FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 10, 2025

KALAMAZOO TAKES 5-GAME SET OVER IOWA, SET FOR PINK ICE THIS WEEK 

K-Wings win four of six and look to keep pushing the win total during homestand.

OVERALL RECORD:  17-24-1-1

LAST WEEK: 1-1-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (17-24-1-1), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, play three games this week with two at Wings Event Center.

First, the K-Wings welcome Bloomington for Pink Ice, presented by Bronson, on Friday. Then, Kalamazoo hosts Fort Wayne on Saturday for Springfield Night (Simpsons) before heading to Fort Wayne on Sunday.

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

First, Kalamazoo battled hard but lost, 4-1, in a gritty game, within one goal at the 59-minute mark, against Iowa Friday at Wings Event Center. Ben Berard (13) scored the game’s opening goal, but the Heartlanders responded just over two minutes later to tie the game. After Iowa scored a 5-on-3 goal in the second period to take the lead, the K-Wings mounted several scoring chances to tie the game but couldn’t score the equalizer. Iowa added two empty-net goals in the final minute to seal the victory.

Then, the K-Wings bounced back to beat Iowa, 2-0, at home Saturday. Ty Young (7-6-0-1) earned his first pro shutout in the win, making 30 saves in a dominant performance. Both defenses shined throughout the contest, with Kalamazoo finally breaking the scoreless tie with less than two minutes left in the second period on a goal by Jay Keranen (4). Zach Okabe (11) tacked on a hard-fought empty-net goal with 17 seconds left to ice the win.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

Kalamazoo plays two games at Wings Event Center this week.

Pink Ice is this Friday versus Bloomington at 7 p.m. 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!

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Woo-hoo! The K-Wings are excited to welcome you to Springfield Night on Saturday at 7 p.m. versus the Fort Wayne Komets at Wings Event Center. The night is primed to be packed with laughs as we celebrate the generational hit TV show, ‘The Simpsons.’ So, bring your cowabunga and the first 1,000 fans will receive a K-Wings Donut Keychain (mmm donuts), and we promise we won’t make you eat our shorts.

The Wizards, Wands and Wings ticket package is back this year! Join us, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28, as the K-Wings take on the Iowa Heartlanders, and get 4 tickets, 4 lightning bolt necklaces and 1 free game of bowling at Airway Fun Center for $89.

RESULTS

Friday, Feb. 7 – Iowa at Kalamazoo (4-1, L) Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (16-24-1-1) battled to the final minute in a one-goal game with the Iowa Heartlanders (25-14-4-3) Friday at Wings Event Center, ultimately falling 4-1. Ben Berard (13) started the scoring at the 15:34 mark of the first period. He gathered a loose puck in the left circle after Iowa’s goalkeeper tried to clear it away and flung it off a Heartlander defender into the open net. Iowa punched back with a goal at the 17:21 mark. The Heartlanders took the lead with a power-play goal at the 5:43 mark of the second, skating 5-on-3. Kalamazoo had numerous scoring chances, but Heartlanders netminder William Rousseau (12-2-3-1) was stellar in preserving the lead. Iowa added two empty-net goals in the final minute to seal the victory. Jonathan Lemieux (9-14-1-0) put up a third straight stellar performance, making 27 saves on 29 shots faced in defeat.

Saturday, Feb. 1 – Iowa at Kalamazoo (2-0, W) Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (17-24-1-1) bang, batter and bruise the Iowa Heartlanders (25-15-4-3) to victory Saturday at Wings Event Center, 2-0. Ty Young (7-6-0-1) was untouchable in net, earning his first professional shutout with 30 saves in the victory. After a scoreless first period, Jay Keranen (4) scored the game’s opening goal at the 18:24 mark of the second. Keranen charged down the right circle off of a feed from Josh Bloom (5) and fired a wrister top-shelf for the goal. Zach Okabe (14) earned the secondary assist on the game-winning goal. Okabe (11) added on an empty-net goal with just 17 seconds remaining for the exclamation mark. Quinn Preston (21) and Bloom (6) set up Okabe’s wrister from the right hash over a diving Iowa defender.

ON THE MOVE

No roster moves to report

FAST FACTS

• Defenseman Jay Keranen scored his first professional game-winning goal Saturday
• Rookie goaltender Ty Young earned his first professional shutout Saturday, stopping all 30 shots faced
• Rookie forward Josh Bloom earned his second multi-point game of the season Saturday (0g-2a)
• Rookie forward Zach Okabe notched his fifth multi-point game of the season Saturday (1g-1a)

TEAM TRENDS

• 13-4-0-0 when scoring at least three goals
• 11-4-1-0 when scoring first
• 16-7-1-1 when allowing three goals or less

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              29  – Quinn Preston

GOALS:                13 – Ben Berard

ASSISTS:          21 – Quinn Preston

PLUS/MINUS:    +16 – Collin Saccoman

PIMS:                   41 – Collin Saccoman

PP GOALS:      4 – Zach Okabe

PP ASSISTS:        4 – Ben Berard, Quinn Preston

SH GOALS:      2 – Josh Bloom

GW GOALS:     3 – Ben Berard, Ted Nichol

SHOTS:            92 – Zach Berzolla

WINS:                  9 – Jonathan Lemieux

GAA:                   2.44 – Ty Young

SAVE %:             .926 – Ty Young

* Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 0/5 (0%)

                             This Season – 14/122 (11.5%) | No. 29 (ECHL)   

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 5/6 (83.3%)

                               This Season – 103/133 (76.7%) | 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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