KALAMAZOO LAUNCHES OUT OF WEEKEND, PREPS FOR LAVENDER ICE SATURDAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 20, 2023

KALAMAZOO LAUNCHES OUT OF WEEKEND, PREPS FOR LAVENDER ICE SATURDAY

K-Wings to celebrate the holiday with three home games, including Peanuts, Lavender Ice and Teddy Bear Toss

OVERALL RECORD:  4-7-0-0

LAST WEEK:  1-1-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, play four contests this week with three at Wings Event Center. First, Kalamazoo hosts the Iowa Heartlanders for Peanuts Night, presented by United Way of South Central Michigan on Wednesday. Then, the K-Wings travel to Toledo on Friday before returning home to host Cincinnati for Lavender Ice, presented by West Michigan Cancer Center, on Saturday and the Indy Fuel on Sunday, presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan at Wings Event Center.

Last week, the K-Wings went 1-1-0-0 (2-4, 4-0).

The K-Wings traveled to Toledo and scored two goals in 6:36, starting at the 12:15 mark of the third period to cut the Walleye lead to one on Friday. First Ty Glover scored via a breakaway, and Michael Joyaux notched an extra-attacker goal at the 18:49 mark, but Toledo was able to score on the empty net to seal the contest. 

Then Kalamazoo traveled to Indy and dominated the Fuel on Saturday, 4-0, earning its first shutout of the season along the way. The game started with two Brad Morrison goals in the game’s opening 3:46, and finished with four K-Wings registering multiple points. Morrison’s second goal came via the power play, and the penalty kill finished the game a perfect 4 for 4 to improve to No. 4 in the ECHL (87%). The game also went in the books as rookie netminder Jonathan Lemieux’s first professional shutout with the goaltender making multiple dazzling saves (32/32) throughout. 

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

The K-Wings play four games this week with three at Wings Event Center. 

First, on Wednesday, Nov. 22, the K-Wings host the Iowa Heartlanders for ‘Peanuts Night,’ presented by United Way of South Central Michigan, at 7:00 p.m. EST at Wings Event Center. Get the family out of the house and continue the holiday tradition of Penuts and K-Wings Hockey. It’s also a 269 Night ($2 beers & sodas, $6 Wing Baskets and $9 tickets [$11 if purchased on Gameday]) and a Winning Wednesday (K-Wings win, and you win a free ticket to the next midweek game). It’s also Kalamazoo’s first in-person specialty jersey auction of the season, benefiting UWSCM.

On Saturday, Nov. 25, the K-Wings return home to host the Cincinnati Cyclones for Lavender Ice, presented by West Michigan Cancer Center, at 7:00 p.m. at Wings Event Center.  Join the K-Wings by wearing lavender in support of the NHL’s ‘Hockey Fights Cancer’ initiative, and get ready for some serious noise, as the first 1,000 fans receive a set of K-Wings Thunder Sticks. There’s also a Hockey Fights Cancer specialty jersey auction post-game, benefiting WMCC. 

Also, don’t miss out on the Hockey Fights Cancer Ticket pack. Enjoy four tickets to Lavender Ice, four silicone HFC bracelets and 10% of your ticket package will be donated to West Michigan Cancer Center. There will also be a HFC specialty jersey auction immediately following the game, benefiting WMCC. Click HERE to secure your package NOW!

Finally, on Sunday, Nov. 26, the Indy Fuel visit for the annual ‘Teddy Bear Toss’ game, presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, at 3:00 p.m. EST at Wings Event Center. What better way to kick off the holiday season than giving back? Join the K-Wings for the annual Teddy Bear Toss game. How can you help? Bring a new or lightly used teddy bear (or any stuffed animal) to throw onto the ice when the K-Wings score their first goal, and we’ll deliver it to kids in need this holiday season. Also, join us for our first postgame skate of the season with the players! $5 skate rentals will be available postgame.

