FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 1, 2025

K-WINGS ERASE 3-GOAL DEFICIT, FALL TO KOMETS IN OT 

Kalamazoo overcomes three-goal deficit for the first time this season in third period to earn a point.

BOX SCORE

FORT WAYNE, IN – The Kalamazoo Wings (22-26-3-1), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, surged all the way back from a 4-1 deficit to the Fort Wayne Komets (32-17-4-0) to force overtime Saturday at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, falling 5-4.

Davis Codd (6) notched the tying goal for the K-Wings with just 23 seconds left in regulation. Zach Okabe  (16) set up Drake Pilon (3) for the initial shot attempt at the left post, and Codd banged at it twice to punch it home and tie the score at 4-4.

The Komets scored the game-winning goal at the 1:50 mark of the extra frame.

Fort Wayne built a 3-0 lead in the first period with goals at the 4:51, 5:56 and 11:51 marks.

Max Humitz (10) scored to put Kalamazoo on the board at the 16:38 mark. Luc Salem (9) took the initial shot from the bottom of the right circle, with Ryan Cox (11) crashing in for a rebound attempt that was also turned aside before Humitz got to the loose puck at the top of the crease and put it home.

The Komets picked up a power-play goal at the 12:31 mark of the second to make it 4-1. 

Phil Beaulieu (3) scored at the 1:52 mark of the third as the K-Wings looked to mount a comeback. Humitz (13) worked the puck from the left-side boards to Zach Okabe (15) at the bottom of the left circle for the initial shot, and Beaulieu crashed down to backhand the rebound to the back of the net.

Then, Blake Christensen (8) pulled Kalamazoo within one at the 3:02 mark. He jumped on a loose puck in the neutral zone, skated in down the left side, and beat the Fort Wayne goaltender with a wrist shot from the left faceoff dot into the top-right corner of the net.

Hunter Vorva (4-2-1-0) made 31 saves in the overtime loss.

Kalamazoo and Fort Wayne face off again Sunday at 3:00 p.m. at Wings Event Center.

It will be Mascot Madness, as Slappy has invited all his friends to join him at the game! Plus, stick around for the postgame skate.

--

EmpowHER night is coming up fast, and the empowHER ticket package is a great way to take in the action. For just $30, you can get one game ticket, one empowHER sherpa bucket hat, and admission to the empowHER Pre-Game Super Panel Discussion with influential women in Kalamazoo.

--

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.

###