KALAMAZOO HUNTS WITH GRIT, TWO AT HOME THIS WEEK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 12, 2024

KALAMAZOO HUNTS WITH GRIT, TWO AT HOME THIS WEEK

K-Wings earn two key wins toward playoff push with two home games this week after Pink Ice sellout.

OVERALL RECORD:  23-19-3-0

LAST WEEK:  2-1-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, play two games at home this week. Kalamazoo hosts Fort Wayne for $3 Friday at Wings Event Center and Toledo for Wizards, Wands, and Wings on Saturday at Wings Event Center.

Last week, the K-Wings went 2-1-0-0 (2-1 F/SO, 3-4, 3-2 F/OT).

Kalamazoo opened the week with a Wednesday trip to Iowa. Rookie defenseman Jay Keranan (1g) scored his first professional goal while goaltender Hunter Vorva (8-6-0-0) made 40 saves to give a shorthanded K-Wings team a gritty 2-1 shootout victory.

Kalamazoo spent Friday in Toledo for the opening leg of a home-and-home with the Walleye. Collin Adams (1g), Jay Keranen (1g), and Erik Bradford (1g-1a) each found the back of the net in the first period while rookie forward Jordan Seyfert (2a) recorded his first professional multi-point game. Unfortunately, Toledo rallied in the third to win, 4-3.

Kalamazoo closed the week by hosting Toledo in front of a SRO sellout crowd of 5,255 on Pink Ice. Josh Passolt scored the game-winner in overtime with a wraparound after skating in from center ice. Passolt’s dagger was his second goal of the game and came moments after a Hunter Vorva (9-6-0-0) save brought the Wings Event Center faithful to their feet. The win clinched Kalamazoo (7-2-1-0) the season series versus Toledo for the first time since 2015-16.

With a perfect 7-for-7 performance, the Kalamazoo penalty kill extended its streak of games without a power play goal allowed to 11. The K-Wings are now 34-for-34 since Jan. 14 versus Wheeling and improved to No. 3 in the ECHL (84.7%) with the effort.

‘Wizards, Wands and Wings’ Night on Feb. 17, presented by Infused Wellness, is only a few days away!  Wings Event Center is turning into a quidditch pitch during the 1st intermission with the first 1,000 fans receiving a limited edition K-Wings Wand. There’ll be a Specialty Jersey auction immediately following the game as well. Kalamazoo has also put together a steal of a deal with the ‘Wizards, Wands and Wings Ticket Package! Click HERE for more details!

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

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

The K-Wings open the week Friday by hosting Fort Wayne for $3 Friday at Wings Event Center. February means more than chocolates and cards, it’s also when action starts to heat up toward the playoff stretch! Join us, for an action-packed game that’s easy on the wallet with the best deal in the land on $3 Friday, presented by Lyster Exteriors ($3 beers, sodas & hot dogs)!

The K-Wings close the week on Saturday by hosting Toledo for Wizards, Wands, and Wings at Wings Event Center. Are you ready to turn the ice at Wings Event Center into a quidditch pitch? Well, ‘Wizards, Wands and Wings Night,’ presented by Infuse Wellness, is back and that’s exactly what’s happening during the 1st intermission. Plus, the first 1,000 fans receive a limited edition K-Wings wand, and there’ll be a Specialty Jersey auction immediately following the game.

Plus, don’t miss out on the Wizards, Wands & Wings Ticket Package! Get (4) four tickets to the game, (4) limited edition K-Wings Wands with 10% of the proceeds from your purchase being donated to United Way of South Central Michigan. Click HERE to secure your tickets NOW!

RESULTS
Wednesday, Feb. 7 – Kalamazoo 2, Iowa 1 F/SO (Xtream Arena, Coralville, IA) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (22-18-3-0) used a smattering of new faces, 40 Hunter Vorva saves, and two shootout goals to outlast the Iowa Heartlanders (18-19-5-2) at Xtream Arena on Wednesday, 2-1 in a shootout. Goaltender Hunter Vorva (8-6-0-0) made 40 superb saves and sealed the game with key stops on both shootout attempts faced. Jay Keranen (1) opened the scoring at the 8:53 mark of the second period with a blast from the right point. Recent rookie signees Mason Emoff (1) and Tyler Vanuden (1) each picked up their first professional point with assists on Keranen’s first pro goal. Iowa tied it up 1-1 at the 15:30 mark of the third period to force overtime. Ayden MacDonald scored with a nifty backhand-to-forehand move on the shootout’s first attempt with Vorva stoning the Heartlanders on the following shot. Collin Adams converted with the sassy backhand at the top of the second round to set the stage for a nasty game-clinching Vorva glove save. The K-Wings finished the game scoreless on the power play and Iowa took the final shot total (41-29). 

