K-WINGS LET DOGS OUT IN 1ST, BEAT OILERS SATURDAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

March 4, 2023

K-WINGS LET DOGS OUT IN 1ST, BEAT OILERS SATURDAY

Kalamazoo bounces back with three-goal first period, hangs on to win on ‘Scooby Doo with Pucks n’ Paws’ night.

BOX SCORE

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings (22-28-4-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, snatched the lead over the Tulsa Oilers (19-26-7-1) in a hurry and held on for a 3-2 victory Saturday in front of over 4,700 fans at Wings Event Center.

The K-Wings jumped out of the gate with three goals in the first period, and Evan Cormier (7-16-3-0) helped Kalamazoo hang on for the win with several outstanding stops including some clutch glove work with six seconds remaining to prevent a game-tying goal with an extra attacker on the ice. Cormier finished with 33 saves in the contest.

Coale Norris (9) opened the scoring after he collected a rebound and scooted in a shot at the 4:28 mark of the game. Ole Julian Bjørgvik-Holm (3) sent the initial shot over the cage, Brandon Saigeon (22) then slapped the puck off the boards from just beyond the left circle on net, and Norris cleaned up the trash on the right.

Then, it was Mason McCarty (13) finishing off a rebound opportunity to make it 2-0 K-Wings at the 14:31 mark. On the play, Norris (6) and McCarty played catch in the offensive zone before Norris sent a wraparound pass to Saigeon (23) for the initial shot, and McCarty was ready on the backdoor and crushed it home.

Finally, Matheson Iacopelli (16) did what he does best, blasting a shot from the left circle just inside the far post for the score with 34 seconds left in the opening frame. Luke Morgan (11) and Kurt Gosselin (3) assisted on Iacopelli’s game-winner.

Tulsa battled back with a goal at the 16:16 mark of the second period, and scored again on the power play at 7:00 in the third, but Kalamazoo slammed the door shut in its defensive end during the final minutes.

The K-Wings and Oilers battle once more in the rubber match Sunday at 3:00 p.m. at Wings Event Center. It’s ‘Kids Day,’ with the first 1,000 kids in the gate receiving a K-Wings jersey, and there will be a postgame skate with K-Wings players. Secure your seats HERE.

--

It’s March, which means it’s almost time for THE biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Kalamazoo, the K-Wings’ 39th annual ‘Green Ice’ game! Secure your seats HERE, because Wings Event Center is filling up fast for the grandaddy of all Painted Ice games. Stay post-game for the player-worn jersey auction, and it's also $3 Friday, so enjoy $3 beers, sodas and hot dogs while watching your K-Wings face the Fort Wayne Komets.

--

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.

###