K-WINGS WEEKLY: K-WINGS CATCH FIRE, HEAD SOUTH THIS WEEK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 28, 2022

K-WINGS CATCH FIRE, HEAD SOUTH THIS WEEK

 Kalamazoo embarks on a four-game road trip, starting with the Florida Everblades on Wednesday and launched No-Fee December for Cyber Monday!

OVERALL RECORD:  7-6-1-0

LAST WEEK:  3-1-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, play all three games on the road this week. First, the K-Wings travel to Estero, Florida for a matchup with the Florida Everblades on Wednesday, followed by a tilt against the Orlando Solar Bears on Thursday and they finish the week back in Estero for a second game against Florida on Saturday.

Last week, the K-Wings went 3-1-0-0 (3-2 OT, 4-1, 4-2, 2-3)

Kalamazoo started the week on Lavender Ice and rocked the barn with a third-period comeback along with an overtime win in Iowa. Brandon Saigeon (2) and Logan Lambdin (2) pulled the K-Wings even in the third period, and Lamndin’s goal came with just 20 seconds remaining in the game. In overtime, it was Brenden Miller (1) firing in the game-winning goal off of a beautiful Max Humitz feed at the 3:34 mark for the win.

On Friday fireworks would fly all evening long as Wheeling and Kalamazoo renewed their rivalry. Skating to no score for most of the first period, the physicality hit a tipping point and fists flew. Wheeling touched the scoreboard first, but picked up a minor penalty that carried over into the second. Kalamazoo would score on the power play to start the middle frame and never look back. Raymond Brice's two goals (3,4) in the contest, including the game-winner, propelled the K-Wings to their third straight win. 

Then on Saturday, Kalamazoo marched into Indy and came home with another gutsy come-from-behind victory. Justin Taylor scored the K-Wings' first two goals and made franchise history. Taylor opened the scoring and then tied the game in the third period, and the tallies tied and broke the K-Wings all-time record for career goals scored (239, 240). Max Humitz (3) scored the game-winner at the 8:05 mark of the third, and Raymond Brice added an empty net short-handed goal to seal the K-Wings' fourth straight win. 

Sunday marked the back half of a home-and-home with Indy, and the Fuel came out strong, scoring two goals in the first period. The score stayed put until Chad Nychuck (2) connected at the 19:46 mark of the second, but Indy scored again just over four minutes into the third to extend its lead back to two. Mason McCarty (6) was able to tip in a goal in the final minutes, but the K-Wings could not score again before time expired. 

Kalamazoo now moves into third place in the Central Division with last week’s performance. 

Don’t miss out on the K-Wings Cyber Monday deal, as all online ticketing fees will be waived for every game in December on eTix. Head to K-Wings.com/tickets from now until November 30 to enjoy all the action over the Holidays with less stress on your wallet. 

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

This week, the K-Wings will play three games in four nights on the road this week, and will return to Wings Event Center to host a pair of games on December 9 and 10.

First, it’s ‘Teddy Bear Toss Night’ on Friday, December 9 versus Toledo at 7:00 p.m. EST at Wings Event Center. Be a part of the K-Wings tradition and bring a teddy bear, or several, with you to the game to toss on the ice when the K-Wings score their first goal! All bears will be donated to the Salvation Army and delivered to Bronson's Children’s Hospital in person by the K-Wings. It’s also a $3 Friday, presented by Bud Light,  so come out and enjoy $3 beers, sodas & hot dogs!

Then, the K-Wings host ‘Marvel Night’ on Saturday, December 10 versus Wheeling at 7:00 p.m. EST at Wings Event Center. The K-Wings will wear Thor specialty Marvel-themed jerseys, and stick around after the game for a chance to take one home in the jersey auction. Kalamazoo will also have a Norse God in attendance. Check out the Thor Ticket Package and personally meet the Avenger with tons of perks for the game. In addition, the first 1,000 fans will receive a Marvel lunchbox!

RESULTS

Wednesday, Nov. 23 – Iowa 2, Kalamazoo 3 (OT) (Wings Event Center - Kalamazoo, MI) |Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (5-5-1-0) exploded for three consecutive goals on Lavender Ice with a gutsy third-period and overtime push to beat the Iowa Heartlanders (1-7-2-1) 3-2 on Wednesday at Wings Event Center. Logan Lambdin (2) notched the equalizer with 20 seconds remaining in regulation, and the extra attacker on the ice. Then in overtime, it was Brenden Miller (1) scoring the OT winner. Max Humitz (4) forced a turnover, carried the puck into the offensive zone, and threaded the needle to Miller as he crashed the crease to end it. Kalamazoo ended the game with a furious 26-8 shot differential in the third period and overtime. Brandon Saigeon (2) got the K-Wings on the board at the 11:48 mark in the third to start the march from behind. Evan Cormier (4-3-1-0) was steady in net once again, making saves on 24 of 26 shot attempts.

