K-WINGS ENJOY WINNING WEEKEND AT HOME, READY FOR THREE THIS WEEK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 23, 2023

K-WINGS ENJOY WINNING WEEKEND AT HOME, READY FOR THREE THIS WEEK

 Kalamazoo wins a pair of thrillers, Taylor ties Shammy in career points. 

OVERALL RECORD:  17-17-3-0

LAST WEEK:  2-1-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, play three games this week, with two at Wings Event Center. First, it’s a home-and-home series with the Toledo Walleye starting at Wings Event Center on Friday, and then the series shifts to Toledo on Saturday. The K-Wings finish the weekend versus the Indy Fuel on Sunday at Wings Event Center.

Last week, the K-Wings went 2-1-0-0 (3-1, 3-2 OT, 2-6).

Kalamazoo got the week started with a home matchup versus Fort Wayne, winning 3-1. Carson Focht opened the game’s scoring in the first, but it was a 1-1 game with just five minutes to play. Then, Erik Bradford scored in his first game back from Cleveland (AHL), and Justin Taylor added an empty-netter to secure the win behind a stellar performance from Hunter Vorva in net. 

On Saturday, the K-Wings hosted Wheeling and earned a wild 3-2 overtime victory. Ryan Cook’s first goal of the season gave Kalamazoo the early lead, but Wheeling scored one in the second and again early in the third to take a 2-1 lead into the final minute. With the goaltender pulled, and just 32 seconds left on the clock, Taylor tipped in a blue line blast by Chad Nychuk to send the game to overtime. Taylor’s goal hits the books as point No. 474, tying him with the late great Kevin Schamehorn for No. 1 all-time for career points in franchise history. Focht then scored less than a minute into OT to send the K-Wings home victorious in three-straight games.

Finally, on Sunday, The K-Wings fell behind early to the Cincinnati Cyclones and lost 6-2. Brandon Saigeon scored Kalamazoo’s first goal early in the second period to make it a 3-1 game, but Cincinnati pushed the lead to 6-1 before Leif Mattson netted the second goal of the game for the K-Wings.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

The K-Wings play three games this week with two at Wings Event Center.

First, on Friday, Jan. 27, it’s ‘Survivor Night’ as the K-Wings take on the Toledo Walleye at 7:00 p.m. EST at Wings Event Center. It’s also a $3 Friday as Kalamazoo pays homage to the historic television show, so come and enjoy $3 beers, sodas and hot dogs with some great hockey. And make sure to get to the arena early, because the first 1,000 fans will receive a special K-Wings Survivor buff to sport during the game!

Then, on Sunday, Jan. 29, the K-Wings host the Indy Fuel at 3:00 p.m. EST at Wings Event Center for the ‘Blue’s Clues’ game. Kalamazoo believes you can do ANYTHING, and that you are SMART! And guess what? So, does Blues Clues! So, join us as the K-Wings will be wearing specialty jerseys honoring the all-time great Nickelodeon show, and stick around after the game to bid on one to take home in the jersey auction! Also, fans can skate the ice after the jersey auction. So, be sure to bring your skates! There will also be skates available for rent for just $3. 

RESULTS

Friday, Jan. 20 – Fort Wayne 1, Kalamazoo 3 (Wings Event Center - Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>>  The Kalamazoo Wings (16-16-3-0) out gritted, out battled and outscored the Fort Wayne Komets (15-13-4-2) with a pair of goals in the final five minutes of Friday night’s contest at Wings Event Center, winning by a score of 3-1. Erik Bradford (1) netted the game-winning goal at the 15:27 mark of the third period for the K-Wings on the power play in just his first game back from Cleveland (AHL). Justin Taylor (6) then proceeded to score a shorthanded insurance goal at the 18:59 mark, as Fort Wayne skated six-on-four with the net empty after drawing a late call. Kalamazoo opened the scoring at the 15:12 mark of the first as Carson Focht (4) tipped in a blue line blast from Ryan Cook (6). Fort Wayne scored at the 6:49 mark of a sloppy second period that featured 49 total penalty minutes, tying the game at one, but Hunter Vorva (8-3-1-0) slammed the door shut the rest of the way out. Vorva finished with 33 saves on 34 shots, earned the game’s No. 1 star and now has points in nine of his last 11 starts (8-2-1-0).