RESULTS

 Friday, Nov. 17 – Kalamazoo 2, Toledo 4 (Huntington Center - Toledo, OH) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (3-7-0-0) surged back in the third against the Toledo Walleye (6-1-1-1) but fell 4-2 at Huntington Center Friday.  A Michael Joyaux (2) extra-attacker goal with 1:11 left in regulation made things interesting late. Toledo scored first at the 10:37 mark of the first and doubled its lead 31 seconds later. The Walleye added another with 11:10 remaining in the second. Then Glover (2) started the K-Wings march back into the game with a top-shelf goal on the rush at the 12:15 mark of the third. Goaltender Jonathan Lemieux (3-5-0-0) made 13 third period saves to keep Kalamazoo in it late. The rookie finished with 29 total stops in the contest. Toledo tacked on an empty-netter with 35 seconds left to secure the win. 

Saturday, Nov. 18 – Kalamazoo 4, Indy 0 (Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Indianapolis, IN) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (4-7-0-0) stormed out to a 2-0 advantage in the first and rode a flawless night between the pipes by rookie Jonathan Lemieux on Saturday for a 4-0 victory against the Indy Fuel (3-6-1-0) at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Lemieux’s (4-5-0-0) gem included multiple fantastic stops inside his 32 saves, securing his first professional shutout along the way. Erik Bradford (2a), Ty Glover (1g, 1a), Michael Joyaux (3a), and Brad Morrison (2g) all recorded multiple points in the win. Morrison (3) opened the scoring 1:54 into the contest and scored his second goal (4) of the game 1:52 later on the power play. Glover (3) then hit the scoresheet at the 13:39 mark of the third by deflecting in a Bradford (7) shot from the right side. Joyaux (4) also assisted the goal. Collin Adams (3) put a bow on things with a right circle snipe on the rush with 16:55 left in regulation. 

THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, Nov. 22 – Iowa versus Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Friday, Nov. 24 – Kalamazoo at Toledo, 7:15 p.m. EST – Huntington Center (Toledo, OH)

Saturday, Nov. 25 – Cincinnati versus Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Sunday, Nov. 26 – Indy versus Kalamazoo, 3:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

ON THE MOVE

Nov. 15: Forward Ty Glover was reassigned to Kalamazoo by Vancouver (NHL)

Nov. 15: Forward Josh Passolt was reassigned to Kalamazoo by Abbotsford (AHL)

Nov. 16: Defenseman Chad Nychuk was recalled from loan to Kalamazoo by Abbotsford (AHL)

FAST FACTS

• Rookie goaltender Jonathan Lemieux recorded his first professional shutout (32 saves) in Saturday’s 4-0 victory against Indy
• Forward Ty Glover extended his ECHL points streak to four games with multipoint efforts against Toledo and Indy (2g-2a) this past weekend. Glover now has multiple points in his last three contests.
• Kalamazoo’s penalty kill improved to No. 4 (87.0%) in the ECHL this past weekend and has successfully killed 13 straight penalties dating back to Nov. 8 against Iowa

TEAM TRENDS

• 3-0-0-0 when scoring 3+ goals
• 3-1-0-0 when scoring first  
• 2-1-0-0 in stand-alone games

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              9 – Erik Bradford, Brad Morrison

GOALS:               4 – Brad Morrison

ASSISTS:          6 - Erik Bradford

PLUS/MINUS:    +4 – Ty Glover 

PIMS:                   34 – Brad Morrison

PP GOALS:      2 – Brad Morrison

PP ASSISTS:        2 –  Ty Glover, Michael Joyaux

SH GOALS:      1 – Cooper Walker

GW GOALS:     1 – Robert Calisti, Brad Morrison, Josh Passolt, Collin Saccoman

SHOTS:            28 – Michael Joyaux

WINS:                  4 – Jonathan Lemieux

GAA:                   2.69 – Jonathan Lemieux

SAVE %:             .921 – Jonathan Lemieux

* Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:    Last Week – 1/7 (14.3%)

                              This Season – 4/34 (11.8%) – No. 28 in the ECHL              

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 5/5 (100%)

                               This Season – 40/46 (87.0%) – No. 4 in the ECHL

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It’s time to join the ranks of the K-Wings High Flyers with the Back-Half Season Ticket plan! Click HERE for more information. 

Also, the 3-pack is back. Enjoy Rainbow Ice (Jan. 20), Kids Day (Mar. 17) & Fan Appreciation (Apr. 6) for the low price of $49. Click HERE to secure your 3-Pack 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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