KALAMAZOO GRINDS INTO CONTENTION, PUCKS & PAWS THIS WEEK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 25, 2024

KALAMAZOO GRINDS INTO CONTENTION, PUCKS & PAWS THIS WEEK

K-Wings finish brutal seven-game stretch with four wins and look to surge with nine remaining. 

OVERALL RECORD:  34-26-3-0

CENTRAL DIVISION STANDINGS: No. 4

LAST WEEK:  2-2-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, play one game at home and one game on the road this week. The K-Wings host the Cincinnati Cyclones for ‘Pucks ‘N Paws’ at Wings Event Center Friday and visit the Fort Wayne Komets Saturday.

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

Kalamazoo opened the week in Fort Wayne on Wednesday and was tied at two, after two, with the Komets. Fort Wayne then notched two goals early in the third and the K-Wings answered with one late. Unfortunately, Kalamazoo could not score the equalizer before time expired.

The K-Wings then traveled to Wheeling and beat the Nailers on Friday, 4-3. The back-and-forth battle entered the period tied at three. That set the stage for late Erik Bradford heroics, who smashed home a one-timer from the right circle with 3:42 seconds remaining in the game. Goaltender Hunter Vorva and the defense stood tall the rest of the way out. 

Kalamazoo immediately left the Wheel for a matchup with the Cincinnati Cyclones on Saturday night. The K-Wings dominated the ice surface in the Cyclones' barn, outshooting Cincinnati 25-16 after two periods and entered the third up 2-0. Unfortunately, The Cyclones hit a hot patch of 1:46 in the third, scoring two goals to force overtime, but the K-Wings ended it in OT. Erik Bradford (2g-1a) scored the game-winner on the doorstep and earned his 400th ECHL point with a secondary assist on the game’s opening goal. 

The K-Wings wrapped up the week in Indy on Sunday evening. Unfortunately, Indy was able to answer two Kalamazoo leads and knotted the game up 2-2 early in the third. The Fuel then kept the pressure on down the stretch, and they scored the game-winner 4:49 remaining in the game.

Kalamazoo finished the seven games in 10 days stretch 4-3-0-0 and moved into sole possession of fourth place in the Central Division. 

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

The K-Wings play four games on the road this week. They’ll return to Wings Event Center on Friday, March 29!

The K-Wings return home Friday, March 29 for Pucks ‘N Paws Night at Wings Event Center! Ruh Roh! Scooby Doo is back, and it’s that time of the year to bring the pup back to the rink for Pucks ‘N Paws, presented by Blain’s Farm & Fleet. The goal horns will be turned off, and the barks will be turned UP. Plus, don’t miss the pup race during the first intermission, $3 Friday ($3 beers, sodas & hot dogs), or the ‘Scooby Doo Specialty Jersey Auction’ post-game.

Also, don't miss out on the Scooby-Doo Character Appearance Ticket Pack for just $55 on March 29. Get 4 Tickets (White Level), a Private Character Appearance (Scooby & Shaggy), a Photograph with Scooby-Doo Character and a free game of bowling at Airway Fun Center. Tap here to secure your seats NOW!

RESULTS
Wednesday, Mar. 20 – Kalamazoo 3, Fort Wayne 4 (Allen County War Memorial Coliseum) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (32-25-3-0) pulled within one late but were unable to find an equalizer in the final minutes and fell to the Fort Wayne Komets (32-25-2-3) at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Wednesday, 4-3. Ayden MacDonald (9) pulled Kalamazoo within one with a redirection in front at the 17:51 mark. Fort Wayne opened the scoring at the 5:02 mark of the first period. Collin Adams (16) responded with a one-timer from the left circle at the 7:20 mark. The Komets made it 2-1 at the 9:26 mark of the second period. Bradford (25) tied the game at the 18:50 mark all alone on the rush. Fort Wayne retook the lead at the 3:13 mark of the third period and made it 4-2 at 7:42. Goaltender Hunter Vorva (17-9-0-0) kept the K-Wings within striking distance with 36 saves on 40 shots faced. The K-Wings finished the game scoreless on the power play and accrued no penalty minutes. Fort Wayne took the final shot total, 40-28. 