Saturday, Jan. 21 – Wheeling 2, Kalamazoo 3 (OT) (Wings Event Center - Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (17-16-3-0) scratched their way to another hard-fought victory versus the Wheeling Nailers (17-16-4-0) in overtime on Saturday night at Wings Event Center, winning 3-2. The K-Wings trailed 2-1 into the final seconds until Justin Taylor (7) tipped in a one-time blast from Chad Nychuk (17) with just 32 seconds left in regulation. Then in overtime, Carson Focht (5) scored at the 0:57 mark off of a Nailers turnover in the defensive zone. Kalamazoo got on the board first at the 6:42 mark of the first period, as Ryan Cook (1) scored his first goal of the season. The Nailers tied the game with a power play goal at the 10:11 mark of the second period and scored again at the 2:18 mark of the third to take the lead. Kalamazoo appeared to tie the game at the 8:03 mark of the third on the power play, but the goal was waived off due to contact with Brkin in the crease. Pavel Cajan (4-0-0-0) maintained his perfect record in the ECHL by stopping 29 of the 31 shots he faced. Cajan’s electric performance in net kept Kalamazoo in the game throughout the contest.

Sunday, Jan. 21 – Cincinnati 6, Kalamazoo 2 (Wings Event Center - Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (17-17-3-0) went down 3-0 to the Cincinnati Cyclones (21-8-4-2) in the first period and fought hard the whole way but could not muster enough of a comeback, losing 6-2 Sunday. The Cyclones scored at the 3:29, 15:57 and 17:45 marks of the first period to build the early lead. But Kalamazoo pushed hard through the second period and outshot Cincinnati 16-7 in the frame. Brandon Saigeon (7) scored the first goal of the game for the K-Wings at the 3:29 mark of the second, out-hustling Cyclones goalkeeper Beck Warm (15-5-2-1) for a puck behind the cage, pushing in a wraparound shot and cutting the lead to 3-1. Cincinnati increased the lead back to three goals with a score at the 12:18 mark and held a 4-1 lead into the third period. The Cyclones then scored again at the 5:36 mark. After coincidental minor penalties were called at the 5:56 mark, Cincinnati committed another penalty at the 6:11 mark to give Kalamazoo its first power play of the game. The K-Wings pulled goalie Pavel Cajan (4-1-0-0) to skate 5-on-3, but the Cyclones sent the puck down the ice into the empty net on the ensuing draw. At the 14:13 mark, Leif Mattson (3) ripped a shot from between the circles into the back of the net. Cajan finished the game with 31 saves on 36 shots faced in the loss.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Friday, Jan. 27 – Toledo at Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Jan. 28 – Kalamazoo at Toledo, 7:15 p.m. EST – Heritage Center (Toledo, OH)

Sunday, Jan. 29 – Indy at Kalamazoo, 3:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI) 

ON THE MOVE

Jan. 18 - Forward Logan Lambdin was recalled from loan to Chicago (AHL) by Kalamazoo

Jan. 19 - Forward Erik Bradford and defenseman Ole Julian Bjørgvik-Holm were loaned to Kalamazoo by Cleveland (AHL)

Jan. 21 - Forward Logan Lambdin was loaned to Chicago (AHL) by Kalamazoo

Jan. 21 - Goaltender Pavel Cajan was loaned to Kalamazoo by Cleveland (AHL)

Jan. 22 - Defenseman Chad Nychuk was recalled from loan by Abbotsford (AHL) 

FAST FACTS

·           Forward Justin Taylor tied Kevin Schamehorn for No. 1 on the K-Wings career points leaderboard at 474 with his game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation Saturday.

·           Forward Erik Bradford is currently on a five-game point streak (1G, 5A) 

·          Forward Brandon Saigeon now has points in nine of his last 11 games (4G, 6A)

TEAM TRENDS

·       9-0-0-0 when scoring 4+ goals

·       9-1-0-0 when leading after the 2nd Period   

·       12-0-0-0 when leading by 2+ goals at any point in the game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              28 – Brandon Saigeon

GOALS:               11 – Mason McCarty

ASSISTS:          21 – Brandon Saigeon

PLUS/MINUS:    +9 – Leif Mattson 

PIMS:                   62 – Justin Murray

PP GOALS:      4 – Matheson Iacopelli

PP ASSISTS:        8 –  Justin Murray

SH GOALS:      2 – Raymond Brice

GW GOALS:    3 – Raymond Brice, Max Humitz

SHOTS:           100 – Max Humitz

WINS:                  8 – Hunter Vorva

GAA:                   2.31 – Hunter Vorva

SAVE %:             .928 – Hunter Vorva

* Currently with Cleveland (AHL)

** Currently with Columbus (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 1/14 (7.1%)

                           This Season – 23/133 (17.1%) – No. 23  in the ECHL                         

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 8/10 (80%)

                            This Season – 112/137 (81.8%) – No. 12 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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