K-Wing Weekly: Kalamazoo Warming Up, off to Iowa Before 4-Straight at Home

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ECHL Kalamazoo Wings

K-Wing Weekly: Kalamazoo Warming Up, off to Iowa Before 4-Straight at Home

January 27, 2025 - ECHL (ECHL)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


K-Wings finish week strong, take points in 3-of-4 and look to move forward in Iowa.

OVERALL RECORD: 14-22-1-1

LAST WEEK: 1-1-0-1

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (14-22-1-1), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, play three games in Iowa this week on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Upon returning home, the K-Wings will welcome Iowa for their Black Heritage Celebration, presented by Bronson on Feb. 7 versus Iowa and Grateful Dead Night, presented by MAGNA on Feb. 8, versus Iowa.

Then it's Pink Ice, presented by Bronson, on Feb. 14 versus Bloomington and Springfield Night (Simpsons) on Feb. 15 versus Fort Wayne.

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

First, Kalamazoo fell in a shootout at Toledo Friday, 2-1. The Walleye scored 37 seconds into the second period to open the scoring, but Quinn Preston (5) evened the score 5:22 in the third. Josh Bloom scored in the skills competition for the K-Wings, but Toledo scored twice to earn the victory. Ty Young (5-5-0-1) was outstanding in goal, making 34 saves and helping Kalamazoo go 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.

Then, the K-Wings lost, 4-1, to Indy at Wings Event Center on Saturday. The game was scoreless until the last two minutes of the second period, but the Fuel scored on the power play and never looked back. Indy scored again early in the third before Quinn Preston (6) scored shorthanded to make it 2-1. The Fuel added another on the power play with an empty-net goal to finish the scoring. Jonathan Lemieux (7-13-1-0) was strong in net, stopping 36 of 39 shots faced.

Finally, Kalamazoo dismantled the Bloomington Bison behind a five-assist afternoon by Quinn Preston (15, 16, 17, 18, 19) at Wings Event Center Sunday, 6-3. Preston's five assists established a new career-high in single game points for his professional career and was the K-Wings' first five-point game since Erik Bradford notched two goals and three assists on Dec. 31, 2023 in a 7-0 win over Indy. It's also just the third time this feat has happened in the ECHL this season. Luc Salem (2), Zach Okabe (9, 10), Josh Bloom (7), Zach Berzolla (1) and Collin Saccoman (4) scored goals in the victory. Ty Young (6-5-0-1) was superb in net, making 25 saves to earn the win.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

Kalamazoo plays three on the road this week before coming home to play five of its next six games at home.

Kalamazoo hosts the 'Black Excellence Celebration,' presented by Bronson, on Friday, Feb. 7 at 7:00 p.m. at Wings Event Center against the Iowa Heartlanders. It will also be a $3 Friday, presented by Bud Light, with $3 Beers, Sodas and Hot Dogs at the game! Join us in celebrating African American achievements and heritage, while emphasizing the Black community's representation in hockey!

Calling all Dead Heads because Grateful Dead night, presented by MAGNA, is on Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. versus the Fort Wayne Komets at Wings Event Center. Come to see and hear the hits, and the first 1,000 fans will receive a limited edition K-Wings Grateful Dead silipint glass. Also, the tie-dye will be strong as the K-Wings will wear Grateful Dead specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off postgame, benefiting South Kalamazoo Fire Authority.

Pink Ice is next up versus Bloomington at 7 p.m. on Feb. 14 at Wings Event Center for the 24th annual game on the pink surface! All fans will receive a K-Wings 'Fearless Fighter' T-Shirt, and it will be a $3 Friday, presented by Bud Light, so you can enjoy $3 Beers, Sodas & Hot Dogs! Get your tickets HERE.

The Stick it to Cancer Ticket Package is also available for the game. Enjoy four (4) tickets to the game and four K-Wings 'Fearless Fighter' T-Shirts for $89, with 10% of proceeds being donated to the Bronson Health Foundation.

Woo-hoo! The K-Wings are excited to welcome you to Springfield Night on Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. versus the Fort Wayne Komets at Wings Event Center. The night is primed to be packed with laughs as we celebrate the generational hit TV show, 'The Simpsons.' So, bring your cowabunga and the first 1,000 fans will receive a K-Wings Donut Keychain (mmm donuts), and we promise we won't make you eat our shorts.

