KALAMAZOO HOSTS OVER 9,800 BETWEEN NYE & RAINBOW ICE, HITS ROAD THIS WEEK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 6, 2025

KALAMAZOO HOSTS OVER 9,800 BETWEEN NYE & RAINBOW ICE, HITS ROAD THIS WEEK

K-Wings heads west this week, Hockey Heritage on the horizon.

OVERALL RECORD:  12-18-1-0

LAST WEEK: 0-4-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (12-17-1-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, play two games this week, both on the road. First, the Kalamazoo travels to Iowa for its first matchup against the Heartlanders this season on Friday. Then, the K-Wings head to Bloomington to take on the Bison Saturday.

Last week, the K-Wings went 0-4-0-0 (2-3, 1-4, 2-7, 0-3).

First, Kalamazoo fell, 3-2, to the Indy Fuel in the annual New Year’s Eve Game at Wings Event Center Tuesday. Zach Okabe (8) and Joe Arntsen (5) scored to give the K-Wings the 2-1 lead in the second period, but Indy responded with a goal later in the frame to tie it and another goal in the third to skate out with the victory. Ty Young (4-3-0-0) was strong in net, making 29 saves in defeat.

Then, the K-Wings lost 4-1 at Indy on Friday. Ben Berard (11) scored Kalamazoo’s only goal, which tied the game at one goal aside late in the first period. Indy scored one goal in the second and two in the third to take the victory, with Jonathan Lemieux (7-10-1-0) making 35 saves in the loss.

On Saturday, Kalamazoo hosted 4,862 fans at Wings Event Center for the Hockey is for Everyone / Rainbow Ice Game, falling 7-2 to the Bloomington Bison. Max Humitz (8) and Ryan Naumovski (2) scored for the K-Wings, but Bloomington held at least a two-goal lead for the final 55:20 of the game.

Finally, the K-Wings came up short at the Toledo Walleye Sunday, losing 3-0. Jonathan Lemieux (7-11-1-0) was stout in net, stopping 20-of-22 shots in defeat, Kalamazoo took the shot total 28-23 and the K-Wings went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

The K-Wings next play at Wings Event Center on January 18.

Kalamazoo hosts the 2025 Warrior/ECHL Hockey Heritage Game, presented by Discover Kalamazoo & FireKeepers, on Jan. 18 at 7:00 p.m. against the Toledo Walleye at Wings Event Center. The K-Wings will honor franchise legend Brent Jarrett by retiring his No. 11 jersey pregame, and the first 1,000 fans will go home with a Mini Jersey Retirement Banner along with a 50th Anniversary Commemorative Pin! Kalamazoo and Toledo will both be in specialty jerseys for the game as well, and the K-Wings’ Hockey Heritage jerseys will be available for purchase via DASH auction at a later date.

The 50th Anniversary / Hockey Heritage Ticket Package is also available for the game, including four tickets to the game, four Mini Jersey Retirement Banners and four 50th Anniversary Commemorative Pins for $89!

The ECHL HOF Dinner is coming to Kalamazoo on Friday, January 17. You can secure your spot to hear Kalamazoo Legend Bernie Saunders give the keynote address, plus the Stanley Cup and associated trophies are expected to make an appearance. Click above to get all the perks on this historic night!

Want to come enjoy all of the events next weekend? The Hockey Heritage Weekend Ticket Package is perfect for you! Enjoy one ticket to the ECHL Hall of Fame Dinner (Friday, Jan. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Radisson Plaza Hotel Ballroom), one game ticket to the Hockey Heritage Game (Saturday, Jan. 18 at 7:00 p.m. at Wings Event Center), one 50th Anniversary Commemorative Pin, one Mini Jersey Retirement Banner and entry into Fanfest all for just $89!

RESULTS

Tuesday, Dec. 31 – Indy 3, Kalamazoo 2 (Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (12-15-1-0) fell to the Indy Fuel (12-11-2-2) Tuesday at Wings Event Center in the annual New Year’s Eve Game, 3-2. Indy scored first on the power play at the 14:44 mark of the opening frame. Zach Okabe (8) notched the equalizer for Kalamazoo at the 18:21 mark. Then, Joe Arntsen (5) gave the K-Wings the lead at the 11:00 mark of the second. The Fuel retied the game at 2-2 with a goal at the 14:51 mark. Indy struck again at the 8:24 mark of the third, and held the 3-2 lead all the way to the finish. Ty Young (4-3-0-0) was stout in net to keep Kalamazoo one shot away throughout the third period, making 29 saves in defeat.

