K-WINGS SELL OUT ‘PINK ICE,’ PREPARE FOR 4 GAMES THIS WEEK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 13, 2023

K-WINGS SELL OUT ‘PINK ICE,’ PREPARE FOR 4 GAMES THIS WEEK

 Kalamazoo gets set for two more highly anticipated home games: ‘Black Heritage Celebration’ and ‘Wizards, Wands and Wings.’ 

OVERALL RECORD:  18-24-3-0

LAST WEEK:  0-2-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, play four contests this week with two at Wings Event Center. First, the K-Wings take a trip to Cincinnati to take on the Cyclones Wednesday. Then, Kalamazoo comes back home for back-to-back games with the Indy Fuel on Friday and Saturday. Wrapping up the week, the K-Wings head to Fort Wayne to play the Komets Sunday.

Last week, the K-Wings went 0-2-0-0 (2-4, 0-5).

Kalamazoo started the week in Toledo, falling by a final score of 4-2 to the Walleye on Friday. The K-Wings struck first with Justin Taylor’s backhand goal from just off the crease. But the Walleye responded with two power play goals in the second period to take the lead. Matheson Iacopelli answered with a power play goal of his own midway through the third, but Toledo responded with a goal 2:23 later and added an empty-netter in the final minute to secure the victory.

Then, on Saturday, the K-Wings hosted the Indy Fuel and a sellout crowd for ‘Pink Ice,’ and fell 5-0. The game was scoreless through the first 12 minutes, but Indy scored a pair of goals before the first period ended. The Fuel then scored twice early in the second and tallied one more goal in the third to leave Wings Event Center on top.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

The K-Wings play four games this week, with two taking place at Wings Event Center on Friday and Saturday.

First, on Friday, Feb. 17 at 7:00 p.m. EST, the K-Wings host the Indy Fuel for the ‘Black Heritage Celebration’ game at Wings Event Center. February is an important month to reflect on the achievements of our Black community, while also emphasizing ongoing action to ensure the Black community is represented and welcomed everywhere. It’s also a $3 Friday, presented by Bud Light, so enjoy beers, sodas and hot dogs for just $3.

Then, the K-Wings host ‘Wizards, Wands and Wings’ night versus the Indy Fuel on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 7:00 p.m. EST at Wings Event Center. We’re turning Wings Event Center into Hogwarts again, so make sure you get to the arena early because the first 1,000 fans will receive a K-Wings wizard hat. And, get your arm ready to raise that bidding paddle for the Wizards, Wands and Wings specialty jersey auction immediately after the game!

RESULTS

Friday, Feb. 10 – Kalamazoo 2, Toledo 4 (Huntington Center - Toledo, OH) | Box Score

>>  The Kalamazoo Wings (18-23-3-0) responded to a strong Toledo Walleye (26-15-4-2) second period to tie the game in the third, but the Walleye punched back at the end and won Friday at Huntington Center, 4-2. The K-Wings struck first at the 10:45 mark of the first period as Justin Taylor (10) went to the backhand for the goal. Toledo responded with a pair of power play goals just 13 seconds apart at the 3:49 and 4:02 marks of the second period and skated to the third with the 2-1 advantage. Matheson Iacopelli (12) then drew Kalamazoo even with a power play goal of his own on a no-doubt shot from the left circle at the 9:06 mark. The Walleye, however, answered with the game-winning goal at the 11:29 mark. Toledo added an empty netter with 38 seconds remaining to seal the victory. Hunter Vorva (8-6-1-0) was stout, making 36 stops in the loss.

Saturday, Feb. 11 – Indy 5, Kalamazoo 0 (Wings Event Center - Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (18-23-3-0) fell behind early to the Indy Fuel (31-15-2-0) Saturday and lost 5-0 in front of a soldout Wings Event Center crowd for the ‘Pink Ice’ game, presented by Bronson. The K-Wings and Fuel skated to a scoreless tie through the first 12 minutes of action, but Indy scored goals at the 12:09 and 15:20 marks and took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Indy then scored twice early in the second, at the 3:19 and 4:15 marks, and Evan Cormier (5-15-2) was replaced by Hunter Vorva between the pipes. Cormier stopped 17 of 21 shots faced. Vorva allowed just one goal at the 13:55 mark of the third and made 15 saves the rest of the way out. The K-Wings were unable to solve Indy netminder Mitchell Weeks (12-4-1), who earned his second shutout of the season with the victory. Justin Taylor led Kalamazoo with three shots in the loss. With the loss in the 22nd Edition of the Pink Ice game, Kalamazoo’s overall record in the annual event falls to 14-8 historically.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, Feb. 15 – Kalamazoo at Cincinnati, 7:35 p.m. EST – Heritage Bank Center (Cincinnati, OH)

Friday, Feb. 17 – Indy at Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Feb. 18 – Indy at Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Sunday, Feb. 19 – Kalamazoo at Fort Wayne, 5:00 p.m. EST – Allen County War Memorial Coliseum (Fort Wayne, IN)

ON THE MOVE

Feb. 6 - Goaltender Pavel Cajan was returned from loan to Cleveland (AHL) by Kalamazoo

Feb. 6 - Goaltender Hunter Vorva was returned to Kalamazoo from loan by Cleveland (AHL)

Feb. 8 - Forward Luke Morgan was acquired from Kansas City in exchange for forward Shaw Boomhower from Kalamazoo

FAST FACTS

·           Forward Matheson Iacopelli scored a goal Saturday, notching his seventh point (3G, 4A) in the last four games.

·           With forward Justin Taylor’s goal on Saturday, Taylor tied his season-long point streak at four games (3G, 2A). Taylor now has 10 points (5G, 5A) in his last 13 games.

TEAM TRENDS

·       10-0-0-0 when scoring 4+ goals

·       10-1-0-0 when leading after the 2nd Period   

·       6-2-3-0 when tied after the 2nd Period

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:                29 – Brandon Saigeon

GOALS:                  12 – Max Humitz, Matheson Iacopelli, Mason McCarty

ASSISTS:              21 – Brandon Saigeon

PLUS/MINUS:     +9 – Leif Mattson 

PIMS:                     75 – Justin Murray

PP GOALS:              5 – Max Humitz, Matheson Iacopelli, Justin Taylor

PP ASSISTS:         10 –  Justin Murray

SH GOALS:               2 – Raymond Brice

GW GOALS:              3 – Raymond Brice, Max Humitz

SHOTS:                  122 – Justin Taylor

WINS:                        8 – Hunter Vorva

GAA:                     2.56 – Hunter Vorva

SAVE %:             .919 – Hunter Vorva

* Currently with Cleveland (AHL)

** Currently with Columbus (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:     Last Week – 1/6 (16.7%)

                               This Season – 29/167 (17.4%) – No. 22 in the ECHL                         

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 3/5 (60.0%)

                                This Season – 134/170 (78.8%) – No. 18 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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