FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 6, 2026

 K-WINGS CLIMB STANDINGS, FINAL REGULAR-SEASON HOME GAMES THIS WEEK

Kalamazoo takes 2-of-3 last weekend, hops to 3rd in Central and preps for Fan Appreciation & final regular-season home game this week. 

OVERALL RECORD:  33-27-3-3

CENTRAL DIVISION STANDINGS: No. 3

LAST WEEK: 2-1-0-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (31-26-3-3), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, play three games this week, with the final two games home regular season games coming this Saturday and Sunday at Wings Event Center. 

First, the K-Wings head to Fort Wayne Komets to start the home-and-home series Friday at 7:35 p.m. EDT at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum before returning home for the Fan Appreciation Game, presented by Bronson, on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. EDT presented by Discover Kalamazoo. The K-Wings then close the week with the home Regular Season Finale & the final Jersey Giveaway Sunday versus the Cincinnati Cyclones on Sunday at 3 p.m. EDT, presented by MAGNA International.

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

Kalamazoo hosted the Toledo Walleye for the final time this season, but fell 6-2. The K-Wings and Walleye battled intensely to a 2-2 tie until the 16:45 mark of the second period. Unfortunately, Toledo pulled away, scoring four unanswered goals. Robby Drazner and Griffin Ness both charted goals, and Jonathan Lemieux made 27 saves in the contest.  

On Saturday, the Kalamazoo traveled to Indy and the two battled to a scoreless tie until the final minutes of the contest. Ultimately, it was Zach Okabe who broke the tie with the game-winning goal at the 16:16 mark of the third period. Colin Bilek then sealed it, scoring an insurance goal at the 18:19 mark, securing the 2-0 victory. Aku Koskenvuo recorded his first ECHL shutout on a career-high 42 saves and the penalty kill was 4-for-4 in the contest. 

Sunday, Kalamazoo traveled to Bloomington and secured a 3-1 victory, propelling the K-Wings into third place in the Central Division. Andre Ghantous (1g, 1a), Matt Berry (1g, 1a), and Evan Dougherty notched the goals, while Aku Koskenvuo made 21 saves. The penalty kill took center stage again, going 4-for-4 and improving above 80% overall for the first time this season.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

Kalamazoo plays the last two games at Wings Event Center this week.

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, including Tyler’s Amazing Balancing Act during intermission. Puck drops at 4:30 p.m., presented by Discover Kalamazoo. Be one of the first 1,000 through the doors and score a 2025-26 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, Apr. 3 – Toledo vs. Kalamazoo (L, 6-2), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (31-26-3-3) were locked at two with the Toledo Walleye (40-15-6-5) until the late stages of the second, but Toledo pulled away on Friday at Wings Event Center, 6-2. The Walleye took the early advantage, scoring a goal 4:16 into the first period. Robby Drazner (3) responded with a laser from the high slot at the 6:12 mark. Toledo answered back with a goal at the 8:54 mark to regain a one-goal lead. Griffin Ness (11) continued his heater, lifting a shot over the goaltender and into the back of the net for the unassisted goal at the 11:43 mark. The Walleye owned the second period, scoring a pair of goals at the 16:45 and 19:25 marks to bring the score to 4-2. Toledo scored the only goals of the third frame as well, scoring at the 6:56 mark on the power play and again in an empty net at the 18:46 mark. Jonathan Lemieux (11-8-1-3) made 27 saves in the contest, and the K-Wings outshot the Walleye 36-33. 

Saturday, Apr. 4 – Kalamazoo at Indy  (W, 2-0), Fishers Event Center, Fishers, IN | Box Score

>>    The Kalamazoo Wings (32-26-3-3) notched their first shutout of the season behind 42 stops, and two late goals, in a 2-0 victory against the Indy Fuel (31-26-9-1) Saturday at Fishers Event Center. In a battle of the goaltenders, Kalamazoo’s Aku Koskenvuo (8-8-0-0) recorded his first ECHL career shutout with 42 stops in the contest, tying his professional career high. Each team went scoreless for 56:16 in the defensive stalemate before the K-Wings broke through. Zach Okabe (16) notched his seventh game-winning goal of the season with a beautiful wraparound goal. Colin Bilek (21) then added the insurance goal on a right circle bullet that flew over the netminder’s right shoulder and into the back of the net at the 18:19 mark. Kalamazoo went a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill and 0-for-1 on the power play.  

Sunday, Apr. 5 – Kalamazoo at Bloomington (W, 3-1), Grossinger Motors Arena, Bloomington, IL | Box Score

>>    The Kalamazoo Wings (33-26-3-3) systematically dismantled the Bloomington Bison (32-29-2-3) en route to victory Sunday at Grossinger Motors Arena, 3-1. Bloomington took the initial advantage, scoring a goal at the 13:18 mark of the first period. It took Andre Ghantous (16) only 41 seconds to respond, knotting the game at the 13:59 mark. Berry (2) then took advantage of an out-of-place netminder, depositing his first goal as a K-Wing at the 9:12 mark of the middle frame. Evan Dougherty (7) then fired a shot into the twine to give Kalamazoo a 3-1 advantage at the 11:12 mark. Aku Koskenvuo (9-8-0-0) continued his outstanding play between the pipes, turning aside 21 of 22 shots. The K-Wings were a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill and took the shot total in the contest (23-22). 

ON THE MOVE

There were no transactions last week.

FAST FACTS

• Kalamazoo rookie goaltender Aku Koskenvuo has allowed just four goals over his last five starts (5-0-0-0) from Mar. 22 thru Apr. 4, and has posted a .977 save percentage and a .80 goals-against average in that span
• Kalamazoo forward Colin Bilek tied a career high in goals scored (21) in Saturday’s game against Indy
• Kalamazoo forward Evan Dougherty’s goal against Bloomington Sunday marked a new career high for points scored with 14 (7g, 7a)

TEAM TRENDS

22-7-3-3 in 1-goal games

19-1-1-2 when leading after two periods of play

14-2-0-0 when scoring a power-play goal on the road

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:              53 – Zach Okabe

GOALS:                21 – Colin Bilek

ASSISTS:          37 – Zach Okabe

PLUS/MINUS:    +7 – Zach Okabe

ROOKIE GOALS:    14 – *Hunter Strand

ROOKIE ASSISTS:   36 – *Davis Pennington

PIMS:                   109– Powell Connor

PP GOALS:      10 – Colin Bilek

PP ASSISTS:         12 – Zach Okabe, Nolan Walker

SH GOALS:      2 – Ryan Cox, *Hunter Strand

GW GOALS:    7 – Andre Ghantous, Zach Okabe

SHOTS:           155  – Quinn Preston

WINS:                 11 – Jonathan Lemieux

GAA:                   2.91 – Jonathan Lemieux

SAVE %:             .911 – Aku Koskenvuo

*     Rookie

**   Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

*** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 0/5  (0%)

                            This Season – 41/203 (20.2%) | No. 10 (ECHL)   

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 9/10 (90.0%)

                             This Season – 158/197 (80.2%)| No. 17 (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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