FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 19, 2026

K-WINGS OPEN 2026-27, OFF TO READING THIS WEEK

Kalamazoo rallies to earn a point Saturday in Bloomington, heads to Reading this week before Home Opener next Friday. 

OVERALL RECORD:  0-0-1-0

LAST WEEK: 0-0-1-0

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (0-0-1-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, hit the road for two games this week against the Reading Royals (2-0-0-0), starting on Saturday at 7 p.m. EDT and ending with a Sunday tilt at 3 p.m. EDT. 

Last week, the K-Wings went 0-0-1-0 (OTL, 4-3).

Kalamazoo hit the road to start the 2026-27 season in Bloomington against the Bison (1-0-0-0) on Saturday night at Grossinger Motors Arena. The Wings trailed 3-0 after two Bloomington tallies in the second and a short-handed goal early in the third period. Kalamazoo then stormed back to tie the game with three unanswered goals in just over 9 minutes of play. Marking three new K-Wings finding the back of the net in the outburst. Bloomington eventually scored the overtime winner at the 2:19 mark. Aku Koskenvuo (0-0-1-0) made 32 saves in the OT defeat.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

Kalamazoo plays no games this week at Wings Event Center.

NEXT WEEK

Oct. 30:  SAME HOME OPENER DATE AS 1974! Join us Friday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. for our Home Opener as the K-Wings take on the Toledo Walleye, presented by Bronson! We're going to kick off the farewell season by matching the building's first K-Wings home opener in 1974. Enjoy a face painter and balloon artist, plus the first 1,000 fans through the doors receive a FREE K-Wings Magnet Schedule AND K-Wings Trucker Hat! Be there as we drop the puck on the final Home Opener at Wings Event Center!

Oct. 31: Join our Halloween Tradition! Join us Saturday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. as the K-Wings take on the Bloomington Bison for Orange Ice, presented by PNC! Grab your friends and family, throw on your Halloween best and celebrate the holiday at Wings Event Center! Show off your costume during our Adult and Children's costume contests (1st & 2nd Intermission) for a chance to win prizes, with Halloween fun happening throughout the night. 

GOT 2027 OUTDOOR GAME TICKETS?

History will be made at 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, January 31, 2027, as the Kalamazoo Wings and Toledo Walleye meet in the first outdoor professional hockey game in Southwest Michigan history at Waldo Stadium. Experience the excitement of hockey under the open sky, and enjoy the convenience of parking included with every ticket purchase. Be there for this unforgettable day.

RESULTS

Saturday, Oct. 17 – Kalamazoo at Bloomington (OTL, 4-3), Grossinger Motors Arena, Bloomington, IL | Box Score

>>   The Kalamazoo Wings (0-0-1-0) rallied with three straight goals in the third, but fell 4-3 in overtime to the Bloomington Bison (1-0-0-0) to kick off the season at Grossinger Motors Arena. Former Utah Grizzlies captain Tyler Gratton (1) scored the Wings’ first goal of the new season at 6:29 of the third. The K-Wings drew to within one at the 9:53 mark of the third with their first power-play goal of the year. On the play, Timofeyev (1) rocketed a slap shot from the blueline for his first goal as a K-Wing. Zach Urdahl (1) tied the game at the 16:00 mark of the third. The comeback effort was cut short, as Bloomington scored the overtime winner at the 2:19 mark. Bloomington jumped out to a 2-0 lead with two tallies just 1:03 (1:44, 2:47) apart to start the second. The Bison added to their lead with a shorthanded goal at the 3:42 mark of the third period. Aku Koskenvuo (0-1-0-0) was brilliant at times for the K-Wings, stopping 32 of 36 shots on net, and three K-Wings notched multiple points (Khremkin, Timofeyev, Wendt) in a wild third period to grab a point on the road. The K-Wings went 1-for-7 on the power play, were a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and were outshot 36-30 in the contest. 

ON THE MOVE

• Oct. 10 - Defenseman Tim Rego recalled by Abbotsford (AHL) Canucks 
• Oct. 14 - Defenseman Victor Hadfield signed off waivers by Kalamazoo 
• Oct.16 - Forward Brandon Buhr assigned to Kalamazoo by Canucks (NHL)

FAST FACTS

• K-Wings forwards Konstantin Khremkin (2a), Stepan Timofeyev (1g, 1a) and Dylan Wendt (2a) each recorded their first multi-point games in their K-Wings debuts against Bloomington Saturday. 
• Head coach Joel Martin has taken points in 98 of 135 (73-37-19-6) one-goal games (73%)in his tenure since 2022. 
• Kalamazoo scored three goals in 9:31 on Saturday in Bloomington.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS:                   2 – *Konstantin Khremkin, Stepan Timofeyev, Dylan Wendt

GOALS:                     1 –  Tyler Gratton, Stepan Timofeyev, Zach Urdahl

ASSISTS:                  2 – *Konstantin Khremkin, Dylan Wendt

PLUS/MINUS:         +1 – Aidan Sutter, Collin Saccoman

ROOKIE GOALS:     0 – N/A

ROOKIE ASSISTS:  2 – Konstantin Khremkin

PIMS:                         2 – Brandon Buhr, Andre Ghantous, Aidan Sutter

PP GOALS:                1 – Stepan Timofeyev

PP ASSISTS:              1 – *Konstantin Khremkin, Dylan Wendt

SH GOALS:                 0 – N/A

GW GOALS:                0 – N/A

SHOTS:                        4  – Sean Chisholm, Zach Urdahl

*     Rookie

**   Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

*** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY:   Last Week – 1/7  (14.3%)

                             This Season – 1/7 (14.3%) | No. 18 (ECHL)   

PENALTY KILL:   Last Week – 3/3 (100%)

                               This Season – 3/3 (100%)| T-No. 1 (ECHL)

--

The Hungry Howie’s Friends and Family Ticket Package is also BACK for the 2026-27 season. The package includes four tickets, four K-Wings knit hats and a $20 Hungry Howie’s Voucher - for just $59. 

Season Tickets for 2026-27 are available NOW. Click here to join the ranks of the High Flyers and catch all the action next season with all the perks!

Are you a group planner at work or for the family? Save serious money on ticket packages of 10 or more, while delivering a group experience of a lifetime with the K-Wings. Plus, take advantage of more savings with our summer booking incentives NOW! 

--

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.

###