FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 1, 2025

KALAMAZOO GETS WICKED, TURKEY, TEDDIES & OT - HITS ROAD THIS WEEK

K-Wings take 4-of-6 points last week, prepare for road trip to Bloomington.

OVERALL RECORD:  5-9-2-0

LAST WEEK: 1-0-2-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (5-9-2-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, play two road games this week at 8 p.m. EST against the Bloomington Bison on Friday and Saturday at Grossinger Motors Arena. The K-Wings return home next week for the first 269 Night and Winning Wednesday of the 2025-26 season on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. EST! 

Last week, the K-Wings went 1-0-2-0 (2-1, 2-3, 2-3).

On Wednesday, Kalamazoo’s Nolan Walker erupted for two goals, including the game-winning goal in overtime, to outlast Fort Wayne in a gritty defensive battle. Jonathan Lemieux also notched an assist in a spectacular save in OT and made 30 stops in the contest. 

Thursday, tempers flared as the K-Wings were bested in a Thanksgiving Day slugfest. Rookie goaltender Luke Pavicich (2-3-1-0) was phenomenal in net, facing a career high 42 shots with 39 saves. Forwards Quinn Preston (1g-1a) and Antonio Venuto gave valiant efforts, as each notched a goal in the contest.

Friday, Kalamazoo fell late in its third consecutive overtime game, despite the efforts of two standout rookies. Hunter Strand continued his hot streak, scoring each of the K-Wing’s two goals, both of which were off assists from Colson Gengenbach, who recorded his first career multipoint game. The annual Teddy Bear Toss game saw 1,587 teddy bears thrown onto the ice, benefiting Toys for Tots. 

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

Kalamazoo plays two games on the road this week. 

NEXT WEEK!

Wednesday, Dec. 10: Join us for the first 269 Night and Winning Weekday of the 2025-26 season on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. EST! If the K-Wings beat Bloomington, you win a free ticket to our next midweek game! Plus, it’s a party all about the 269 with $2 Beers, $6 Wing Baskets, and $9 tickets (*Tickets $11 if purchased Gameday).

THE REST OF THE MONTH!

Sunday, Dec. 14: Christmas with the K-Wings: Get into the holiday spirit on Sunday, December 14!  The first 1,000 fans will get a Slappy on the Shelf giveaway, and after the game, slide into some post-game fun with our Fans Skate the Ice event—just $5 skate rentals! It’s the perfect way to celebrate the season, K-Wings style!

Wednesday, Dec. 31: Annual New Year’s Eve Game: Join us for Kalamazoo’s Annual New Year’s Eve game, presented by Parker! The K-Wings battle the Toledo Walleye at Wings Event Center to ring in the new year. Start your NYE with thrilling hockey action, then catch the football games on TVs throughout the arena. It’s a tradition decades in the making—don’t miss out on ringing in the new year, K-Wings style!

Dec. 31 HH F&F Deal: Go easy on the Wallet and be home for the Ball to Drop with the NYE Hungry Howie’s Friends and Family deal for the Dec. 31 game! Tap below to secure 4 tickets, 4 knit hats & a $20 Hungry Howie's pizza voucher. So, this package pays for itself at $45 bucks. Tap below to secure now!

RESULTS

Wednesday, Nov. 26 – Kalamazoo vs. Fort Wayne (W, 2-1 F/OT), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI| Box Score

>> The Kalamazoo Wings (5-9-0-0) battled back with just over a minute in regulation on painted ice and beat the Fort Wayne Komets (10-4-1-0) in overtime at Wings Event Center on Wednesday, 2-1. Nolan Walker (4 & 5) scored both of the K-Wings' goals exactly five minutes apart on Wicked Wings Night, launching his team to victory. On the OT Winner, goaltender Jonathan Lemieux (1) skated out of net to break up a potential scoring opportunity and dished to the puck to Andre Ghantous (5) on the blue line. Walker snagged the puck from Ghantous and fired the game-winning goal from inside the left circle. Knotting the game at one, Walker (4) cleaned up the trash from the top of the crease and snuck a shot just inside the right post, sending the game into overtime with 1:19 remaining in the third period. Defenseman Jayden Lee (2) and forward Quinn Preston (10) recorded assists on the play. The game was a battle of the goaltenders after Fort Wayne scored the first goal of the game at the 4:41 mark of the first period. Lemieux (1-4-0-0) turned away 30 shots in an impressive Painted Ice debut. The K-Wings outshot the Komets 36-31 in the contest and were 1-for-1 on the penalty kill.