Friday, Jan. 3 – Indy 4, Kalamazoo 1 (Fishers Event Center, Fishers, IN) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (12-16-1-0) fell to the Indy Fuel (13-11-2-2) Friday at Fishers Event Center, 4-1. Indy scored first at the 13:35 mark of the first period. Ben Berard (11) then scored for Kalamazoo to tie it at the 17:18 mark. The Fuel regained the lead with a goal at the 6:33 mark of the second. Indy added goals at the 1:56 and 4:02 marks of the third to add cushion to the advantage. Jonathan Lemieux (7-10-1-0) was solid in net, making 35 saves in defeat.

Saturday, Jan. 4 – Bloomington 7, Kalamazoo 2 (Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (12-17-1-0) lost to the Bloomington Bison (13-16-0-2) Saturday at Wings Event Center in front of 4,862 fans for the fourth annual Hockey is for Everyone / Rainbow Ice Game, 7-2. Bloomington scored three goals in the first seven minutes of the game to take an early lead. Max Humitz (8) got Kalamazoo on the board with a goal at the 13:45 mark. Another Bloomington goal at the 16:51 mark made it 4-1 after the first. Ryan Naumovski (2) then scored to bring the K-Wings back within two at the 1:28 mark of the middle frame. The Bison answered with two goals in the next minute to make it 6-2. Kalamazoo then pulled Hunter Vorva (1-2-0-0) for Jonathan Lemieux in net. Bloomington added one more goal at the 12:30 mark of the second on the power play. Lemieux was strong in relief, stopping 20 of 21 shots faced. 

Sunday, Jan. 5 – Kalamazoo x, Toledo x (Huntington Center, Toledo, OH) | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (12-18-1-0) couldn’t overcome stellar netminding by the Toledo Walleye (23-7-4-0) at Huntington Center Sunday, falling 3-0. Toledo scored first at the 4:07 mark of the first period. The Walleye added another goal at the 1:44 mark of the third to make it 2-0. Toledo added an empty-net goal with 30 seconds left to ice it. Jonathan Lemieux (7-11-1-0) was stout in net, stopping 20-of-22 shots in defeat. Kalamazoo took the shot total, 28-23, and went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

ON THE MOVE

Dec. 31 - Forward Arkhip Lenziankou signed by Kalamazoo

Jan. 2 - Defenseman Kylor Wall acquired by Kalamazoo from Tulsa for future considerations 

Jan. 3 - Forward Blake Christensen acquired by Kalamazoo from Tahoe for future considerations

Jan. 3 - Goaltender Ty Young reassigned from Kalamazoo to Abbotsford (AHL) by Vancouver (NHL)

Jan. 5 - Forward Luke Morgan signed by Kalamazoo

FAST FACTS

• Forward Ryan Naumovski played in his 100th professional and ECHL game Saturday, scoring a goal in his milestone game
• Forward Ben Berard extended his point streak to a career-long five games (3g-5a)

TEAM TRENDS

• 8-4-0-0 when earning more power plays than the opponent
• 9-2-1-0 when scoring first
• 8-4-0-0 following a win

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              19  – Ben Berard

GOALS:                11 – Ben Berard

ASSISTS:          13 – Quinn Preston

PLUS/MINUS:    +9 – Collin Saccoman

PIMS:                   31 – Zach Berzolla

PP GOALS:      3 – Ben Berard, Zach Okabe

PP ASSISTS:        3 – Max Humitz

SH GOALS:      1 – Ben Berard, Josh Bloom

GW GOALS:     3 – Ted Nichol

SHOTS:            66 – Max Humitz

WINS:                  7 – Jonathan Lemieux

GAA:                   2.35 – Ty Young*

SAVE %:             .929 – Ty Young*

* Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 0/7 (0%)

                            This Season – 11/83 (13.3%) | No. 27 (ECHL)   

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 8/10 (80.0%)

                             This Season – 64/85 (75.3%) | No. 26 (ECHL)

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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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