FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 1, 2025

K-WINGS HONOR NO.11 WITH ROUT OF HEARTLANDERS

Kalamazoo scores five unanswered to run away with third-straight victory, defeating Iowa 6-1.

BOX SCORE

CORALVILLE, IA – The Kalamazoo Wings (16-22-1-1), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, powered over the Iowa Heartlanders (22-14-4-3) with five unanswered goals Saturday at Xtream Arena, winning 6-1.

Quinn Preston (8) opened the scoring with an unassisted breakaway goal at the 3:42 mark. Preston blocked a shot from the point by Iowa, charged down the right side before darting to the left side of the goalmouth for a backhand finish to extend his current point streak to six games.

The Heartlanders tied it up at 1-1 at the 13:32 mark of the second, but the K-Wings ignited from there.

Blake Christensen (5) put Kalamazoo back in front with a goal just 44 seconds later. Collin Saccoman (10) fed Jon Martin (8) surging down the right side for the initial shot, and Christensen flipped the rebound home from the goalmouth.

Then, Luc Salem (3) scored at the 15:26 mark taking it down the ice on the rush. Salem played give-and-go with Max Humitz (10) through the neutral zone and fired a heater from the top of the left circle just inside the left post.

Just one second after a power play expired for the K-Wings, Ryan Cox (5) scored on a deflection at the 18:54 mark to bring the lead to three. Christensen (7) set up Salem (8) at the left point for the shot, which Cox redirected inside the right post for the goal.

Jay Keranen (3) punched home a goal skating four-aside at the 47-second mark of the third to make it 5-1. Joe Arntsen (9) charged in down the right side, found Josh Bloom (4) at the bottom of the left circle for a tap pass to Keranen to splash the open net.

Kalamazoo still wasn’t done, as Davis Codd (3) scored on a deflection at the 7:57 mark. Luke Morgan (1) won the faceoff and pushed the puck back to Arntsen (10) for a shot from the center point that Codd got his stick on to knock it to the back of the net.

Jonathan Lemieux (9-13-1-0) was outstanding in net, making 29 saves for the win. The K-Wings won the shot total, 34-30 and went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.

Kalamazoo finishes the weekend set against Iowa Sunday at 4:00 p.m. (3 p.m. CST).

--

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.

###