KALAMAZOO POWERS THROUGH CENTRAL, MOVES INTO CONTENTION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 19, 2024

KALAMAZOO POWERS THROUGH CENTRAL, MOVES INTO CONTENTION

K-Wings pick up two wins as Central Division playoff race takes shape.

OVERALL RECORD:  25-19-3-0

LAST WEEK:  2-0-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, play one game at home and two games on the road this week. Kalamazoo hosts Maine on Wednesday for 269 Night/Winning Wednesday at Wings Event Center before traveling to Wheeling to face the Nailers on Saturday and Sunday.

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

Kalamazoo opened the week Friday versus Fort Wayne. The K-Wings fell behind twice but used a late David Keefer extra-attacker equalizer and the rookie’s overtime game-winning-goal to get past the Komets, 4-3. Keefer added the secondary assist on an Erik Bradford goal to record his first three-point game as a pro while Josh Passolt stayed hot with three helpers of his own.

The K-Wings closed the week by hosting Toledo for Wizards, Wands & Wings Night at Wings Event Center on Saturday. The K-Wings picked up their eighth victory over the Walleye of the season with a 4-2 result in front of a Standing Room Only sellout crowd of 5,071. Jordan Seyfert’s first professional goal and 28 Hunter Vorva saves highlighted Kalamazoo’s third-straight victory.

Kalamazoo is now 18-8-3-0 since Dec. 6. The team’s power play is clicking at a 22.8% clip (13/57) since Dec. 31 with the penalty kill pacing the defense at 97.6% (41/42) since Jan. 14.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

The K-Wings play one game this week at Wings Event Center.

The K-Wings open the week Wednesday by hosting Maine for 269 Night/Winning Wednesday at Wings Event Center. The K-Wings are set to host a North Division foe, the Maine Mariners, in a midweek tilt at Wings Event Center. It’s also Kalamazoo’s hottest midweek sporting event deal with 269 Night. So, everyone in the 269 gets to enjoy $2 Beers, $6 Wing Baskets and all for the low low price of a $9 ticket (*$11 if purchased Gameday).

RESULTS

Friday, Feb. 16 – Fort Wayne 3, Kalamazoo 4 F/OT (Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (24-19-3-0) fell behind twice but used a late comeback and two clutch David Keefer goals to down the Fort Wayne Komets (24-20-2-3) at Wings Event Center Friday, 4-3 in overtime. David Keefer (15) forced overtime by tipping in a Michael Joyaux (10) blast from the point with just 15 seconds remaining in regulation. Keefer (16) followed up the equalizer with the game-winner by picking the top left corner from the right circle at the 3:46 mark of overtime. Fort Wayne opened the scoring at the 5:29 mark of the first period and doubled its lead at the 2:40 mark of the second. Derek Daschke (11) cut the deficit to one at the 3:53 mark by finding the back of the net from just inside the blue line on the left side. Erik Bradford (17) pulled Kalamazoo even at the 18:53 mark by sneaking the puck in short-side from right of the crease. The Komets took a 3-2 lead at the 17:14 mark of the third period to set the stage for Keefer’s takeover. Goaltender Hunter Vorva (10-6-0-0) made 24 saves to pick up his fourth-straight victory. With a perfect 3-for-3 performance, the Kalamazoo penalty kill extended its streak of games without a power play goal allowed to 12. Keefer’s effort goes in the books as his first professional three-point game, and the K-Wings are 14-3-3-0 when he records a point since Dec. 6. For Passolt, the two assists mark eight multi-point games this season in 35 games played, and Kalamazoo is 7-0-1-0 when the forward notches multiple points this season.

Saturday, Feb. 17 – Toledo 2, Kalamazoo 4 (Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (25-19-3-0) played disciplined hockey with great goaltending and held off a late Toledo push to beat the Walleye (28-10-4-5) at Wings Event Center Saturday, 4-2. The win came in front of a Standing Room Only sellout (5,071) on ‘Wizards, Wands & Wings Night.’  The K-Wings improved their record against Toledo to 8-2-1-0 on the year and remain the only team in the ECHL to defeat the Walleye in regulation more than once this season. Jordan Seyfert (1) opened the scoring with a tip-in from below the right circle just 31 seconds into the contest. Luke Morgan (4) made it 2-0 at 8:19 by tipping in a Derek Daschke (12) shot from above the crease. Toledo responded less than a minute later with a goal at the 8:59 mark. Brad Morrison (8) made it 3-1 with a tip-in from left of the crease at the 7:23 mark of the second. Toledo pulled within one again with a power play goal at the 5:15 mark of the third. Erik Bradford (18) put a bow on things with a power play empty-netter with 26 seconds left in regulation. Goaltender Hunter Vorva (11-6-0-0) picked up a fifth straight win with 28 saves on 30 shots faced. The Kalamazoo native is riding the longest winning streak of his career and has conceded two goals or fewer in nine of his last ten starts. The K-Wings finished the game 2-for-3 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill. Both teams finished the game with 30 shots.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, Feb. 21 – Maine at Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EST – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Feb. 24 – Kalamazoo at Wheeling, 7:10 p.m. EST – WesBanco Arena (Wheeling, WV)

Sunday, Feb. 25 – Kalamazoo at Wheeling, 4:10 p.m. EST – WesBanco Arena (Wheeling, WV)

ON THE MOVE

Feb. 14: Forward Cody Milan was suspended to preserve his ECHL playing rights

Feb. 15: Rookie forward Jack Olmstead was signed to a Standard Player Contract

FAST FACTS

• Rookie forward Jordan Seyfert scored his first professional goal versus Toledo on Saturday
• Rookie forward David Keefer recorded his first professional three-point game with two goals and one assist versus Fort Wayne on Friday
• Goaltender Hunter Vorva is on the longest winning streak of his career at five games and has surrendered two goals or less in 10 of his last 11 outings

TEAM TRENDS

• 16-0-0-0 when scoring 4+ goals this season
• 21-2-0-0 when leading after 2nd
• 15-4-1-0 when scoring first this season

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              53 – Erik Bradford

GOALS:               18 – Erik Bradford

ASSISTS:          35 –  Erik Bradford

PLUS/MINUS:    +12 – Erik Bradford, Tanner Sorenson

PIMS:                   136 – Chaz Reddekopp

PP GOALS:      4 – Erik Bradford, Derek Daschke

PP ASSISTS:        9 – Erik Bradford

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

GW GOALS:     4 – Collin Adams, David Keefer

SHOTS:            131 – Erik Bradford

WINS:                  13 – Jonathan Lemieux

GAA:                   2.33 – Hunter Vorva

SAVE %:             .927 – Hunter Vorva

* Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 2/6 (33%)

                            This Season – 24/149 (16.1%) – No. 24 in the ECHL         

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 7/8 (87.5%)

                             This Season – 145/171 (84.7%) – No. 3 in the ECHL

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‘269 Night/Winning Wednesday’ on Feb. 17 at Wings Event Center is just a few days away! The K-Wings are set to host a North Division foe, the Maine Mariners, in a midweek tilt at Wings Event Center. It’s also Kalamazoo’s hottest midweek sporting event deal with 269 Night. So, everyone in the 269 gets to enjoy $2 Beers, $6 Wing Baskets and all for the low low price of a $9 ticket (*$11 if purchased Gameday).

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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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