K-WINGS BACK TO .500, GRIND OUT WIN OVER STEELHEADS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 8, 2022

K-WINGS BACK TO .500, GRIND OUT WIN OVER STEELHEADS

Kalamazoo battles back, tops Idaho 2-1 at home on Tuesday.

BOX SCORE

KALAMAZOO, MI - Matheson Iacopelli (9) snapped in the game-winner for Kalamazoo (26-26-0-0) with 8:45 remaining, and the K-Wings defeated the Idaho Steelheads (29-24-2-1) at Wings Event Center on Tuesday by a score of 2-1. 

If the K-Wings are going to make a run to end the season, they’re going to have to win a couple greesie games. And that’s exactly what Kalamazoo did at home Tuesday. 

The game tying goal at the 15:35 mark of the second was exactly that. Max Humitz (11) tipped an Idaho neutral zone pass attempt and followed the puck into the offensive zone - then Humitz won a puck battle that found Erik Bradford (21) - Bradford then touch-passed it from the slot to Tanner Sorenson (28) - and Sorenson tape-to-taped it back to Humitz parked on the doorstep for the goal.

On the game winner, Giovanni Vallati (9), Kyle Blaney (17) and Iacopelli executed a perfect defensive zone breakout and finish. 

Vallati won the puck, and then outleted it between his legs to Blaney with his back turned facing the end boards. Iacopelli and Blaney then played catch with the puck through the neutral zone, before Iacopelli scored the game-winner from the left circle.  

Idaho scored it’s only goal of the contest at the 4:43 mark of the second, and both teams had a goal disallowed in the contest.

Kalamazoo’s penalty kill was a perfect 2 for 2 in the game, and the K-Wings were able to fight off a minute and fourteen seconds of extra attacker time to get back to .500 on the season.

Trevor Gorsuch (14-18-0-0) continued his stellar play between the pipes for the K-Wings, making 23 saves in the contest. Gorsuch has now made 104 saves with just five goals against in his last three starts.

Kalamazoo’s next game is versus the Indy Fuel (23-25-2-3) on Friday at 7:00 p.m. EST at Wings Event Center. 

Friday is also  ‘Pucks & Paws Night’ and a ‘$2 Friday.’ Also, the Kelly Cup will be in the house, located behind Section 16 and available for fan photos from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. So, don’t miss out on a K9 good time, featuring a pup race during the 2nd intermission, and enjoy those $2 beers, sodas & hot dogs. Reminder, ONLY dogs are allowed (no other pets). Entry fee for dogs is a $5 donation to SPCA. To enter into the dog race, dogs and owners just need to listen to announcements prior to 2nd intermission and come on down. No sign ups required.

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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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