Friday, Feb. 9 – Kalamazoo 3, Toledo 4 (Huntington Center, Toledo, OH) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (22-19-3-0) started off hot and continued their perfect penalty-killing but ultimately fell to the Toledo Walleye (27-9-3-5) at Huntington Center on Friday, 4-3. With a perfect 4-for-4 performance, the Kalamazoo penalty kill extended its streak of games without a power play goal against to 10. The K-Wings are 33-for-33 on the PK since January 14 and killing at an 84.6% (No. 4) clip on the season. Collin Adams (10) opened the scoring with a power play tap-in from the right side at the 2:02 mark of the first period. Jay Keranen (2) doubled Kalamazoo’s lead at the 3:55 mark with a snipe from between the circles. Toledo made it 2-1 at the 13:51 mark. Erik Bradford (16) responded just 45 seconds later with a snapshot from inside the left circle. Toledo again cut the deficit to one at the 4:46 mark of the second. The Walleye tied the game 3-3 at the 9:11 mark of the third and notched the game-winner at 18:42. Goaltender Jonathan Lemieux (13-13-2-0) made 30 saves in the loss. Kalamazoo finished the game 1-for-2 on the power play and a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill. Toledo took the final shot total, 34-22.

Saturday, Feb. 10 – Toledo 2, Kalamazoo 3 (Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (23-19-3-0) used perfect penalty killing, 27 Hunter Vorva saves, and two Josh Passolt goals to defeat the Toledo Walleye  (27-9-4-5) at Wings Event Center Saturday, 3-2 in overtime. The win gives Kalamazoo a 7-2-1-0 record against Toledo on the year. With a perfect 1-for-1 performance, the Kalamazoo penalty kill extended its streak of games without a power play goal allowed to 11. The K-Wings improved to 34-for-34 on the PK since January 14 in front of a SRO sellout crowd. Josh Passolt (17) called game with a wraparound dagger on the rush at the 1:59 mark of overtime. A crazy Hunter Vorva (9-6-0-0) blocker save moments before set the stage for the Passolt winner. Passolt (16) opened the scoring at the 12:32 mark of the second by squeaking the puck past the goaltender on the rush. Passolt sprung himself by forcing a turnover in the neutral zone with an assist from David Keefer (23). Toledo tied the game 1-1 at the 5:54 mark of the third. Derek Daschke (10) put Kalamazoo back on top at the 10:48 mark with a tap-in from the blue paint. The Walleye pulled even with the extra attacker at the 18:23 mark to force overtime. Vorva made 27 saves to pick up his third straight win and conceded fewer than two goals for the ninth consecutive appearance. Kalamazoo finished the game scoreless on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill. Toledo took the final shot total, 29-21.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Friday, Feb. 16 – Fort Wayne at Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Feb. 17 – Toledo at Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

ON THE MOVE

Feb. 7: Rookie forward Tyler Vanuden was signed to a Standard Player Contract

Feb. 7: Veteran forward C.J. Eick was signed to a Standard Player Contract

Feb. 9: Veteran forward C.J. Eick was released from a Standard Player Contract

FAST FACTS

• Rookie forwards Tyler Vanuden and Mason Emoff each recorded their first professional point on rookie defenseman Jay Keranen’s first pro goal on Wednesday
• Rookie forward Jordan Seyfert notched his first multi-point game as a pro with two assists Friday
• Veteran forward Erik Bradford notched his 50th point of the season versus Toledo on Friday

TEAM TRENDS

• 20-2-0-0 when leading after two periods this season
• 14-0-0-0 when scoring four-plus goals this season
• 13-7-3-0 in one-goal games this season

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              51 – Erik Bradford

GOALS:               17 – Josh Passolt

ASSISTS:          35 –  Erik Bradford

PLUS/MINUS:    +13 – Erik Bradford

PIMS:                   136 – Chaz Reddekopp

PP GOALS:      3 – Erik Bradford, Derek Daschke

PP ASSISTS:        9 – Erik Bradford

SH GOALS:      1 – Erik Bradford, Josh Passolt, Cooper Walker*

GW GOALS:     4 – Collin Adams

SHOTS:            120 – Erik Bradford

WINS:                  13 – Jonathan Lemieux

GAA:                   2.31 – Hunter Vorva

SAVE %:             .928 – Hunter Vorva

* Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 1/5 (20%)

                            This Season – 22/143 (15.4%) – No. 28 in the ECHL         

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 7/7 (100%)

                             This Season – 138/163 (84.7%) – No. 3 in the ECHL

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Join the K-Wings for Pink Ice, presented by Bronson, on Feb. 10 and catch the deal of the month with the Stick it to Cancer Ticket package! Get (4) four tickets to the game and (4) silicone bracelets with 10% of the package cost donated to Bronson Health Foundation for just $49. Click HERE to secure your package now!

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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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