FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 9, 2026

K-WINGS ROCK BARN SATURDAY, OFF TO IOWA THIS WEEK

Kalamazoo looks to build off statement win Saturday with three in Iowa this week.

OVERALL RECORD:  18-18-3-3

LAST WEEK: 1-1-1-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (17-17-2-3), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, prepare for three road games in Iowa this week, with Wednesday and Friday starting at 8:00 p.m. EST and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Last week, the K-Wings went 1-1-0-1 (3-4 F/OT, 2-5, 5-2)

First, the K-Wings hosted the Cincinnati Cyclones and jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on Wednesday at Wings Event Center. Unfortunately, Cincinnati responded with three straight goals across the next two periods to take control. The rest of the contest went back and forth until the Cyclones ended it in OT, despite the K-Wings having multiple opportunities to skate away victorious.

Friday, Kalamazoo welcomed back Bloomington for the second time in three games and controlled the matchup until the 12:46 mark of the second period. The Bison then scored two goals in 1:19 and never looked back. 

Finally, the K-Wings responded on Pink Ice Saturday, thumping the Bison in every aspect of a game that had a little bit of everything. Kalamazoo posted its second-highest penalty total (50 PIMs) of the season, and scored three third-period goals to rock a sold-out Wings Event Center. Quinn Preston (1g-2a), Nolan Walker (2g), Zach Okabe (1g-1a) and Collin Saccoman (2a) lead the K-Wings in points, and Jonathan Lemieux turned away 29 of 31 shots in a statement win for Kalamazoo. 

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

The K-Wings hit the road for three games in Iowa this week.

NEXT WEEK!

The K-Wings play two games at Wings Event Center.

Friday, Feb. 20: Start your weekend with a win at $3 Friday as the K-Wings take on the Indy Fuel on Friday, February 20 at 7:00 p.m. EST. Enjoy $3 beers, sodas, and hot dogs until 8 p.m.—the perfect combo of hockey action and unbeatable deals!

Saturday, Feb. 21: Grab your robes and wands, Wizards, Wands & Wings Night is back at Wings Event Center, presented by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Michigan! Puck drop is at 4:30 p.m., presented by Discover Kalamazoo. Get swept into a spellbinding night of hockey magic, complete with wizard-themed fun and fanfare. Stick around postgame for our Specialty Jersey Auction, with proceeds supporting BBBS Southwest Michigan. Whether you're Gryffin-scoring or Slyther-winning, this night is pure wizarding wonder on ice!

NEXT MONTH AT WINGS EVENT CENTER!
The K-Wings play seven games at Wings Event Center, beginning with…

Friday, Mar. 6: Our local first responders put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. For that, we want to say, ‘Thank you.’ Join us to celebrate Kalamazoo’s finest on First Responders Night, honoring our local police officers, firefighters & EMTs at Wings Event Center, presented by Bronson. Plus, take advantage of the best food & drink deal in Kalamazoo via $3 Friday ($3 Beers, Sodas & Hot Dogs), presented by Bud Light.

Saturday, Mar. 7: Celebrate strength, spirit, and the power of women at K-Wings EmpowHER Night, presented by Girl Scouts Heart of America for a 4:30 p.m. puck drop presented by Discover Kalamazoo! We're spotlighting the incredible impact women make both in Kalamazoo and in sports. The first 1,000 women, of all ages, through the doors score a limited-edition EmpowHER K-Wings baseball cap! After the final whistle, stick around for a Fans Skate the Ice event - just $5 for skate rentals!

Sunday, Mar. 8: Mascot Madness is back and Slappy’s throwing the wildest party of the season at 3 p.m. EST at Wings Event Center! Catch your favorite mascots battling it out in intermission broomball! You won’t want to miss this family-friendly fan-favorite with all of Slappy’s friends.

RESULTS

Wednesday, Feb. 4 – Cincinnati vs. Kalamazoo (L, 5-4 F/OT), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI| Box Score

>> The Kalamazoo Wings (17-17-3-3) narrowly dropped an overtime contest versus the Cincinnati Cyclones (19-18-3-0) on Wednesday at Wings Event Center, 5-4. Colin Bilek (10) started off the scoring for the K-Wings, bulleting a one-timer from the left dot at the 10:37 mark of the first period. Quinn Preston (13) carried the momentum, finding the net only 1:21 later to bring the score to 2-0. Preston then found a gap inside the left post, increasing the lead to two. Unfortunately, the Cyclones responded with a pair of goals at the 12:14 and 19:45 marks to even the game at two. Cincinnati scored another goal at the 5:09 mark of the second. Then, Bloom (2) recorded his second point of the night via a backhanded goal from inside the crease, tying the game at three at the 14:03 mark. The Cyclones responded with a goal with one minute remaining in the second period. Jackson Kunz (1) then knotted the game at four and sent the game to extra time with his first professional goal at the 8:52 mark of the third frame. Cincinnati found the back of the net 3:07 into overtime, finalizing a 5-4 score. Ty Young (7-3-1-0) made 36 saves, and the K-Wings went 1-for-3 on the power play & 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.

