K-WINGS BAND TOGETHER DESPITE ADVERSITY, LOOK TO CLIMB STANDINGS THIS WEEK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 21, 2022

K-WINGS BAND TOGETHER DESPITE ADVERSITY, LOOK TO CLIMB STANDINGS THIS WEEK

Kalamazoo dropped four games last week, and now hits the road for three division contests to end February.

OVERALL RECORD:  24-22-0-0

LAST WEEK:  0-4-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, look to put the past four contests in the rearview with key wins on the road this week.

First, the K-Wings head to Indy to face the Fuel on Thursday, February 24. Then, Kalamazoo travels to Wheeling for two games against the Nailers on Friday, Feb. 25 and Saturday, Feb. 26.  

Last week, the K-Wings played two on the road and two at home. On Wednesday, the K-Wings lost in Fort Wayne, 6-3. Then the K-Wings lost two games versus the Iowa Heartlanders on Friday and Saturday by a score of 5-2 at home. On Sunday, the K-Wings lost by a score of 5-2 back in Fort Wayne.

Kalamazoo forward Logan Lambdin extended his team lead in goals scored to 19 with two this week. The rookie is now tied for No. 2 in ‘ECHL Rookie Goals Scored.’ 

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

All three of Kalamazoo’s contests are on the road next week, and action returns to Wings Event Center on Friday, March 4, as the Tulsa Oilers come to town for a weekend set. Both games are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EST.

On Friday, March 4, the K-Wings will throw it back to the 90s for Nickelodeon Night, as they pay tribute to one of the ‘Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time,’ Ren & Stimpy. A specialty jersey auction is scheduled for immediately following the game. Plus, it's $2 Friday! So, make sure to come enjoy those $2 beers, sodas and hot dogs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Then on Saturday, March 5, it’s time to channel ‘the force,’ and join the Kalamazoo Wings as they fight the Dark Side (Tulsa Oilers) on Star Wars Night at Wings Event Center. Dress up in your favorite Star Wars gear, and get your picture taken with members of the 501st Legion – Great Lakes Garrison. 

RESULTS

Wednesday, Feb. 16 – Kalamazoo 3, Fort Wayne 6 (Allen County War Memorial Coliseum -Fort Wayne, IN)|Box Score

>>   Although Fort Wayne opened the scoring in the first, Matheson Iacopelli (7) scored at the 12:24 mark to tie the game at one. Fort Wayne closed out the opening period with two more goals to make it 3-1. In the second frame, Justin Taylor (14) netted his seventh power play tally of the season at the 4:37 mark of the second. But over a span of 3:30 seconds, Fort Wayne scored three straight goals to put the game out of reach. Taylor (15) scored again at the 16:26 mark of the second to cut the lead to 6-3, but the K-Wings were unable to score again for the rest of the game. Trevor Gorsuch (12-12) made 22 saves in the loss. Backup goaltender Jason Palowski stopped all 13 shots he faced in relief of Gorsuch, starting after the second intermission. 

Friday, Feb 18 – Iowa 5, Kalamazoo 2 (Wings Event Center - Kalamazoo, MI)|Box Score

 >>   Kalamazoo came out of the gates strong but were unable to capitalize on its opportunities as Iowa scored at the 9:26 mark to give them the 1-0 lead. The Heartlanders then scored a power play goal just 44 seconds into the second to push their advantage to 2-0. Erik Bradford (11), in his first game back from Grand Rapids (AHL), gave the K-Wings life with his shorthanded goal at the 4:54 mark of the second to cut the Iowa lead to 2-1. The Heartlanders netted two goals, one via the power play, to start the third period and extended their lead to 4-1. Rookie Logan Lambdin (18) was able to draw Kalamazoo to within two with his beautiful goal from the right circle just two minutes and five seconds later, but the K-Wings were unable to capitalize the rest of the way out. Trevor Gorsuch (12-13-0-0) made 28 saves in the loss. 

