K-WINGS HONOR HERITAGE WITH WIN, TOP WALLEYE IN OT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 18, 2025

K-WINGS HONOR HERITAGE WITH WIN, TOP WALLEYE IN OT

Kalamazoo immortalizes Brent Jarrett’s No. 11 pregame, Ben Berard provides overtime winner in Warrior/ECHL Hockey Heritage Game, presented by Discover! Kalamazoo & Firekeepers.

BOX SCORE

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings (13-21-1-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, responded to an early Toledo Walleye (24-9-5-0) goal and late surge to win in overtime Saturday at Wings Event Center in the Warrior/ECHL Hockey Heritage Game, presented by Discover! Kalamazoo and FireKeepers, 4-3.

Ben Berard (12) was the hero in overtime, lifting the K-Wings to victory with a goal at the 1:21 mark of the extra frame. Berard tucked the puck in across the goal line on the left side from Joe Arntsen (6) in the right circle. Blake Christensen (6) earned the secondary assist on the game-winner.

Before the game, Kalamazoo lifted franchise legend Brent Jarrett’s No. 11 to the rafters, becoming the sixth number retired by the franchise.

Toledo scored first at the 1:44 mark of the first period. But Kalamazoo wouldn’t trail long.

Christensen (4) notched his first goal as a K-Wing just 29 seconds later to tie it 1-1. On the play, Luc Salem (6) shifted the puck while seated on the ice to Jon Martin (6), who skated down the left side to the goal line and found Christensen at the bottom of the right circle for the one-time finish.

Then, Josh Bloom (6) tacked another on at the 4:11 mark to give Kalamazoo the lead. Quinn Preston (14) sent the puck high in the air to Zach Berzolla (6) in the slot for the initial shot, and Bloom was right on the doorstep on the right side of the crease to bang it home.

Preston (4) then delivered a beautiful goal to make it 3-1 K-Wings at the 12:20 mark of the second. Zach Okabe (11) gave a feed from the right point to Collin Saccoman (8) for the initial shot, which Preston picked up off a long rebound in the left circle, skated to the goalmouth and made a backhand-to-forehand move to beat the Walleye goalkeeper and score.

Toledo came back with goals at the 13:56 and 14:28 marks of the third to tie it, 3-3, setting up Berard’s overtime heroics.

Ty Young (5-5-0-0) was stellar in net, making 28 saves in the victory. Kalamazoo took the shot total 34-31 and went a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.

The K-Wings head to Toledo for their next matchup Friday at 7:15 p.m. at Huntington Center.

--

Pink Ice is just around the corner, as Kalamazoo will host Bloomington on Feb. 14 at Wings Event Center for the 24th annual game on the pink surface! All fans will receive a K-Wings ‘Fearless Fighter’ T-Shirt, and it will be a $3 Friday, presented by Bud Light, so you can enjoy $3 Beers, Sodas & Hot Dogs! Get your tickets HERE.

--

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.

###