K-WINGS RETURN HOME VICTORIOUS AFTER SHOOTOUT WITH HEARTLANDERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 20, 2022

K-WINGS RETURN HOME VICTORIOUS AFTER SHOOTOUT WITH HEARTLANDERS

Kalamazoo simmers Iowa’s momentum in the third, drops the hammer in the shootout.

BOX SCORE

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings (4-5-1-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, overcame a late push by the Iowa Heartlanders (1-7-1-1) in the third period and won in shootout fashion at Xtream Arena on Sunday.

Evan Cormier (3-3-1), stopped 32 of 35 shots in the win, including a couple incredible saves in overtime to keep the K-Wings in it. He followed that with a pair in the shootout to secure the victory for the K-Wings.

Kalamazoo opened the scoring with a power play goal by Mason McCarty (5), who deflected in a one-time shot from the right circle by Brandon Saigeon (5) off the initial feed from Justin Murray (4) at the 8:05 mark of the second.

Iowa answered with a goal late in the period to send the game into the final frame tied, 1-1.

Then in the third, Darby Llewellyn (1) scored his first goal as a K-Wing, stuffing in a rebound from a Max Humitz (2) blast from the blue line to regain the lead. Ryan Cook (2) earned the second assist.

Kalamazoo struck again just 5:42 later as Raymond Brice (2) streaked down the right side and sent the puck into the net. The play was originally ruled a save, but was overturned upon video review. Justin Taylor (3) and Matheson Iacopelli (1) assisted on the goal.

The Heartlanders responded with two goals in just 38 seconds, from the 14:19 mark til the 14:57 mark of the third, to force overtime where neither team scored. Cormier made six stops in the extra frame to send the contest to a shootout.

Saigeon and Taylor both scored on their shootout attempts, and Cormier stopped both Iowa tries to earn Kalamazoo its second road victory. The K-Wings power play unit was 1-2, marking the seventh time in 10 games that Kalamazoo has scored with a man advantage this season.

The K-Wings will run it back with Heartlanders this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m at Wings Event Center.

The game marks Kalamazoo’s second painted ice surface of the season on the ‘Lavender Ice,’ presented by the West Michigan Cancer Center in partnership with the NHL’s ‘Hockey Fights Cancer’ initiative. It’s also a 2-6-9 night, so K-Wing fans can enjoy $2 beers & sodas, $6 wings baskets and a $10 ticket ($1) increase due to the painted ice game. It is also a Winning Wednesday! So, if the K-Wings win, you win! Just turn your ticket stub into the box office within one-half hour of the game finishing and you're coming to the Dec. 21 game FOR FREE. Tickets to Lavender Ice are available HERE.

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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 the 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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