Saturday, Feb 19 – Iowa 5, Kalamazoo 2 (Wings Event Center - Kalamazoo, MI)|Box Score

 >>   The Heartlanders scored first at the 13:10 mark, and then again two minutes and 35 seconds later on the power play to take the 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Erik Bradford (12) started the Kalamazoo response at the 6:05 mark of the second, just a minute and 16 seconds after Iowa extended its lead to 3-0. Tanner Sorenson (24) and Logan Lambdin (9) received the assists on the goal. Then at the 11:58 mark of the second, Bradford (18) snapped a shot on net, which allowed Lambdin (19) to cash in the rebound from the left side. Sorenson (25) earned the second assist, earning his 200th career ECHL point. Unfortunately, the K-Wings didn’t score the rest of the way out, while Iowa scored again before the end of the second and added another in the third. The K-Wings outshot the Heartlanders 32-21 in the contest.

Sunday, Feb. 20 – Kalamazoo 2, Fort Wayne 5 (Allen County War Memorial Coliseum - Fort Wayne, IN)|Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings battled back to tie the game in the second period, but the Fort Wayne Komets scored three straight goals to beat the K-Wings on Sunday, 5-2. The Komets took the early lead after scoring two power play goals in the first. K-Wings forward Raymond Brice (10) snapped a 11 game goalless streak with his redirection that found the back of the net at the 1:48 mark of the second. Jeremy Masella (2) and Tyler Kobryn (8) earned the second assist on the goal. Then Tanner Sorenson (14) wristed a puck from between the circles and scored on the power play at the 9:58 mark of the second to tie the game. Captain Justin Taylor (22) and Justin Murray (11)earned the assists on the goal. Fort Wayne then scored the game’s next three goals and coasted to victory. Trevor Gorsuch (12-14-0-0) made 25 saves in the loss.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Thursday, Feb. 24 – Kalamazoo AT Indy, 10:30 a.m. EST – Indiana Farmers Coliseum (Indianapolis, IN)

Friday, Feb. 25 – Kalamazoo AT Wheeling, 7:10 p.m. EST – WesBanco Arena (Wheeling, WV)

Saturday, Feb. 26 – Kalamazoo AT Wheeling, 7:10 p.m. EST – WesBanco Arena (Wheeling, WV) 

ON THE MOVE

2/18 - Forward Erik Bradford returned from loan to Grand Rapids (AHL) 

2/17 - Forward Zach Jordan recalled from loan by Cleveland (AHL)

2/17 - Defenseman Olivier LeBlanc recalled from loan by Cleveland (AHL)

2/15 - Forward Greg Mauldin suspended by Kalamazoo

FAST FACTS

·           Defenseman Justin Murray played in his 100th ECHL Game versus Iowa on Friday

·           Forward Tanner Sorenson earned his 200th ECHL point with his second assist versus Iowa on Saturday

·           Forward Erik Bradford eclipsed the longest point streak by any K-Wing this season at 7-games. Bradford (6G, 6A) notched points in every game played from Dec. 18 thru Feb. 19

TEAM TRENDS

·      14-4 when scoring first this season

·      12-1 when leading after two periods

·       8-3 in games tied after two periods

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              39 – Tanner Sorenson

GOAL:               19 – Logan Lambdin

ASSISTS:          25 – Tanner Sorenson

PLUS/MINUS:     +15 – Andrew DeBrincat

PIMS:                   60 – Justin Murray, Brenden Miller***

PP GOALS:      7 – Justin Taylor

SH GOALS:      4 – Erik Bradford

GW GOALS:   3 – Justin Taylor, Erik Bradford, and Zach Jordan*

SHOTS:           129 – Tanner Sorenson

WINS:                  12– Trevor Gorsuch

GAA:                   3.05 – Jet Greaves**

SAVE %:             .907 – Jet Greaves**

* Currently with Cleveland (AHL)

** Currently with Columbus (NHL)

*** Currently with Iowa (AHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:     Last Week – 2/13 (15.4%)

                               This Season – 27/154 (17.5%) – 20th in the ECHL                          

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 5/11 (45%)

                               This Season – 98/136 (72.1%) – 27th 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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