Thursday, Nov. 27 – Kalamazoo at Fort Wayne (L, 3-2 F/OT), Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, IN | Box Score

>> The Kalamazoo Wings (5-9-1-0) grinded and battled with the Fort Wayne Komets (11-3-1-0) but lost in overtime on Thanksgiving at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 3-2. The K-Wings got off to a quick start in the first period, as alternate captain Quinn Preston (3) stole the puck from the defensive zone blue line and scored an unassisted breakaway goal at the 2:21 mark. Unfortunately, the Komets responded at the 14:47 mark, tying the game at one. Rookie forward Antonio Venuto (4) then responded with a minute left in the first to restore the one-goal lead. On the play, Preston (11) recovered the puck in a neutral zone scrum and passed it to rookie Colson Gengenbach (2), who then rushed 2-on-1 with Venuto, and his shot from the right circle shaded slot, found the back of the net. After a scoreless second period, Fort Wayne evened the score at two at the 7:18 mark of the third. Fort Wayne scored the game-winning goal at the 5:09 mark of overtime. Luke Pavicich (2-3-1-0) was fantastic in net, facing a career-high 42 shots with 39 saves. Kalamazoo went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill in the contest. 

Friday, Nov. 28 – Kalamazoo vs. Cincinnati (L, 3-2 F/OT), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

>> The Kalamazoo Wings (5-9-2-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, outshot and dominated the Cincinnati Cyclones (9-6-1-0) at times, but unfortunately fell in overtime Friday at Wings Event Center, 3-2. Trailing by one heading into the third on the power play, rookie Hunter Strand (6) sent teddy bears flying with a top-shelf snipe at the 1:32 mark. The Cyclones responded with a strike at the 6:26 mark of the third, bringing the score to 2-1 Cincinnati. Continuing his hot streak, Strand (7) fired a shot inside the left post to knot the game at two. Unfortunately, the Cyclones found the back of the net twenty-one seconds into overtime. Cincinnati took the early advantage with a goal at the 17:11 mark of the first, and neither team produced a goal in the second frame. Jonathan Lemieux (1-4-1-0) was fantastic in net, making 30 saves. The K-Wings went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill and 1-for-4 on the power play. Kalamazoo also took the shot total 41-33 in the contest. The annual Teddy Bear Toss game then saw 1,587 teddy bears thrown onto the ice, benefiting Toys for Tots.

ON THE MOVE

Nov. 29 - Forward Noah Kane was released from his Standard Player Contract (SPC) 

FAST FACTS

• Rookie forward Hunter Strand (7g, 2a) enjoyed the first multiple-goal game of his career Friday versus Cincinnati. Strand now leads the team in goals scored and has goals in five of his last six games (6g). 
• K-Wings alternate captain Quinn Preston regained the team lead in points (15 PTS: 3g, 12a) with  a four-point (1g, 3a) effort in three games played last week
• Kalamazoo’s rookie forward Colson Gengenbach (0g, 4a) recorded his first career multipoint (2a) ECHL game on Friday and notched three assists total on the week

TEAM TRENDS

4-0-1-0 - Leading after 2 Periods

3-1-0-0 - When scoring 5+ goals

3-2-1-0 - When scoring first

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              15 – Quinn Preston

GOALS:                7 – *Hunter Strand

ASSISTS:          12 – Quinn Preston

PLUS/MINUS:    +6 – Zach Okabe, Quinn Preston

PIMS:                   18 – Colin Bilek

PP GOALS:      2 – *Hunter Strand

PP ASSISTS:        2 – Quinn Preston, Nolan Walker

SH GOALS:      1 – Colin Bilek, *Hunter Strand

GW GOALS:    2 – Zach Okabe

SHOTS:           45 – *Davis Pennington

WINS:                 2 – *Luke Pavicich

GAA:                   2.97 – *Luke Pavicich

SAVE %:             .914 – *Luke Pavicich

*     Rookie

**   Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

*** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 1/9  (11.1 %)

                            This Season – 7/52 (13.5 %) | No. 26 (ECHL)   

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 7/7 (100%)

                             This Season – 36/47 (76.6%)| 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 its 36 regular-season home games at Wings Event Center from October through April.

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