FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

October 13, 2023

K-WINGS OPEN PRESEASON WITH SHOOTOUT WIN AGAINST TOLEDO

Kalamazoo hits road, weathers storm in opening frame and throtles to shootout victory in preseason opener.

BOX SCORE

TOLEDO, OH – The Kalamazoo Wings (PRESEASON: 1-0-0-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, rode goaltender Hunter Vorva’s hot start and gelled together in Toledo (PRESEASON: 0-0-0-1) for a 3-2 road shootout victory to open the 2023-24 preseason. 

The two teams’ physicality was in midseason form in the first period and they skated to a scoreless tie until Toledo opened the game’s scoring at the 5:28 mark of the second. 

But strong netminder play by Vorva (26 saves), and a shorthanded tally with just two seconds remaining in the second, allowed Kalamazoo to avenge a 27-12 shot deficit as the K-Wings found their footing in the preseason opener.

On the goal, the Brighton, MI connection of forwards David Keefer (1) and Luke Morgan (1) completed a beautiful 2-on-1 to end the frame with Morgan delivering the game-tying goal. 

Then at the 10:19 mark of the third, K-Wings forward Collin Adams (1) delivered the go-ahead power play goal off the feed from defenseman Derek Daschke (1) to give Kalamazoo its first lead of the game, 2-1.

Unfortunately, Toledo was able to tie the game up at two - on the power play - at the 15:49 mark of the third - despite outstanding play from K-Wings goaltender Trevor Babin (1-0-0-0) who replaced Vorva at the start of the third period. 

In OT, both teams registered six shots on goal and Babin made multiple highlight reel saves to send the game to a shootout. 

The shootout went five rounds with K-Wings forwards Adams and Drake Pilon notching goals, and Babin (11 saves) slammed the door shut for the Kalamazoo victory. 

The K-Wings finished the game 1-for-3 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill in the contest. Toledo took the final shot total, 36-24.

Kalamazoo and Toledo run it back in the preseason finale at 7 p.m. EST on Saturday at Wings Event Center. Tickets to the game can be purchased HERE.

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Kalamazoo’s ‘Home Opener’ kicks off the 2023-24 regular season on Saturday, October 21 versus Toledo Walleye at 7:00 p.m. EST at Wings Event Center. Tickets to the preseason, the Home Opener and each of the K-Wings’s 36-game home schedule can be purchased HERE.

It’s also not too late to secure 2023-24 K-Wings season tickets. Enjoy exclusive benefits, including guaranteed seat location to all 36 home games, complimentary parking, early access to the arena and more. Click HERE to join the ranks of the K-Wings High Flyers today.

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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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