FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 23, 2026

K-WINGS PROTECT HOME ICE, HIT ROAD TO ADIRONDACK

Kalamazoo secured four points last weekend, and now heads to Adirondack for an out-of-division matchup. 

OVERALL RECORD:  28-26-3-3

LAST WEEK: 2-1-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (28-26-3-3), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, travel to Adirondack (34-18-7-1) for a three-game set against the Thunder at 7 p.m. EDT on Friday & Saturday and 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday. 

Last week, the K-Wings went 2-1-0-0 (3-2, 2-3, 6-1).

First, Kalamazoo’s fourth line showed up and showed out Friday, propelling the team to a 3-2 victory over Rapid City. Evan Dougherty (1g, 1a), Colson Gengenbach (1g) and Hunter Strand (1g) combined for four of the K-Wings’ nine points. Goaltender Jonathan Lemieux stopped 33 of 35 shots in the win. 

On Saturday, the Rush bounced back to take the middle game of the set, winning 3-2. The two teams traded blows in the first period, as Dougherty added his third point in two games with the game-tying goal just 2:12 after Rapid City took the early lead. However, Rapid City owned the middle frame, scoring twice. Kalamazoo edged closer in the third period off the stick of Ryan Cox, but couldn’t climb all the way back.

Sunday, the K-Wings thumped the Rush in their first win by 5-goals or more this season (W, 6-1). Kalamazoo’s defensive play stole the show, holding Rapid City to only two first-period shots. Aku Koskenvuo was phenomenal between the pipes, making 25 saves and holding Rapid City scoreless until the 15:12 mark of the final frame. Nolan Walker (2g) and Zach Okabe (3a) led offensively, and the K-Wings enjoyed five different scorers on a season high 44 shots on goal. 

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

Kalamazoo plays no games at Wings Event Center this week.

NEXT WEEK!

Friday, Apr. 3: Wastin’ away again at Wings Event Center! Margaritaville Night, presented by Honor Credit Union, brings the beach vibes to the barn on April 3. Plus, sip $3 beers, sodas, and dogs ’til 8 PM, then kick back, relax, and enjoy a tropical twist on K-Wings hockey. Also, don’t miss the Jersey Auction post-game benefiting KZoo Parks - flip flops optional, fun guaranteed!

NEXT MONTH AT WINGS EVENT CENTER!

Saturday, Apr. 11: 51 years of K-Wings hockey wouldn’t be possible without YOU - our incredible fans! Get loud and join us for Fan Appreciation Night!  We’re celebrating the best fans in the league at our final regular-season Saturday game, on Apr. 11, presented by Bronson. We’re packing the night with giveaways, surprises, and family fun from puck drop to final horn. Puck drops at 4:30 p.m., presented by Discover Kalamazoo. Be one of the first 1,000 through the doors and score a K-Wings team poster!

Sunday, Apr. 12: We’re swinging for the fences in the Regular-Season Finale, presented by MAGNA International, with our last ‘Jersey Series’ game! Join us as we close out the 51st year of K-Wings hockey in true Detroit Tigers style, Sunday, Apr. 12 at 3 p.m. EDT. The first 500 kids (12 & under) will snag a Tigers-inspired Youth K-Wings Baseball Jersey, and the night wraps with our last specialty jersey auction, benefiting KOHA. It’s the regular-season finale, and the playoff race is heating up - don’t miss the grand slam finish!

RESULTS

Friday, Mar. 20 – Rapid City vs. Kalamazoo (W, 3-2), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (27-25-3-3) refused to give up a second-period lead in a gritty team win over the Rapid City Rush (24-30-4-1) Friday at Wings Event Center, 3-2. Kalamazoo’s fourth line of Colson Gengenbach (1g), Evan Dougherty (2a) and Hunter Strand (1g) combined for four points and played a phenomenal defensive game, along with 33 Jonathan Lemieux (10-6-1-3) saves, propelled the K-Wings to victory.  Gengenbach (2) started the scoring for the K-Wings, depositing a rebound into the twine at the 12:15 mark of the second period for his second goal of the season.  David Keefer (6) then banged a bar-down missile from the right circle to give the K-Wings a momentary 2-0 lead at the 1:09 mark of the third period. Only 1:24 later, the Rush notched their first goal, bringing the score to 2-1. That’s when Strand (14) deposited a goal-line present at the 9:20 mark to regain a two-goal lead. However, Rapid City found the back of the net at the 11:45 mark, but the K-Wings slammed the door shut the rest of the way out, killing off over two minutes of extra-attacker time for their 20th 1-goal victory of the season. The K-Wings went a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill, and the shot total was knotted at 35 each.