Friday, Nov. 25 – Wheeling 1, Kalamazoo 4 (Wings Event Center - Kalamazoo, MI) |Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (6-5-1-0) poured in three second-period goals and cruised to a 4-1 win over the Wheeling Nailers (6-8-0-0) at Wings Event Center Friday. Raymond Brice (3,4) had a pair of goals, including the game-winner for Kalamazoo, and Evan Cormier (5-3-1-0) was a brick wall in net once again, making 39 saves in the victory. Kalamazoo exploded for four-straight goals in the win. The K-Wings got things going on a power play that carried over from the end of the first. On the play, Coale Norris (2) pushed a rebound into the right side of the Wheeling net. Raymond Brice (3) then gave Kalamazoo the lead off of a great feed from Anthony Collins (1) and Justin Taylor (4). The K-Wings scored their third goal in the period via a Darby Llewellyn (2) backhanded, top-shelf, rebound cash-in. Norris (2) earned his second point in the game with his initial shot and Paul McAvoy (1) got his first professional assist in the books in his K-Wings debut. Brice (4) rounded out the scoresheet, intercepting a bad pass between the circles and sniping a shot into the top-right corner. 

Saturday, Nov. 26 – Kalamazoo 4, Indy 2 (Indiana Farmers Coliseum - Indianapolis, IN) |Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (7-5-1-0) won their fourth game in a row, third-straight in comeback fashion and Justin Taylor became the K-Wings' all-time goal scorer in a 4-2 victory against the Indy Fuel (9-5-1-0) Saturday in Indianapolis. Taylor(2, 3) notched career goals No. 239 and 240, tying and passing both Kevin Schamehorn and Mike Wanchuk in the contest. Hunter Vorva (1-1-0-0) was also rock-solid in net, as he made 35 saves on 37 shot attempts to earn his first ECHL victory.  Just two minutes and two seconds after Taylor’s historic game-tying goal, Max Humitz (3) delivered the game-winner. Mason McCarty (7) extended his point streak to four games with a masterful saucer pass right onto Humitz’s stick that had top-shelf eyes. Moments after the Fuel emptied their net, for a 6-on-4 advantage, the K-Wings defense stood tall on the Fuel’s zone entry at their own blue line, and Raymond Brice (5) flipped a puck with eyes from Kalamazoo’s zone into the empty goal. 

Sunday, Nov. 27 – Indy 3, Kalamazoo 2 - (Wings Event Center - Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (7-6-1-0) battled until the end Sunday, but ultimately fell by a score of 3-2 versus the Indy Fuel (10-5-1-0) at Wings Event Center. Chad Nychuk (2) got the scoring started for Kalamazoo at the 19:46 mark in the second period. Paul McAvoy (2) and Darby Llewellyn (1) assisted on the goal. Indy extended the lead back to two goals early in the third, but the K-Wings looked to the captain to pull the team to within one in the final minutes. That’s when Justin Murray (1) went top-left corner at the 18:49 mark with the K-Wings skating 5-on-4 after pulling the goaltender. Brandon Saigeon (7) and Nychuk (7) assisted on Murray’s blast. The K-Wings were unable to score in the final minute and 11 seconds of action, and the Fuel escaped with the victory. Evan Cormier (5-4-1-0) made 27 saves and allowed three goals in defeat. Despite the loss, the K-Wings won three of their four games this week and have won five of their last seven contests.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, Nov. 30 – Kalamazoo at Florida, 7:30 p.m. EST – Hertz Arena (Estero, FL)

Thursday, Dec. 1 – Kalamazoo at Orlando, 7:00 p.m. EST – Amway Center (Orlando, FL)

Saturday, Dec. 3 – Kalamazoo at Florida, 7:00 p.m. EST – Hertz Arena (Estero, FL)

ON THE MOVE

Nov. 23 - Forward Logan Lambdin was returned from his loan to Chicago (AHL)

Nov. 23 - Defenseman Brenden Miller returned to Kalamazoo from Iowa (AHL)

Nov. 25 - Forward Logan Lambdin was loaned to Chicago (AHL)

Nov. 26 - Defenseman Brenden Miller was loaned to Cleveland (AHL)

Nov. 26 - Goaltender Trevor Boardway was signed to an Emergency Backup Contract

Nov. 27 - Goaltender Trevor Boardway was released from his Emergency Backup Contract 

FAST FACTS

·           In Kalamazoo’s 4-2 victory over Indy on Saturday, forward Justin Taylor (240) notched two goals to tie and pass Kevin Schamehorn and Mike Wanchuk (239) for the K-Wings all-time goal mark.

·           Rookie forward Mason McCarty continues to lead all K-Wings in points scored (12) after recording an assist in three straight games this week.

·           Rookie goaltender Hunter Vorva earned his first ECHL victory, making 35 saves in Saturday’s 4-2 victory at Indy.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              13 – Mason McCarty

GOAL:                   6 – Mason McCarty

ASSISTS:             7 – Mason McCarty, Brandon Saigeon

PLUS/MINUS:    +5 – Raymond Brice, Ryan Cook, Justin Murray

PIMS:                   23 – Justin Murray

PP GOALS:          3 – Matheson Iacopelli

SH GOALS:         1 - Raymond Brice

GW GOALS:        2 – Max Humitz

SHOTS:               40 – Max Humitz, Justin Taylor

WINS:                  5 – Evan Cormier

GAA:                   2.57 – Evan Cormier

SAVE %:             .914 – Evan Cormier

* Currently with Cleveland (AHL)

** Currently with Columbus (NHL)

(Goaltending statistics reflect minimum three games started)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:     Last Week – 2/20 (10.0%)

                               This Season – 11/61 (18.0%) – No. 18 in the ECHL                         

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 10/13 (76.9%)

                               This Season – 41/52 (78.8%) – No. 14 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 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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