FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 9, 2026

K-WINGS MOVE UP STANDINGS, GREEN ICE SATURDAY

Kalamazoo prepares for two games with playoff positioning in sight. 

OVERALL RECORD:  25-24-3-3

LAST WEEK: 2-1-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (25-24-3-3), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, travel to Bloomington, IL for a matchup against the Bison at 8 p.m. EDT on Friday Mar. 13, before returning home for the Green Ice Game at 7 p.m. EDT on Mar. 14 at Wings Event Center, presented by Southern Michigan Bank & Trust. 

Tickets are LIMITED for Green Ice, and don't miss the post-game specialty jersey auction, benefiting The Salvation Army.

Last week, the K-Wings went 2-1-0-0 (6-5 F/OT, 3-6, 4-1)

First, Kalamazoo and Jacksonville dropped the puck in the first of a three-game weekend set, and it came down to the wire. The two teams went back and forth in a game that featured five ties, but Kalamazoo came out on top in a strong team win, as Forward Andre Ghantous scored a beautiful game-winner in overtime to seal a 6-5 victory for the K-Wings. The game featured six different goal scorers and five multiple-point games. Aku Koskenvuo showed out late, making three saves in overtime.

On Saturday, the Icemen got their revenge, taking the middle game of the set, 6-3. Josh Bloom, Hunter Strand and Colin Bilek each found the net in the second period to tie the game at three heading into the final frame. However, Jacksonville’s strong pulled away in the third. 

Finally, the K-Wings took the rubber match with an emphatic 4-1 win to win the series at Wings Event Center. After a scoreless first period, Bloom and Ghantous each found the back of the net in the second period to give the K-Wings a 2-1 advantage. Jackson Kunz added an insurance goal in the third period, and Zach Okabe found an empty net with 36 seconds remaining. Jonathan Lemieux was fantastic between the pipes, making 25 of 26 saves in the contest. 

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

Kalamazoo plays one game at Wings Event Center this week.

Saturday, Mar. 14: The legend returns! Green Ice is back, presented by Southern Michigan Bank & Trust! Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the Kalamazoo way with the game that started it all at 7 p.m. EDT on Saturday, March 14, at Wings Event Center. From glowing Green Foam LED Sticks for every fan to the post-game auction of player-worn specialty jerseys benefiting The Salvation Army, this is a night where memories are made, and history lives on.

NEXT WEEK!

Friday, Mar. 20: March into the weekend with $3 Friday at 7 p.m. EDT, presented by Bud Light, at Wings Event Center! Enjoy $3 beers, sodas, and hot dogs (*until 8 p.m.) while the K-Wings bring the heat on the ice to welcome the Rapid City Rush. Great hockey, great vibes, and great deals - what more could you want?

Saturday, Mar. 21: Good grief! Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the Peanuts gang are taking over Wings Event Center as the K-Wings face off against the Rush in a Saturday showdown, for a 4:30 p.m. EDT puck drop presented by Discover Kalamazoo. It’s also Pucks ‘N Paws, presented by Blain’s Farm & Fleet, where your pup takes center ice! We’re silencing the goal horns and turning up the tail wags. Plus, don’t miss the dog race during the first intermission and the Peanuts-themed specialty jersey auction after the game, benefiting the MRC Industries!

Sunday, Mar. 22: Little fans, big energy! It’s our third Jersey Giveaway Sunday game, and this one’s all about the kids and hockey-inspired, for a 3 p.m. EDT puck drop presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The first 500 kids (12 & under) score a Detroit Red Wings-themed K-Wings hockey jersey, and the fun doesn’t stop there. After the game, Kids (under-12) hit the ice for an epic Golden Shot prize showdown. Let’s hear it for the next generation of hockey legends!

RESULTS

Friday, Mar. 6 – Kalamazoo vs. Jacksonville (W, 6-5 F/OT), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (24-23-3-3) start the weekend victorious, downing the Jacksonville Icemen (19-26-7-1) Friday in overtime at Wings Event Center, 6-5. Andre Ghantous (14) sent the K-Wings fans home happy, crossing up the netminder and depositing the game-winning overtime goal 5:07 into the extra frame. David Keefer (5) started the scoring for the K-Wings by taking advantage of an out-of-position goaltender, firing a shot into the twine before the netminder could return to his paint at the 4:56 mark of the first period. The Icemen responded with a short-handed goal on the first penalty of the contest at the 12:12 mark. However, Josh Bloom (13) didn't let the man advantage go to waste, finessing the puck inside the left post on the same power-play opportunity 44 seconds later. Jacksonville answered back, scoring a goal at the 13:22 mark. The Icemen struck first in the second period as well, scoring at the 2:29 mark to take a 3-2 advantage. Evan Dougherty (2) then evened the game, deflecting a shot over the netminder’s pads and into the back of the net at the 10:24 mark. However, Jacksonville regained the lead, scoring a goal just before the second period horn at the 19:18 mark. Wall (4) answered with a net front goal to tie the game at the 2:20 mark of the third frame. Okabe (13) then powered the puck through defensive sticks and into the back of the net at the 6:40 mark. Unfortunately, the Icemen responded with a goal at the 15:10 mark to knot the game at five and send the contest to overtime. Aku Koskenvuo (4-6-0-0) made 38 saves in the contest. Kalamazoo went 1-for-4 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