RESULTS

Friday, Jan. 24 - Kalamazoo at Toledo (L, 2-1 OT/SO) Huntington Center, Toledo, OH | Box Score

The Kalamazoo Wings (13-21-1-1) battled the Toledo Walleye (25-9-5-0) to a shootout at Huntington Center Friday, falling 2-1. Toledo scored first, 37 seconds into the second period. Quinn Preston (4) notched the tying goal for the K-Wings at the 5:22 mark of the third. Zach Okabe (12) set up Luc Salem (7) at the center of the blue line for the shot, and Preston tipped it between the circles over the right shoulder of the Walleye goalkeeper to knot the game at one. After a scoreless overtime period, the game moved to a shootout. Josh Bloom scored for Kalamazoo, but Toledo scored twice to earn the extra point. Ty Young (5-5-0-1) was outstanding in goal, making 34 saves on 35 shots faced and helping the K-Wings to a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.

Saturday, Jan. 25 - Indy vs. Kalamazoo (L, 4-1) Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

The Kalamazoo Wings (13-22-1-1) dropped a tightly contested game across two periods to the Indy Fuel (17-15-3-2) at Wings Event Center Saturday, 4-1. Both sides skated scoreless until late in the middle frame, when Indy notched a power play goal at the 18:34 mark. The Fuel scored again 59 seconds into the third to make it 2-0. Then, Quinn Preston (6) scored shorthanded at the 3:51 mark to bring Kalamazoo within one. Josh Bloom (3) and Theo Calvas (4) assisted as Preston came down the left circle and delivered a backhand shot off a stick of a Fuel player and into the back of the net. Indy recovered to score on the power play 48 seconds later. The Fuel added an empty-net goal at the 19:17 mark to ice the victory. Jonathan Lemieux (7-13-1-0) was stellar in net, stopping 36 of 39 shots faced in the loss.

Sunday, Jan. 26 -Bloomington vs. Kalamazoo (W, 6-3) Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI | Box Score

The Kalamazoo Wings (14-22-1-1) dismantled the Bloomington Bison (18-18-1-2) behind a five assist afternoon by Quinn Preston at Wings Event Center Sunday, 6-2. Preston's five assists established a new career-high in single game points for his professional career and was the K-Wings' first five-point game since Erik Bradford notched two goals and three assists on Dec. 31, 2023 in a 7-0 win over Indy. It's also just the third time this feat has happened in the ECHL this season. Luc Salem (2) opened the scoring at the 3:13 mark of the first. Zach Okabe (9) then scored on the power play at the 5:16 mark to make it 2-0. Bloomington switched netminders after the second tally, and scored on the power play to draw within one at the 12:16 mark. Josh Bloom (7) found the back of the net during 4-on-4 action at the 17:19 mark. The Bison answered with a goal just 37 seconds later, still skating four aside, to make it 3-2. After a scoreless middle frame, Zach Berzolla (1) scored a power-play goal to restore the K-Wings' lead to two at the 3:11 mark of the third. Okabe (10) tacked on an empty-net goal at the 17:23 mark to make it 5-2. The Bison wouldn't go down easy, scoring at the 18:50 mark to make it a two-goal game again. Then, Saccoman (4) finished things off with another empty-netter with 8.8 seconds left. Ty Young (6-5-0-1) was strong in net, making 25 saves to earn the victory.

ON THE MOVE

Jan. 21 - Kalamazoo signed forward Luke Morgan to a standard player contract

FAST FACTS

Forward Quinn Preston earned five assists Sunday, tying the ECHL single-game high this season

Rookie forward Zach Okabe scored two goals and an assist Sunday, his second multi-goal game and second three-point game this season

Defenseman Collin Saccoman notched his third multi-point game of the season Sunday (1g-1a)

TEAM TRENDS

11-1-1-0 when leading after the second

8-2-1-0 when leading after the first

12-7-0-1 when allowing three goals or less

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS: 25 - Quinn Preston

GOALS: 12 - Ben Berard

ASSISTS: 19 - Quinn Preston

PLUS/MINUS: +9 - Collin Saccoman

PIMS: 35 - Zach Berzolla

PP GOALS: 4 - Zach Okabe

PP ASSISTS: 4 - Quinn Preston

SH GOALS: 1 - Ben Berard, Josh Bloom, Quinn Preston

GW GOALS : 3 - Ben Berard, Ted Nichol

SHOTS : 84 - Zach Berzolla

WINS: 7 - Jonathan Lemieux

GAA: 2.43 - Ty Young

SAVE %: .923 - Ty Young

* Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY: Last Week - 2/9 (22.2%)

This Season - 13/99 (13.1%) | No. 29 (ECHL)

PENALTY KILL: Last Week - 10/13 (76.9%)

This Season - 86/114 (75.4%) | No. 26 (ECHL)

Check out the Kalamazoo Wings Statistics

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