Friday, Feb. 6 – Bloomington vs. Kalamazoo (L, 5-2), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI| Box Score

>>  The Kalamazoo Wings (17-18-3-3) couldn’t recover from a pair of second-period goals, 1:19 apart, and fell to the Bloomington Bison (22-16-2-2) on Friday at Wings Event Center, 5-2. Colin Bilek (11) started the scoring for the K-Wings with a goal at the 2:13 mark of the first period. Unfortunately, Bloomington took the momentum with two second-period goals at the 12:46 and 14:27 marks. The Bison followed up by tacking a pair of goals in the third frame at the 3:59 and 9:25 marks. Jackson Kunz (2) then narrowed the deficit to two with his second goal in as many games at the 15:59 mark. Bloomington then found an empty net at the 17:51 mark, bringing the score to 5-2. The K-Wings and Bison continued to slug it out in another physical matchup, seeing each team pick up a pair of fighting majors. However, the two teams only combined for four power-play opportunities. Ty Young (7-4-1-0) made 20 saves in the loss. The K-Wings took the shot total 28-26, went 1-for-3 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill.

Sunday, Feb. 7 – Bloomington vs. Kalamazoo (W, 5-2), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI| Box Score

>>  The Kalamazoo Wings (18-18-3-3) exploded for five ‘Pink Ice’ goals, four multi-point scorers and 52 penalty minutes in a 5-2 rout of the Bloomington Bison (22-17-2-2) on Saturday in front of a sold out Wings Event Center. Kalamazoo enjoyed the spoils of multipoint performances from Quinn Preston (1g, 2a), Nolan Walker (2g), Zach Okabe (1g, 1a) and Collin Saccoman (2a) in the win. Walker (12) continued his hot streak and ignited the scoring for the K-Wings, finding the back of the net at the 18:44 mark of the first period. The Bison then responded with a goal at the 8:26 mark of the second period. However, Preston (14) capitalized on the power play, finding the back of the net at the 12:12 mark. Unfortunately, Bloomington answered with a power play goal of its own, tying the game at two at the 17:01 mark. The sin bin continued to host skaters into the third period as the two teams found themselves skating 4-on-4 when Okabe (11) sniped the game-winning goal at the 8:02 mark of the final frame. Next up, Walker (13) exploded for a breakaway exclamation point to give the K-Wings a two-goal advantage at the 16:11 mark. Jackson Kunz (3) put the cherry on top with an empty net goal at the 19:06 mark, stamping the seal on a 5-2 final score. Jonathan Lemieux (5-5-1-3) turned aside 29-of-31 shots. The K-Wings went 1-for-3 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill.

ON THE MOVE

• Feb. 4: The K-Wings signed defenseman Brendan Dowler to a Standard Player Contract 
• Feb. 4: The K-Wings released forward Blake Christensen from his Standard Player Contract

FAST FACTS

• K-Wings forward Nolan Walker has scored six goals in the last five games 
• K-Wings forward Zach Okabe is currently on his third point streak of four games or more, with six points (2g, 4a) in the last four games
• K-Wings rookie defenseman Davis Pennington leads all Central Division rookies in assists with 22

TEAM TRENDS

• 8-0-1-2 when leading after two periods
• 9-1-0-0 when scoring a power-play goal on the road
• 11-6-0-2 following a regulation loss

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              36 – Quinn Preston

GOALS:                14 – Quinn Preston

ASSISTS:          22 – *Davis Pennington, Quinn Preston

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

ROOKIE GOALS:    11 – *Hunter Strand

ROOKIE ASSISTS:   22 – *Davis Pennington

PIMS:                   73 – Spencer Kennedy

PP GOALS:      6 – Quinn Preston

PP ASSISTS:         8 – David Keefer

SH GOALS:      2 – *Hunter Strand

GW GOALS:    5 – Zach, Okabe, Andre Ghantous

SHOTS:           103 – Quinn Preston

WINS:                 7 – Ty Young

GAA:                   2.91 – Jonathan Lemieux

SAVE %:             .904 – Jonathan Lemieux

*     Rookie

**   Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

*** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 3/9  (33.3%)

                              This Season – 28/135 (19.8%) | No. 9 (ECHL)   

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 7/9 (77.8%)

                               This Season – 92/117 (78.6%)| No. 23 (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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