Saturday, Mar. 7 – Kalamazoo vs. Jacksonville (L, 6-3), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (24-24-3-3) could not overcome a strong third period by the Jacksonville Icemen (20-26-7-1), losing Saturday at Wings Event Center, 6-3. The Icemen held the first-period momentum, scoring a pair of goals at the 3:36 and 4:37 marks. Josh Bloom (14) continued his assault on opposing netminding with a breakaway snipe at the 12:09 mark of the second period. Hunter Strand (13) then snapped the puck inside the left post to give Kalamazoo a one-goal advantage at the 14:56 mark. The Icemen then responded with a goal at the 16:08 mark to take the lead back. Colin Bilek (15) then capitalized on a power-play opportunity, firing his signature one-timer from the left dot that ripped the twine at the 17:35 mark. On the setup, Davis Pennington (28) passed to David Keefer (20) above the right circle, who crossed to Bilek for the equalizer. Jacksonville broke the tie in the third period, scoring a pair of goals at the 6:23 and 9:37 marks. The Icemen then added an empty net goal at the mark to finalize a 6-3 score. Aku Koskenvuo (4-7-0-0) made 26 saves in the contest. Kalamazoo went 1-for-2 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.

Sunday, Mar. 8 – Kalamazoo vs. Jacksonville (W, 4-1), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (25-24-3-3) showcased the strength of their special teams, turning in multiple power-play goals and beating the Jacksonville Icemen (20-28-7-1) Sunday at Wings Event Center, 4-1. After a scoreless first period, Josh Bloom (15) improved his league-leading goal streak to four games (7g) with a power-play bomb from the high slot that found a home inside the right post at the 9:21 mark of the second frame. Jacksonville quickly responded with a goal of its own at the 11:34 mark. Andre Ghantous (15) answered with a crease front scoop and score at the 14:49 mark. Jackson Kunz (6) then struck on the power-play by redirecting the puck past the netminder and into the back of the net at the 7:28 mark of the third period. Okabe (14) capped the game by finding an empty net with 36 seconds remaining to finalize a 4-1 score. Jonathan Lemieux (8-6-1-3) was fantastic in his return to the net, making 25-of-26 saves and earning the first star in the contest. The K-Wings went 2-for-4 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill. 

ON THE MOVE

There were no transactions last week. 

FAST FACTS

• Forward Andre Ghantous is T-No. 3 in the ECHL with 7 game-winning goals 
• Forward Quinn Preston is the No. 3 scorer in the Central Division with 48 points (19g, 28a)
• Rookie forward Jackson Kunz is now averaging a point per game across the last six contests (3g, 3a), charting a pair of multi-point performances in that stretch

TEAM TRENDS

• 19-5-3-3 in 1-goal games
• 12-4-1-1 when Wings PP scores & the opponent’s PP does not
• 11-2-0-0 when scoring a power-play goal on the road

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              48 – Quinn Preston

GOALS:                19 – Quinn Preston

ASSISTS:          31 – Zach Okabe

PLUS/MINUS:    +7 – *Hunter Strand

ROOKIE GOALS:    13 – *Hunter Strand

ROOKIE ASSISTS:   28 – *Davis Pennington

PIMS:                   87 – Spencer Kennedy

PP GOALS:      8 – Colin Bilek

PP ASSISTS:         11 – Zach Okabe

SH GOALS:      2 – Ryan Cox, *Hunter Strand

GW GOALS:    7 – Andre Ghantous

SHOTS:           127  – Quinn Preston

WINS:                 8 – Jonathan Lemieux

GAA:                   2.88 – Jonathan Lemieux

SAVE %:             .905 – Jonathan Lemieux

*     Rookie

**   Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

*** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 4/10  (40.0%)

                            This Season – 37/173 (21.4%) | No. 7 (ECHL)   

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 8/9 (88.9%)

                             This Season – 123/157 (78.3%) | No. 24 (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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