Saturday, Mar. 21 – Rapid City vs. Kalamazoo (L, 3-2), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

>>    Kalamazoo Wings (27-26-3-3) could not overcome goals on the first two shots of the second period by the Rapid City Rush (25-30-4-1), falling Saturday at Wings Event Center, 3-2. Rapid City took the initial lead, scoring a goal on its first shot of the contest at the 1:02 mark of the first period. Evan Dougherty (4) continued his hot streak by sneaking in a five-hole goal on the rush at the 3:14 mark. Ryan Cox (14) then deposited a net-front goal at the 2:32 mark to bring the K-Wings within one. Jonathan Lemieux (10-7-1-3) was stout in net, making 35 saves in the contest. The K-Wings went 4-for-5 on the penalty and 0-for-4 on the power-play. 

Sunday, Mar. 22 – Rapid City vs. Kalamazoo (W, 6-1), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

>>    The Kalamazoo Wings (28-26-3-3) rode a dominant defensive and potent offensive performance to thump the Rapid City Rush (25-31-4-1), Sunday at Wings Event Center, 6-1. Aku Koskenvuo (5-8-0-0) was phenomenal in this one, making 25 saves in the contest, and Kalamazoo held Rapid City to only two shots in the first period. The K-Wings got off to the fastest start of the season as Nolan Walker (17) found the back of the net just 25 seconds into the game. Walker (18) wasn’t done yet as he flicked his second goal of the afternoon at the 8:02 mark to give Kalamazoo a two-goal advantage. The captain Collin Saccoman (5) kept the momentum rolling with a snipe inside the right post on the rush at the 14:33 mark. After a scoreless second period, Colin Bilek (18) fired a shot that deflected off the netminder and into the roof of the net to give the K-Wings a 4-0 lead. Jackson Kunz (7) then deposited a goal from the left edge of the crease to continue Kalamazoo’s offensive onslaught at the 13:45 mark. That's when the Rush spoiled the shutout on a very controversial goal at the 15:12 mark. On the zone entry, Rapid City tossed the puck off the turned glass on the K-Wings bench, but the play was not blown dead. Evan Dougherty (5) capped the scoring on the afternoon with a top-shelf snipe at the 18:25 mark to finalize a 6-1 victory. The K-Wings took the shot total 44-26, marking a new season high.

ON THE MOVE

• Mar. 18 - Kalamazoo acquired forward Patrick Newell from the Greensboro Gargoyles for future considerations
• Mar. 18 - Kalamazoo signed rookie defenseman Greg Japchen to a Standard Player Contract (SPC)
• Mar. 19 - K-Wings signed rookie forward Jake Suede to a Standard Player Contract (SPC)
• Mar. 19 - Kalamazoo released defenseman Kylor Wall from Standard Player Contract (SPC)

FAST FACTS

• Forward Evan Dougherty notched four points this weekend (2g, 2a) and skated in his 100th professional game vs Rapid City on Saturday 
• Forward Zach Okabe charted his first career three-assist performance versus Rapid City on Sunday
• Colin Bilek now ranks T-No. 1 in the Central Division for power-play goals (9) and T-No. 3 in the ECHL overall

TEAM TRENDS

• 20-7-3-3 in 1-goal games
• 20-7-2-2 when scoring a power-play goal
• 19-3-1-1 when scoring 4+ goals

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              49 – Zach Okabe

GOALS:                19 – Quinn Preston

ASSISTS:          34 – Zach Okabe

PLUS/MINUS:    +6 – Zach Okabe, *Hunter Strand

ROOKIE GOALS:    14 – *Hunter Strand

ROOKIE ASSISTS:   33 – *Davis Pennington

PIMS:                   97 – Spencer Kennedy

PP GOALS:      9 – Colin Bilek

PP ASSISTS:         11 – Zach Okabe

SH GOALS:      2 – Ryan Cox, *Hunter Strand

GW GOALS:    7 – Andre Ghantous

SHOTS:           144  – Quinn Preston

WINS:                 10 – Jonathan Lemieux

GAA:                   2.92 – Jonathan Lemieux

SAVE %:             .909 – Jonathan Lemieux

*     Rookie

**   Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

*** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 0/4 (0%)

                            This Season – 38/184 (20.7%) | No. 9 (ECHL)   

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 8/10 (80.0%)

                             This Season – 138/175 (78.9%)| 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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