Friday, Mar. 22 – Kalamazoo 4, Wheeling 3 (WesBanco Arena, Wheeling, WV) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (33-25-3-0) used perfect penalty killing, 31 Hunter Vorva saves, and a clutch Erik Bradford third period goal to defeat the Wheeling Nailers (34-26-2-1) at WesBanco Arena Friday, 4-3. Erik Bradford (26) scored the go-ahead goal with a one-timer from the right circle at the 16:18 mark of the third period. The boys in red, white and blue then killed a 6-on-4 advantage in the final 1:28 of regulation after going short-handed late to seal the win. Wheeling opened the scoring at the 2:31 mark of the first period. Collin Adams (17) pulled Kalamazoo even at the 5:11 mark on a breakaway through the left circle. Passolt (21) made it 2-1 with a one-timer from the right circle on the power play at the 11:42 mark. The Nailers tied the game at the 17:15 mark. Collin Saccoman (6) found the back of the net from just below the blue line with a one-timer at the 16:42 mark of the second. Wheeling tied the game 3-3 just 1:04 later. Goaltender Hunter Vorva (18-9-0-0) was stellar and stopped 31 of 34 shots against. The Kalamazoo native denied all 14 Nailer attempts in the third period. The K-Wings finished the game 1-for-3 on the power play and a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill. Wheeling took the final shot total, 34-24

Saturday, Mar. 23 – Kalamazoo 3, Cincinnati 2 F/OT (Heritage Bank Center, Cincinnati, OH) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (34-25-3-0) marched forward Saturday with three points from Erik Bradford and Brad Morrison to down the Cincinnati Cyclones (27-30-6-0) at Heritage Bank Center, 3-2 F/OT. The win gives the K-Wings 71 points and moves the team into sole possession of fourth place in the Central Division standings. Erik Bradford (28) called game with a tap-in from the right side at the 3:20 mark of overtime. Brad Morrison (11) opened the scoring with a tap-in from the right side at the 16:05 mark of the second period. Josh Passolt (21) hit Morrison with a cheeky no-look pass from behind the net while Bradford (47) notched his 400th ECHL point with the secondary assist. Bradford (27) scored his first of the night with a power-play net front tap-in at the 19:11 mark. Morrison (30) and Joyaux (19) assisted the extra-man marker. Cincinnati made it 2-1 on the power play at the 4:19 mark of the third and forced overtime with an equalizer 1:42 later. Goaltender Jonathan Lemieux (15-16-2-0) was locked in throughout and made 22 saves on 24 shots against. The K-Wings finished the game 1-for-4 on the power play and 1-for-2 on the penalty kill. Kalamazoo took the final shot total, 43-24.

Sunday, Mar. 24 – Kalamazoo 2, Indy 3 (Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Indianapolis, IN) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (34-26-3-0) battled throughout but were not able to score a late equalizer and fell to the Indy Fuel (35-23-5-1) at Indiana Farmers Coliseum Sunday, 3-2. Despite the loss, the K-Wings finish the seven games in 10 days stretch 4-3, ending the week in fourth place in the Central Division standings. Ayden MacDonald (10) opened the scoring with a tip-in from the right side at the 14:52 mark of the first period. Indy tied the game at the 19:19 mark. Collin Adams (18) made it 2-1 by converting on a breakaway at the 15:42 mark of the second. Indy retied the game on the power play at the 1:32 mark of the third and took a 3-2 lead at 14:11. Goaltender Hunter Vorva (18-10-0-0) made 29 saves in the loss. The K-Wings finished the game scoreless on the power play and 0-for-1 on the penalty kill. Indy took the final shot total, 32-18.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Friday, Mar. 29 – Cincinnati at Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EDT – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Mar. 30 –  Kalamazoo at Fort Wayne, 7:30 p.m. EDT – Allen County War Memorial Coliseum (Fort Wayne, IN)

ON THE MOVE

Mar. 18 - Rookie forward Brian Chambers was signed to a Standard Player Contract

FAST FACTS

• Forward Erik Bradford recorded his 400th ECHL point (2g-1a) Saturday
• Forward Brian Chambers made his professional debut Friday
• The K-Wings are 7-2-0-0 when Ayden MacDonald scores a goal this season

TEAM TRENDS

• 23-0-0-0 when scoring four or more goals this season
• 21-6-1-0 when scoring first this season
• 8-3-0-0 in overtime/shootouts this season

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              75 – Erik Bradford

GOALS:               28 – Erik Bradford

ASSISTS:          47 –  Erik Bradford

PLUS/MINUS:    +16 – Erik Bradford

PIMS:                   186 – Chaz Reddekopp

PP GOALS:      5 – Erik Bradford, Collin Adams

PP ASSISTS:        14 – Erik Bradford

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

GW GOALS:     6 – Collin Adams

SHOTS:            180 – Erik Bradford

WINS:                  18 – Hunter Vorva

GAA:                   2.42 – Hunter Vorva

SAVE %:             .922 – Hunter Vorva

* Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 2/12 (16.7%)

                            This Season – 36/199 (18.0%) – No. 23 in the ECHL         

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 6/8 (75%)

                             This Season – 178/216 (82.4%) – No. 5 in the ECHL

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Saturday, April 6th is Fan Appreciation Day at Wings Event Center! For almost 50 years you, the fans, have made K-Wings hockey possible in Kalamazoo. That means there’s nothing more important to us than celebrating you at our annual Fan Appreciation game, presented by Bronson. Come to Wings Event Center for the last regular season Saturday game of the season, and the first 1,000 fans will receive a K-Wings team poster.

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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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