FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 1, 2026

K-WINGS RIDE BLOOM’S 4-GOAL PERFORMANCE IN WIN OVER CYCLONES SUNDAY

Kalamazoo enjoys five multi-point performances, and Josh Bloom nets four goals en route to a 6-5 victory in Cincinnati.   

BOX SCORE

CINCINNATI, OH – The Kalamazoo Wings (23-23-3-3), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, exploded for six goals with a four-goal performance and five total multipoint outings to beat the Cincinnati Cyclones (25-24-3-0) Sunday at Heritage Bank Arena, 6-5.

Bloom (4g) was one of five different K-Wings that notched multiple points in the win. Jayden Lee potted three points (1g, 2a) and earned himself the game’s third star. Orlando Mainolfi (1g, 1a) charted his first ECHL goal and second multipoint game. Quinn Preston (2a) and Hunter Strand (2a) each recorded a pair of assists as well. 

Josh Bloom (9, 10, 11, 12) became the first K-Wing since Aaron Irving in the 2017-18 season and the fifth ECHL player this season to record four goals in a single game. On the milestone goal, Bloom, Hunter Strand (14), and Griffin Ness (13), three-man weaved the length of the ice when the puck ultimately found Bloom’s stick above the right circle. The forward then launched the game-winning missile over the shoulder of the netminder at the 15:07 mark, increasing the score to 6-4. 

Bloom (9) started the scoring early for the K-Wings with a right-circle wrister on the rush that deflected off the netminder’s right shin pad and bounced into the net at the 1:20 mark of the first period. On the play, David Keefer (18) stole the puck at the defensive zone blue line and passed to Preston (28), who weaved through defenders before finding Bloom at the offensive zone blue line. 

Mainolfi (1) kept the momentum rolling with a beautiful five-hole snipe from the right dot for his first pro goal to give the K-Wings a 2-0 lead at the 12:25 mark. On the goal, Preston (28) sent a loose puck around the endboards to Lee (17) at the blue line, who crossed to Mainolfi, who drove from the point down the right circle for the goal. 

Unfortunately, Cincinnati took the early second period momentum, scoring a trio of goals at the 7:13, 10:41 and 12:08 marks to take a 3-2 advantage. 

However, Bloom (10) struck again with a top-shelf power-play bullet from the left circle to tie the game at the 15:12 mark. On the power-play, Lee (18) brought the puck up the offensive zone before passing back to Zach Okabe (29), who skated the puck over center ice. Okabe rushed toward the right edge of the high slot and crossed to Bloom opposite him to knot the game at three.

The Cyclones then regained the lead with a goal at the 3:45 mark of the final frame.

Lee (6) powered the puck through the netminder’s pads to even the game once again at the 6:07 mark. On the play, Strand (13) passed to a firing Mainolfi (3) from just inside the blue line that caromed off the goaltender's right shin pad directly to Lee in the crease. 

That's when Bloom (11) sent the living-room hats flying back home with a breakaway backhand that landed inside the right post at the 8:08 mark. On the setup, Colin Bilek (15) started the rush with a pass to Powell Connor (7) from near the K-Wings’ net. Connor rushed forward two-on-one, passing to Bloom when the pair reached the offensive zone blue line, and Bloomer did the rest. 

Cincinnati scored a late goal at the 18:03 mark to narrow the lead to one, and the K-Wings defense stole the show the rest of the way out.

Aku Koskenvuo (3-6-0-0) was stout between the pipes, making 33 saves. Kalamazoo went 1-for-1 on the penalty kill and was 1-for-1 on the power play. 

Next up for Kalamazoo is a trio of games versus the Jacksonville Icemen (19-26-6-1), with First Responders Night up first Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Wings Event Center.

 Join us to celebrate Kalamazoo’s finest on First Responders Night, honoring our local police officers, firefighters & EMTs at 7 p.m. EST March 6 at Wings Event Center. Plus, take advantage of the best food & drink deal in Kalamazoo via $3 Friday ($3 Beers, Sodas & Hot Dogs), presented by Bud Light.

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Celebrate strength, spirit, and the power of women at K-Wings EmpowHER Night! We're spotlighting the incredible impact women make both in Kalamazoo and in sports at 4:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, March 7, at Wings Event Center. 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!

Mascot Madness is back and Slappy’s throwing the wildest party of the season at 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, March 8, 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.

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. EST 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.

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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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