K-WINGS BATTLE IN 1ST SLATE, READY FOR HOME PAIR AND MILITARY APPRECIATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 30, 2023

 K-WINGS BATTLE IN 1ST SLATE, READY FOR HOME PAIR AND MILITARY APPRECIATION 

 Kalamazoo preps for rematch with Indy on Friday’s ‘Woods and Water’ night, followed by Fort Wayne for ‘Military Appreciation’ on Saturday.

OVERALL RECORD:  2-2-0-0

LAST WEEK:  1-2-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, play two contests this week at Wings Event Center. First, Kalamazoo hosts the Indy Fuel for ‘Woods & Water’ night on Friday. Then, the K-Wings welcome the Fort Wayne Komets for ‘Military Appreciation’ night on Saturday. 

Last week, the K-Wings went 1-2-0-0 (5-4, 2-7, 2-6)

The K-Wings got off to a hot start versus the Indy Fuel on Wednesday in Kalamazoo, scoring two goals (Blachman [1], Glover [1]) in the opening 40 seconds of regulation and took a 4-2 lead into the second intermission. Indy then found the equalizer at 14:26 of the third, but defenseman Robert Calisti wristed home the game-winning goal (GWG) just 46 seconds later.

Kalamazoo erased an early one-goal deficit and took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission versus the Wheeling Nailers on Friday, courtesy of goals by forwards Brad Morrison (2) and Josh Passolt (3). Wheeling scored the only goal in the second period and found the GWG early in the third period at Wings Event Center.

The K-Wings flexed their special teams in the first period of their first road game of the season against the Indy Fuel on Saturday, scoring via the power play and short-handed to erase an early one-goal deficit. But Indy fought back with four of their own in the second and kept Kalamazoo off the score sheet the rest of the way out. Rookie forward Cooper Walker (1) recorded his first professional goal with his short-handed tally in the first. Walker (2) also notched his first professional multi-point game, assisting on Calisti’s (2) PPG just 1:31 prior.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

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

First, on Friday, Nov. 3, the Indy Fuel return at 7 p.m. for ‘Woods and Water’ night at Wings Event Center. We celebrate every season to the fullest in Michigan, and on Woods & Water Night we want you to celebrate the outdoors by proudly wearing your best outdoor attire (hunting, fishing, camping, wildlife) to the game! Enjoy $3 Friday ($3 beers, sodas & hotdogs), and stick around for our first jersey auction of the season (DASH Auction online) with all proceeds benefiting American Legion Post 257 in Battle Creek. 

Then, on Saturday, Nov. 4, the Fort Wayne Komets travel in to face the K-Wings at 7 p.m. for ‘Military Appreciation’ night at Wings Event Center. Wear your red, white & blue and get ready to cheer loudly in support of our service members for Military Appreciation Night. In Kalamazoo, we understand the sacrifices our service members have made and believe that Military Appreciation is more than a ‘Thank you.’ So, join us as we honor each of the five branches all evening long. Also, don’t miss out on the K-Wings limited edition Camo Bucket Hat that goes to the first 1,000 fans in attendance!

RESULTS

Wednesday, Oct. 25 – Indy 4, Kalamazoo 5 (Wings Event Center - Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (2-0-0-0) secured their second straight victory when defenseman Robert Calisti (1) patiently fired a shot home from the slot, breaking a 4-4 tie with the Indy Fuel (1-2-0-0) with 4:48 left in regulation. The game-winner came just 46 seconds after Indy found an equalizer. The K-Wings’ first goal, courtesy of Nico Blachman (1), came just 20 seconds into the contest, and the home team doubled its lead another 20 ticks later when Ty Glover (1) knocked in a rebound off an initial Brad Morrison (2) shot. An Indy power-play goal (PPG) allowed the Fuel to draw back to within one before Morrison (1) recorded a PPG of his own at the 17:39 mark to restore Kalamazoo’s two-goal lead and end a four-goal first period. The Fuel drew to within one again at the 4:19 mark of the second. Then Josh Passolt (2) extended the K-Wings lead to two goals with the play of the frame at the 10:38 mark of the second. T Indy again pulled within one early in the third before tying the game with 5:34 remaining. Goaltender Jonathan Lemieux (2-0-0-0) saved 33 of 37 Fuel shots faced in the win.

