KALAMAZOO SEEKS PLAYOFF HOME COOKIN’ WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 22, 2024

KALAMAZOO SEEKS PLAYOFF HOME COOKIN’ WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY

K-Wings ready for two playoff games at Wings Event Center with the first on Wednesday since 2019. 

REGULAR SEASON RECORD:  38-30-4-0

DIVISIONAL SEMIFINAL: TOLEDO (2-0) | KALAMAZOO (0-2)

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, play two Kelly Cup Playoff games at home this week and one on the road (if necessary).

Tickets for Kalamazoo Playoff games this week (Wednesday and Friday) are available NOW! Click HERE to secure your seats!

Last week, the K-Wings went 0-2 (2-3 F/OT, 2-5)

Kalamazoo opened its Central Division Semifinal series Friday night in Toledo. Ayden MacDonald scored two goals in the second period and Hunter Vorva made 37 saves but the K-Wings ultimately fell to the Walleye early in the overtime frame, 3-2.

In Game 2, Toledo jumped out to an early lead on Saturday, but Kalamazoo answered with two goals as Chad Nychuk and Quinn Preston put the K-Wings up 2-1 after the first period. Toledo ramped up the offensive pressure the rest of the way out, and the 2-2 tie was broken with 6:13 remaining. Jonathan Lemieux dazzled in net, earned the game’s No. 3 star and made a career-high 48 saves on 53 shot attempts.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

The K-Wings play two Kelly Cup Playoff games at home this week.

Kalamazoo continues its 2024 Central Division Semifinal series by hosting Toledo on Wednesday, April 24 for 269 Night at Wings Event Center! 269 Night is back for the Kelly Cup Playoffs! Enjoy $2 beers and sodas and $6 wing baskets as the K-Wings take on the Walleye in Game 3 of the Central Division Semifinals. *Regular Season $9 promotional ticket NOT AVAILABLE!

The K-Wings will face the Walleye in Game 4 of the Central Division Semifinals on Friday, April 26 for $3 Friday at Wings Event Center! Come take advantage of another $3 Friday and enjoy $3 beer, soda & hot dogs as Kalamazoo hosts Toledo in another pivotal playoff clash. 

Don’t miss out on Group Outing opportunities for the K-Wings 2024 playoff run. Text (269) 488-8158 or head to K-Wings.com for more information. 

RESULTS

Friday, Apr. 19 – Kalamazoo 2, Toledo 3 F/OT (Huntington Center, Toledo, OH) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (0-1) played physical hockey throughout but ultimately fell to the Toledo Walleye (1-0) in Game 1 of the Central Division Semifinals at Huntington Center Friday, 3-2 in overtime. The Walleye scored the game-winner at the 2:29 mark of overtime. Ayden MacDonald (1) opened the scoring with a tip-in from the slot at the 9:50 mark of the first period. Evan Dougherty (1) took the initial shot from the right point while Michael Joyaux (1) notched the secondary assist. MacDonald (2) struck again with a one-timer from between the circles on the power play at the 12:58 mark. Pristine extra-man puck movement from David Keefer (1) and Erik Bradford (1) opened up the middle to give MacDonald shooting space. Toledo got on the board at the 13:25 mark and tied the game 2-2 at 18:29. Goaltender Hunter Vorva (0-1) was fantastic and made 37 saves on 40 shots faced. The K-Wings finished the game 1-for-3 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill. Toledo took the final shot total, 40-27.

Saturday, Apr. 20 – Kalamazoo 2, Toledo 5 (Huntington Center, Toledo, OH) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (0-2) fell to the Toledo Walleye (2-0) in Game 2 of the Central Division Semifinals at Huntington Center Saturday, 5-2. Goaltender Jonathan Lemieux (0-1) was phenomenal throughout and set a new career-high with 48 saves on 52 shots against. Toledo opened the scoring at the 9:12 mark of the first period. Chad Nychuk (1) tied the game 1-1 with a rip from between the circles at the 13:42 mark. Josh Passolt (1) fed Nychuk after curling around the right corner and Erik Bradford (2) recorded the secondary assist on the 4-on-4 play. Quinn Preston (1) made it 2-1 by converting from the slot during 4-on-4 action at the 18:08 mark. Nychuk (1) hit Preston with a backhand pass from below the goal line on the right side after receiving the puck from Collin Adams (1). Toledo tied the game 2-2 at the 3:57 mark of the second period and took the lead at the 13:47 mark of the third. The Walleye added goals at the 18:27 and 18:42 (empty net) marks. Kalamazoo finished the game scoreless on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill. Toledo took the final shot total, 53-24.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, Apr. 24 – Central Division Semifinals Game 3 – Toledo at Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EDT – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Friday, Apr. 26 – Central Division Semifinals Game 4 – Toledo at Kalamazoo, 7:00 p.m. EDT – Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Saturday, Apr. 27 – Central Division Semifinals Game 5 – Kalamazoo at Toledo, 7:15 p.m. EDT – Huntington Center (Toledo, OH) (if necessary)

ON THE MOVE

Apr. 15 Defenseman Steve Holtz was signed to a Standard Player Contract

Apr. 9 Forward Ryan Naumovski was released

FAST FACTS

• Rookie defenseman Steve Holtz made his professional debut Saturday
• Rookie goaltender Jonathan Lemieux set a new career-high with 48 saves Saturday
• Ayden MacDonald (2g) recorded Kalamazoo’s first multi-goal playoff game since Josh Pitt (3g, April 19, 2017) on Friday

TEAM TRENDS

• 26-0-0-0 when scoring four or more goals this season
• 10-5-1-0 in standalone games this season
• 8-1-0-0 when scoring two power-play goals this season

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 1/5 (20%) – T-No. 6 in the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs

                            This Season – 42/226 (18.6%) – No. 18 in the ECHL         

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 4/4 (100%) – T-No. 1 in the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs

                             This Season – 196/236 (83.1%) – No. 4 in the ECHL

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Season Tickets for the 2024-25 Kalamazoo Wings season are now available! Secure yours HERE!

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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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