FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 17, 2025 

K-WINGS HIT THE ROAD, WICKED WINGS & TEDDY TOSS COMING SOON

Kalamazoo stumbled last week, now heads to Iowa and Fort Wayne inside two-game road week.

OVERALL RECORD:  3-8-0-0

LAST WEEK: 0-3-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (3-8-0-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, play two games on the road this week. Next week, the K-Wings return home for two games. 

Last week, the K-Wings went 0-3-0-0 (3-5, 4-5, 1-4).

On Friday, the K-Wings trailed 2-1 early in the second period, but Fort Wayne pulled away in the middle frame, and Kalamazoo could not recover. Collin Saccoman notched his first pro multi-goal game in the contest.

Saturday, the K-Wings overcame a 3-1 Cincinnati lead entering the second period on the heels of rookie Antonio Venuto’s first career multi-goal game. Unfortunately, Cincinnati scored the next two goals and pulled away for good. 

Finally, on Sunday, Kalamazoo took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission and outshot Cincinnati 27-11 after two periods of play. The Cyclones were able to tie the game in the second and pulled away in the third behind a 19-5 shot advantage. 

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

Kalamazoo is on the road, but returns for two Thanksgiving week showdowns at Wings Event Center. 

NEXT WEEK!

Wednesday, Nov. 26: The K-Wings' next home game is going to be spellbinding at Wicked Night, presented by Woznicki Law, at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26! We’re painting the ice in honor of the iconic musical turned HIT movie, and every fan will light up the arena with a FREE LED LIGHT UP bracelet. There will also be a free character appearance as both Glinda and Elphaba will be in the house. It’s going to be positively wicked - don’t miss it!

Friday, Nov. 28: Get ready to toss for a cause at our Teddy Bear Toss Night, presented by Bronson, at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 28! Bring a new or gently used plush toy to throw on the ice when the K-Wings score their first goal—all donations go to local charities. Plus, the first 1,000 fans get a limited-edition K-Wings goalie oven mitt! And don’t forget, it’s also $3 Friday! Enjoy $3 beers, sodas, and hot dogs until 8 p.m.! 

RESULTS

Friday, Nov. 14 – Fort Wayne vs. Kalamazoo (L, 5-3), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (3-6-0-0) dropped a Lavender Ice tilt to the Fort Wayne Komets (8-2-0-0) at Wings Event Center Friday, 5-3. The Komets took the initial advantage after a power-play goal at the 5:37 mark of the first period. Following a Komet goal at the 2:49 mark of the second, rookie defenseman Robby Drazner (1) responded with his first professional goal, firing a top-shelf bullet from just inside the blue line at the 5:41 mark. On the play, forward Antonio Venuto (3) cleaned up the trash from underneath and laced a pass to a waiting Drazner.  After two consecutive Fort Wayne goals at the 8:03 and 14:15 marks, captain Collin Saccoman (1) banged home a rebound at the 17:15 mark to cut the deficit to two. On the play, Andre Ghantous (3) sent the puck to a shooting Nolan Walker (5), and Saccoman banged his first goal of the season into a wide-open net. Unfortunately, the Komets added another goal with 2:12 left in the period to bring the score to 5-2.  The K-Wings played a much stronger third period, as Saccoman (2) laced a rocket inside the right post for his second goal of the contest at the 4:55 mark. On the set-up, Venuto (4) passed the puck to Zach Okabe (7), who fired a shot that redirected off the goaltender directly to Saccoman in the right circle, bringing the score to 5-3.  Kalamazoo went 3-for-4 on the penalty kill, and Luke Pavicich (1-2-0-0) made 35 saves in the contest.

Saturday, Nov. 15 – Cincinnati vs. Kalamazoo (L, 5-2), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (3-7-0-0) fell to the Cincinnati Cyclones (5-5-0-0) at Wings Event Center Saturday, 5-4. The Cyclones scored a short-handed and a power-play goal at the 2:43 and 7:53 marks of the first. In response, rookie Antonio Venuto (2) fired the puck from the slot inside the right bar, bringing the deficit to one at the 19:00 mark, and his point streak to five games. Cincinnati then capitalized on the power play in the final second of the period, making it 3-1. In the second frame, rookie Hunter Strand (2) scored on a breakaway at the 8:52 mark. The K-Wings weren’t done yet, as Venuto (3) continued his hot streak, scoring his second goal of the night at the 10:16 mark for his first multi-goal game of his career. Scoring their first even-strength goal of the contest, the Cyclones broke the 3-3 tie with 3:01 left in the period. Cincinnati scored again at the 5:55 mark of the third, bringing the score to 5-3. Kalamazoo drew to within one goal again, as Jaunich (2) caught the Cyclone’s netminder off guard at the 11:43 mark of the third period. 

Sunday, Nov. 16 - Cincinnati vs. Kalamazoo (L, 4-1), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (3-8-0-0) lost in the weekend finale to the Cincinnati Cyclones (6-5-0-0) at Wings Event Center Sunday, 4-1. Kalamazoo took the early lead off the stick of rookie forward Hunter Strand (3) at the 19:31 mark of the first period. Strand crashed the net, scooped up a loose puck in a six-player scrum at the top of the crease, and buried it for the goal. Andre Ghantous (4) and Ryan Cox (2) picked up assists on the play. Cincinnati responded by scoring a goal at the 4:23 mark of the second period. In the third period, the Cyclones tallied a pair of goals at the 39-second and 10:42 marks, moving the score to 3-1. Cincinnati added an empty-netter at the 19:16 mark. Jonathan Lemeuix made 26 of 29 saves, and the K-Wings went 1-for-1 on the penalty kill. 

ON THE MOVE

November 10 – Abbotsford (AHL) assigned defenseman Jayden Lee to the K-Wings

November 11 – Kalamazoo recalled the loan of defenseman Robby Drazner from Abbotsford (AHL)

November 11 – Kalamazoo goaltender Luke Pavicich assigned on loan to Grand Rapids (AHL)

November 12 – Kalamazoo recalled Luke Pavicich from loan to Grand Rapids (AHL)

November 13 – Abbotsford (AHL) loaned goaltender Jonathan Lemieux to Kalamazoo

November 13 – Kalamazoo signed rookie forward Colson Gengenbach to a Standard Player Contract

FAST FACTS

• Second year forward Zach Okabe (ABT) has points in 7 of the last 8 games (3g-7a) 
• Kalamazoo defenseman Collin Saccoman and rookie forward Antonio Venuto notched their first career multi-goal games last week
• K-Wings rookie forward Hunter Strand has scored a goal in three of his last four games

TEAM TRENDS

N/A

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              11 – Zach Okabe

GOALS:                4 – Colin Bilek

ASSISTS:          8 – Zach Okabe, Quinn Preston

PLUS/MINUS:    +6 – Zach Okabe

PIMS:                   13 – Collin Saccoman

PP GOALS:      1 – Multiple Players

PP ASSISTS:        1 – Multiple Players

SH GOALS:      1 – Colin Bilek

GW GOALS:    1 – Andre Ghantous, Zach Okabe

SHOTS:           30 – Colin Bilek

WINS:                 1 – **Aku Koskenvuo, *Luke Pavicich, Hunter Vorva

GAA:                   3.63 – **Aku Koskenvuo (VAN)

SAVE %:             .890 – *Luke Pavicich

*     Rookie

**   Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

*** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS
 

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 0/6  (0%)

                            This Season – 5/36 (13.9%) | No. 23 (ECHL)   

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 6/8 (75.0%)

                             This Season – 22/33 (66.7%)| No. 27 (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 its 36 regular-season home games at Wings Event Center from October through April.

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