FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 4, 2026

K-WINGS DOWNED BY FUEL IN SHOOTOUT SUNDAY AT HOME

Kalamazoo falls as Indy scratches back and wins in a 12-round shootout. 

BOX SCORE

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings (10-13-2-2), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, fell to the Indy Fuel (14-11-3-1) in a shootout Sunday at Wings Event Center, 3-2.

Jonathan Lemieux (2-4-1-1) was brilliant between the pipes, making a season high 41 saves (51 including shootout) and defended home ice for 12 rounds into the longest shootout of the K-Wings’ season. 

Zach Okabe (7) celebrated his 25th birthday with a top-shelf power-play goal to get the scoring started for Kalamazoo at the 18:40 mark of the first period. On the setup, Jayden Lee (9) sent the puck from the blue line to Quinn Preston (14) in the left circle, who crossed to Okabe for the first power-play goal of 2026. 

Colin Bilek (6) carried the momentum into the second period with a breakaway top-shelf snipe to bring the lead to two at the 8:06 mark. On the play, the Fuel fired a shot off of Hunter Strand (7) that deflected to Nolan Walker (12) in the defensive left circle and launched the pass to Bilek.

Unfortunately, Indy responded with a pair of goals, one at the 12:01 mark and another 13 minutes into the third period to knot the game at two and send the game to overtime. After a scoreless overtime period the game went to a shootout. 

Kalamazoo had it’s best penalty kill performance of the season, going a perfect 6-for-6.

Next up, the K-Wings hit the road for a midweek clash against the Bloomington Bison (14-11-2-2) on Wednesday, January 7, at 8 p.m. EST at Grossinger Motors Arena. 

The K-Wings return home for Canucks Night as we honor our NHL affiliate, the Vancouver Canucks, on Saturday, January 10 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 the South County Firefighters Association. A night of hockey, hometown pride, and a touch of the Pacific Northwest!

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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!

Celebrate love, pride, and hockey at our 5th Annual Rainbow Ice Night on Friday, January 16! The ice will shine bright, and so will the fans at Wings Event Center in a show of unity and support. Don’t miss this vibrant night of inclusion, celebration, and K-Wings hockey! Stick around post-game for the specialty jersey auction.

Take it easy on the wallet with the K-Wings Rainbow Ice Ticket Package! For just $89, you and your crew get four great seats (White or Blue level) to the exciting Rainbow Ice game plus a free game of bowling at Airway Fun Center, perfect for pre- or post-game fun. Even better: 10% of your purchase goes to support United Way of South Central Michigan, so you’re scoring big both on and off the ice. Don’t wait — this limited-time package brings fans together for thrilling hockey and good times!

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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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