FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 31, 2025

K-WINGS DROP PACKED HOUSE NYE TILT WITH WALLEYE

Kalamazoo falls in a back-and-forth battle, as Toledo pulls away in the third. 

BOX SCORE

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings (10-12-2-1), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, traded blows but couldn’t overcome three consecutive goals from the Toledo Walleye (16-5-2-2), falling in the New Year's Eve Contest Wednesday in front of 5,062 at Wings Event Center, 5-3.

Derek Daschke (4) got the celebrations started early with his fourth goal in his last five games at the 3:52 mark of the first period. On the play, rookie Colson Gengenbach (5) found Ryan Cox (6) in the right circle, who then dropped the puck to Daschke, driving down the left side and he fired a shot that deflected to the right of the crease. Daschke then wrapped around the net and tucked the rebound just inside the right post to take the early lead.

The Walleye then unfortunately responded with a power-play goal at the 15:22 mark to knot the New Year's Eve clash at one. 

Nolan Walker (6) capitalized early in the second period with his first power-play goal of the season at the 5:33 mark. On the goal, the K-Wings went tic-tac-toe as David Keefer (4) in the right circle passed to Andre Ghantous (8) at the right edge of the trapezoid, who immediately relayed to Walker for the bang-bang score. 

The Walleye’s special teams struck again with two consecutive goals, one short-handed at the 12:18 mark and then again on the power-play at the 4:32 mark of the third period. Toledo scored an additional goal at the 12:41 mark, bringing Toledo's lead to two. 

Walker (7) then responded with his second power-play goal of the night with a right-circle wrister that zipped inside the left post to bring the deficit to one at the 17:58 mark. On the setup, Daschke (2) sent a pass from just inside the offensive blue line to David Keefer (5) at the goalline. Keefer then found a firing Walker in the right circle for the 6-on-4 goal as the K-Wings lifted the netminder. 

Unfortunately, the Walleye scored with one minute remaining in regulation. 

Aku Koskenvuo (2-3-0-0) made 29 saves, and the K-Wings went 2-for-5 on the power play in the final game of 2025. 

The K-Wings hit the road to start the new year in the front half of a home-and-home series against the Fuel at 7 p.m. EST on Saturday, January 3, at Fishers Event Center. 

Kalamazoo returns home for the second Jersey Giveaway Sunday as we honor the Detroit Pistons at 3 p.m. EST on January 4 at Wings Event Center. The K-Wings are giving away limited edition K-Wings/Detroit Pistons inspired youth basketball jerseys to the first 500 kids (12 & under) in the first home game of the new year. 

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We're going all Canucks for Canucks Night as we honor our NHL affiliate, the Vancouver Canucks, presented by Bell's! Puck drop is at 4:30 p.m., presented by Discover Kalamazoo! The K-Wings will hit the ice in Canucks-inspired specialty jerseys, then auction them off post-game with proceeds benefiting South County Firefighters Association. A night of hockey, hometown pride, and a touch of the Pacific Northwest!

Suit up for Marvel Day on Saturday, January 11, at 3:00 p.m., as the K-Wings take on the Iowa Heartlanders! From super plays to heroic saves, it's an action-packed afternoon where hockey meets the Marvel Universe. Assemble your squad—it’s game time!

Season Tickets for 2025-26 are available NOW. Click here to join the ranks of the High Flyers and catch all the action next season with all the perks!

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The Kalamazoo Wings are a professional hockey team based in southwest Michigan, having 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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