FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

October 21, 2023

K-WINGS RIDE BRONCOS, DISPENSE WALLEYE IN OT

Kalamazoo enjoys strong play from every level in home opener, and three former Broncos find the score sheet in OT victory. 

BOX SCORE

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings (1-0-0-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, leaned on their stable of former Western Michigan University Broncos, outstanding goaltending and a strong penalty kill unit versus Toledo (0-0-1-0), earning a 3-2 overtime win to open the 2023-24 regular season. 

The K-Wings secured their first victory off the stick of WMU alum Josh Passolt (1) who slipped behind the Walleye defense and fired an unperturbed shot past goaltender John Lethemon just 44 seconds into overtime. Robert Calisti (2) and Brandon Saigeon (1) were credited with assists on the game-winner, after causing the ruckus at center ice that sprung Passolt.

Goaltender Jonathan Lemieux (1-0-0-0) was spectacular in his first professional start and win, saving 29 of 31 (.935 SV%) Walleye shots faced. 

After falling behind early, Kalamazoo knotted the score at one by way of a Michael Joyaux (1) one-timer at the 16:40 mark of the second. The WMU product’s goal was set up by a slick drop pass from his former college teammate Ty Glover (1). 

The K-Wings took their first lead of the season with 13:09 left in the second when forward Erik Bradford (1) cashed in from the slot. The goal was Bradford’s second point of the period, as he’d recorded the secondary assist on Joyaux’s tally just 3:31 earlier, and it came off a great rush created by Brad Morrison (1) and Calisti (1).

Toledo managed to retie the game at the 13:09 mark of the third with a power play goal. 

But Lemieux slammed the door shut the rest of the way, keeping the game tied for the remainder of regulation. The rookie made ten stops in the final frame, including a three-saves-in-five-seconds flurry to help stave off a particularly dangerous Walleye opportunity in a key moment. 

The K-Wings finished the game 0-for-2 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill. Toledo took the final shot total, 31-27.

Kalamazoo is back to action on Wednesday at 7 p.m. EST versus the Indy Fuel at Wings Event Center. 

It’s also a winning Wednesday & 269 Night. That means, if the K-Wings win, you win free tickets to the next home weekday game. Come enjoy $2 beers & sodas, $6 wing baskets and get into the game for just $9 ($11 if purchased on gameday). Secure your tickets HERE.

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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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