when the Cyclones poured three in six minutes to take the lead. Logan Lambdin (11) answered with a twisted wrister from the left circle to pull Kalamazoo back to within a goal with just over four minutes remaining in the second. Cincinnati answered again before the end of the second to extend the lead to two. The K-Wings did everything they could to fight back in the final frame, but were unable to find the net until Justin Taylor (11) scored with just six seconds remaining.

Sunday, Jan. 9 – Wheeling 1, Kalamazoo 5 (WesBanco Arena – Wheeling, WV)| Box Score

>>  The story of the opening period was Tyler Rockwell’s first career goal, along with the outstanding play of Kalamazoo goaltender Jason Pawloski (1-0). Rockwell’s focus was to get the puck on net with his flip from the blue line, but the puck had eyes. The mix of the shot, great angle and a small crowd in the Wheeling right circle made for a perfect career moment. Raymond Brice (6,7) and Kyle Blaney (4) accounted for three goals in the second frame in the span of about seven minutes. Officially, it went Brice, Blaney, Brice, on the score sheet and Taylor is now tied with Eric Kattelus for 6th all-time in K-Wings history for career assists on the second Brice goal. Logan Lambdin added his team-leading 12th goal on a breakaway in the third period. Making his first professional start since the 2018-19 season, Pawlowski (31 saves) dazzled in his first period of action and throughout earning his first win as a K-Wing.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, Jan. 12 – Fort Wayne AT Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Friday, Jan. 14 – Toledo AT Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Jan. 15 – Cincinnati AT Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Sunday, Jan. 16 – Kalamazoo AT Fort Wayne, 5:00 p.m. EST – Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, (Fort Wayne, IN)

 ON THE MOVE

1/8 – Forward Brennan Sanford signed an SPC contract with Kalamazoo.

1/7 – Forward Greg Mauldin signed an SPC contract with Kalamazoo.

1/7 – Forward Max Humitz returned on loan to Kalamazoo from Grand Rapids (AHL).

1/5 – Forward Erik Bradford loaned from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids (AHL).

1/5 – Forward Zach Jordan recalled from loan to Kalamazoo by Cleveland (AHL).

1/4 – Goaltender Jason Pawloski claimed off waivers by Kalamazoo.

1/4 – Defenseman Jeremy Masella signed an SPC contract with Kalamazoo.

 FAST FACTS

·               Defenseman Tyler Rockwell scored his first professional goal on Sunday vs the Wheeling Nailers.

·               Defenseman Jeremy Masella tallied his first professional point with an assist in Saturday’s game vs the Toledo Walleye

·               Captain Justin Taylor tied Eric Kattelus for sixth all-time in assists in K-Wings History on Sunday vs the Wheeling Nailers.

TEAM TRENDS

·          Kalamazoo is averaging 4.00 goals/game at home this season.

·          The K-Wings are 9-5 when following a loss this season.

·          The K-Wings are 2-1 in their signature colored ice games this season.

·          The K-Wings are 10-1 when leading after two periods

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:               27 – Justin Taylor, Erik Bradford**

GOAL:                   12   – Logan Lambdin

ASSISTS:               17 – Erik Bradford**

PLUS/MINUS:     +15 – Andrew DeBrincat

PIMS:                    60 – Brenden Miller***

PP GOALS:            6 – Justin Taylor

SH GOALS:          3 – Erik Bradford**

GW GOALS:        3 – Erik Bradford**

SHOTS:                 83 – Tanner Sorenson

WINS:                  10 – 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 – 2/10  (20.0%)

                             This Season – 23/103  (22.3%) – 9th in the ECHL                                   

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 1/7  (85.7%)

                             This Season – 18/80  (77.5%) – 21st in the ECHL

  --

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.