Friday, Oct. 27 – Wheeling 7, Kalamazoo 2 (Wings Event Center - Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (2-1-0-0) suffered their first loss of the season versus Wheeling (2-0-0-0) Friday on Orange Ice at Wings Event Center, 7-2. A five-goal third period from Wheeling proved to be too much to overcome in this one, as the Nailers scored the final six goals of the hockey game, starting in the 2nd period. Kalamazoo scored two goals in the first period after falling behind 1-0 early. Brad Morrison (2) scored with 11:39 remaining in the period and Josh Passolt (3) buried a rebound from just outside the right crease at the 12:06 mark of the second. Goaltender Jonathan Lemieux (2-1-0-0) suffered his first loss of the season, making 16 saves on 23 shots. The K-Wings finished the game scoreless on the power play, 2-for-2 on the penalty kill and took the final shot total, 33-23. 

Saturday, Oct. 28 – Kalamazoo 2, Indy 6 (Indiana Farmers Coliseum - Indianapolis, IN) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (2-2-0-0) dropped their first road game of the season Saturday against the Indy Fuel (2-2-0-0) at Indiana Farmers Coliseum, 6-2. A shining performance from rookie forward Cooper Walker (1g, 1a) was not enough to counter a Fuel offense that scored four goals in the second period on Saturday night. Indy opened the scoring at the 6:11 mark of the first period, but Kalamazoo answered back with two of its own in the frame. First, it was with a blistering Robert Calisti (2) one-timer on the power-play at the 9:56 mark before Walker netted his first pro goal. Walker’s marker came short-handed at the 8:25 mark. Indy tied the game at two just 66 seconds into the second period and added three more goals before the frame ended (4:15, 10:23, 17:12). Goaltender Hunter Vorva (0-1-0-0) made 31 saves in his first start of the season. Kalamazoo finished the game 1-for-3 on the power play and 7-for-8 on the penalty kill. Indy took the final shot total, 37-15.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Friday, Nov. 3 – Indy vs. Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Nov. 4 –  Fort Wayne vs. Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

ON THE MOVE

Oct. 26: Forward Ty Glover was recalled from loan to Kalamazoo by Vancouver (NHL)

Oct. 28: Forward Josh Passolt was recalled from loan to Kalamazoo by Abbotsford (AHL)

FAST FACTS

• Forward Cooper Walker recorded both his first professional goal and multi-point game against Indy on Saturday
• Defenseman Robert Calisti is currently ranked T-No. 2 in the ECHL for points scored by a defenseman (5)
• Forward Justin Taylor is just three games shy of his 800th career ECHL game, and just two points shy of his 500th point as a K-Wing

TEAM TRENDS

COMING SOON!

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:                  5 – Robert Calisti

GOALS:                  3 – Josh Passolt*

ASSISTS:               3 – Erik Bradford, Robert Calisti, Brandon Saigeon

PLUS/MINUS:     +3 – Josh Passolt

PIMS:                     17 – Tanner Sorenson

PP GOALS:            1 – Brad Morrison, Robert Calisti

PP ASSISTS:        1 –  Erik Bradford, Ty Glover*, Cooper Walker

SH GOALS:           1 – Cooper Walker

GW GOALS:          1 – Robert Calisti, Josh Passolt*

SHOTS:                11 – Brad Morrison, Josh Passolt*

WINS:                    2 – Jonathan Lemieux

* Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)      

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:     Last Week – 2/13 (15.5%)

                               This Season – 2/15 (13.3%) – T-No. 20 in the ECHL                         

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 12/15 (80.0%)

                               This Season – 15/19 (78.9%) – T-No. 17 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 Vancouver Canucks and the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks. Kalamazoo plays their 36 regular season home games at Wings Event Center from October through April.

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