K-WINGS PREPARE FOR TRIP TO CORALVILLE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 24, 2022

KALAMAZOO HEADS TO IOWA

K-WINGS SET FOR TWO GAME SET WITH HEARTLANDERS IN CORALVILLE

OVERALL RECORD:  19-16-0-0

LAST WEEK:  0-3-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, head west for a battle with the Iowa Heartlanders (13-18-5-1) this weekend.

The K-Wings visit Xtreme Arena for just the second time in franchise history this Friday and Saturday. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. on both nights.

Last week, Kalamazoo dropped all three contests. The Wings lost on Friday night to the Wheeling Nailers in West Virginia, 6-2. On Saturday, Kalamazoo fell to the Indy Fuel at Indiana Farmers Coliseum, 5-3. Then the K-Wings then dropped the home-and-home Sunday matinee to the Fuel by a score of 4-3 at Wings Event Center.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

Kalamazoo has five consecutive games on the road and will not play at home again until Wednesday, February 9 versus the Wheeling Nailers (2-6-9 / Winning Wednesday).­

Reminder, Friday, Feb. 11 is the annual ‘Pink Ice’ game and it’s also a $2 Friday! Pink Pack ticket packages are on sale now (4 tickets [best available], 4 Susan G. Komen bracelets and 10% of ticket package proceeds will be donated to Susan G. Komen foundation).

RESULTS

Friday, Jan. 21 –Wheeling 6, Kalamazoo 2 (WesBanco Arena – Wheeling, WV) | Box Score

>> The Kalamazoo Wings (19-14-0-0) ran into a Wheeling Nailers (18-14-1-0) team that claimed revenge and lost by a score of 6-2 at WesBanco Arena on Friday. From the moment the puck dropped, Wheeling was committed to playing a more physical style than it did on Jan. 8 when Kalamazoo routed the Nailers (5-1) on the road. Tanner Sorenson (12) pulled the K-Wings even at one with his goal at 12:59 of the first, assisted by Logan Lambdin (6) and Zach Jordan (5), but the Nailers went on a roll after that. Wheeling pumped in five unanswered, with four goals coming in the second, and three by way of the power play in the same frame to put the game out of reach. Raymond Brice (8) netted his first short-handed goal of the season at the 4:33 mark of the third, assisted by Justin Taylor (17) and Justin Murray (7), for the only score of the final 20 minutes. Trevor Gorsuch (8-8) made 27 saves in the loss.

Saturday, Jan. 22 – Indy 5, Kalamazoo 3 (Indiana Farmers Coliseum – Indianapolis, IN) | Box Score

>>  The Kalamazoo Wings (19-15-0-0) rebounded after a rough start, but they couldn’t hold down the red-hot Indy Fuel (16-15-2-2) and lost by a score of 5-3 at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Saturday. The Fuel set the tone early with two goals in the first 13 minutes. But the K-Wings battled back in the second. Jeremy Masella (1) netted his first professional goal on a shot from the left circle at the 9:29 mark to pull the K-Wings to within one. Kalamazoo then tied it up at two on the Raymond Brice (9) unassisted shorthanded goal just four minutes and 16 seconds later. The Fuel answered with a score of their own just over four minutes later and extended the lead to 4-2 with just under 12 minutes remaining into the third. Tanner Sorenson (13) brought Kalamazoo to within one with the extra attacker and just 1:08 remaining on the clock. With the goal, Sorenson has recorded a point in six-straight games (4G, 3A). Unfortunately, the comeback was nullified by Indy’s empty-net score just 19 seconds later.  Jason Palowski (1-3) made 27 saves in the loss.

Sunday, Jan. 23 –Indy 4, Kalamazoo 3 (Wings Event Center – Kalamazoo, MI)| Box Score

>>  The Kalamazoo Wings (19-16-0-0) were a minute and 51 seconds away from a comeback win, but the Indy Fuel (17-15-2-2) snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat and won by a score of 4-3 at Wings Event Center on Sunday. The K-Wings started off slow and finished the first period trailing, 2-0. That was until Greg Betzold (5) got the K-Wings on the board in the second via the redirection. The goal came off a heavy Giovanni Vallati (7) shot from the point. Zach Jordan (8) wasted no time as the K-Wings trailed by one heading into the third. His goal at the 1:45 mark tied the game, 2-2. Matheson Iacopelli (4) walked right down the left side and gave the K-Wings the 3-2 advantage just 3 minutes and 40 seconds later. The Fuel scored two goals in a span of 1:14 to seal it in the final minutes. Trevor Gorsuch (8-9) looked phenomenal during the matchup and was the reason the K-Wings were in position to win the game. Gorsuch made 24 saves in the loss.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Friday, Jan. 28 – Kalamazoo AT Iowa, 8:00 p.m. EST – Xtreme Arena (Coralville, IA)

Saturday, Jan. 29 – Kalamazoo AT Iowa, 8:00 p.m. EST – Xtreme Arena (Coralville, IA)

ON THE MOVE

1/21 – Forward Tyler Kobryn was acquired from Atlanta (ECHL) in a trade for future considerations.

1/19 – Forward Jake Slaker was recalled from loan by Cleveland (AHL) from Kalamazoo.

1/19 – Forward Zach Jordan was loaned to Kalamazoo from Cleveland (AHL).

FAST FACTS

·          Forward Justin Taylor surpassed Eric Kattelus (207) in franchise career assists (7th) against the    

           Wheeling Nailers on Friday.

·          Defenseman Jeremy Masella scored his first career goal on Saturday vs the Indy Fuel.

·          Forward Zach Jordan has the longest active point streak on the K-Wings (4 games - 2      

           goals, 2 Assists, 4 points in that stretch).

TEAM TRENDS

·          Kalamazoo is 10-4 when outshooting their opponent.

·          The K-Wings are 12-4 when scoring first this season.

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

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              30 – Justin Taylor, Tanner Sorenson

GOAL:                 14   – Logan Lambdin

ASSISTS:             18 – Justin Taylor

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:                 98 – 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 – 1/10 (10.0%)

                              This Season – 24/129 (18.6%) – 11th in the ECHL                       

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 8/12 (75.0%)

                              This Season – 82/107 (76.6%) – 21st 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