K-WINGS BEAT RAILERS TWICE ON THE ROAD, FOCUS SHIFTED TO WHEELING AND PINK ICE GAME

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 7, 2022

K-WINGS BEAT RAILERS TWICE ON THE ROAD, FOCUS SHIFTED TO WHEELING AND PINK ICE GAME

Kalamazoo takes second place in Central after weekend wins and eyes home tilts this week.

OVERALL RECORD:  23-17-0-0

LAST WEEK:  2-1-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, play host to the Wheeling Nailers this Wednesday, February 9 and the Indy Fuel on Friday, February 11. 

The K-Wings are at or above .500 in both season series versus Wheeling (1-1) and Indy (4-3).

Last week, Kalamazoo won two of three games on the road (2-5, 2-1 OT, 2-1) in Worcester. Both wins were a product of late game heroics and outstanding team play. The K-Wings currently sit in second place in the Central Division. 

Friday games continue to be tough for Kalamazoo. Despite scoring the game’s first goal (Greg Betzold), Worcester scored three straight to take control. On Saturday, Matheson Iacopelli scored with 2:39 remaining to send the game to overtime, and Justin Taylor scored the game-winner just 53 seconds into the extra frame. Then on Sunday, Kyle Blaney scored on a break away with 52 seconds remaining to lift the K-Wings to a series win. 

Both K-Wings goaltenders shined over the weekend, earning wins on consecutive days. Trevor Gorsuch (11-10) is now 3-1 his last four starts and has made 147 saves combined over that span. 

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

This Wednesday is a 2-6-9 / ‘Winning Wednesday’ for the Kalamazoo versus Wheeling game.­ Enjoy $2 beers & sodas, $6 wing baskets and get into the game for just $9. If the K-Wings win, fans receive a free ticket to the next midweek game for free (* must be redeemed 1/2 hour after the conclusion of the game at the Box Office).

On Friday, the K-Wings celebrate their annual ‘Pink Ice’ game versus the Indy Fuel and it’s $2 Friday. Pink Pack ticket packages are on sale now for $48 (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, Feb. 4 – Kalamazoo 2, Worcester 5 (DCU Center - Worcester, MA)|Box Score

>>  The Kalamazoo Wings (21-17-0-0) couldn’t respond to the Worcester Railers (16-18-1-1) strong second period and lost by a score of 5-2 at the DCU Center Friday. Greg Betzold (7) extended his point streak to five games (3G, 2A) with his first period goal via another nifty redirection off the Andrew DeBrincat (14) shot from the point. Cody Corbett (10) earned the second assist on the goal and extended his point streak to four games (4A). The Railers scored just twelve seconds into the second period and broke the 1-1 tie. Worcester added another tally at the 15:14 mark to push the score to 3-1. The K-Wings came out strong in the third, scoring just 16 seconds in and pulled to within one. Logan Lambdin’s (16) goal was redirected off the initial Justin Murray (9) shot from inside the blue line. But the Railers scored again at the 3:02 mark, added the empty net goal and coasted to victory. Trevor Gorsuch (10-10) made 38 saves in the loss. 

Saturday, Feb 5 – Kalamazoo 2, Worcester 1 (DCU Center - Worcester, MA) |Box Score

 >>  It was a goaltenders duel in Worcester, and Justin Taylor owned the hero role as the Kalamazoo Wings (22-17-0-0) came from behind to clip the Worcester Railers (16-18-2-1) in overtime Saturday at the DCU Center, 2-1. In a game where K-Wings goaltender Trevor Gorsuch (11-10) and Railers netminder Colton Ellis (7-4) combined to make 67 saves, it took Kalamazoo 57 minutes and 21 seconds to find the equalizer. Matheson Iacopelli beat Worcester’s Justin Osmanski with the backhand to forehand topshelf game-tying score. It took just 53-seconds into the extra frame for Taylor (13) to stuff the juicy rebound into the net off the initial Iacopelli shot. Eric Kattelus (1) made history with his assist on the game-winning goal, as it moved him into a tie with Kevin Evans for 11th all time in K-Wings history for points scored (288). 

Sunday, Feb 6 – Kalamazoo 2, Worcester 1 (DCU Center - Worcester, MA) |Box Score

>>  The Kalamazoo Wings (23-17-0-0) did it again. Same score, different day. This time it was Kyle Blaney (7) that scored the game-winning goal with 52 seconds remaining to beat the Worcester Railers (16-19-2-1) Sunday at the DCU Center, 2-1. The K-Wings trailed for a good chunk of the game 1-0, but fought through multiple penalty kills and stellar goaltending on their way to victory. On the game winner, Cody Corbett (11) blocked a Railer shot from the top of the right circle. The puck then squirted towards the neutral zone and the speedy Kyle Blaney chugged it up ice alone. Worcester goaltender Ken Appleby (7-9-0-1) made the initial save, but the momentum of the puck trickled in past the line. The Railers earned the 1-0 lead in the first and held it until Logan Lambdin (17) got the equalizer at the 13:22 mark of the second. Jason Pawloski (2-3) was stellar and made 24 saves in the win. 

THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, Feb. 9 – Wheeling AT Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Friday, Feb. 11 – Indy AT Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

ON THE MOVE

2/1 - Kalamazoo traded Defenseman Alex Brooks to Greenville (ECHL).

2/1 - Kalamazoo released forward Brennan Sanford from his SPC contract.

2/1 - Kalamazoo signed defenseman / forward Eric Kattelus to an SPC contract.

FAST FACTS

·       Defenseman Eric Kattelus (288) tied Kevin Evans for 11th all time in points with his assist on the    overtime game winner vs the Worcester Railers on Saturday 

·       Forward Matheson Iacopelli scored in his 100th ECHL game vs the Railers on Saturday

·       Forward Greg Betzold scored in his 200th ECHL game vs the Railers on Friday

TEAM TRENDS

·      7-3 in games tied at the end of the second period

·      14-4 when scoring first this season

·      12-1 when leading after two periodic 

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:               34 – Tanner Sorenson

GOAL:              17 – Logan Lambdin

ASSISTS:         21 – Tanner Sorenson

PLUS/MINUS:      +16 – Andrew DeBrincat

PIMS:                     60 – Brenden Miller***

PP GOALS:        6 – Justin Taylor

SH GOALS:            3 – Erik Bradford**

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

SHOTS:                 112 – Zach Jordan

WINS:                   11– Trevor Gorsuch

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 – 0/8 (0%)

                            This Season – 24/138 (17.4%) – 22nd in the ECHL                         

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 7/9 (77.8%)

                            This Season – 91/120 (75.8%) – 25st 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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