IHL 2 Kalamazoo Wings

K-Wings Bring in Championship Experience for Playoff Run

March 31, 2006 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


Kalamazoo, MI- The Kalamazoo Wings, proud members of the United Hockey League, announce the signing of defenseman Briane Thompson. Per team policy, the terms of the contract will be undisclosed.

Thompson, 30, joins the K-Wings after spending the beginning part of the season with Fassa HC of the Italian Elite League.

The seven-year pro was a selection of the Florida Panthers in the 8th round (#187 overall) of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft

The native of Millbrook, Ontario has won a championship at every level of hockey he has played. In juniors, Thompson was a member of the 1992-93 Memorial Cup Champions, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL). In college, the defenseman continued to find on-ice success as he helped Guelph College win the 1996-97 CIAU National Championship. Thompson hoisted his first pro championship during the 2002-03 season, as a member of the Nottingham Panthers (BISL).

"He (Thompson) is a very solid defenseman that has an intangible that every team is looking for; proven playoff experience," said Vice President/General Manager Paul L. Pickard. "We (K-Wings) are doing everything in our power to give our ownership and our fans a memorable playoff run and signing Thompson is our latest step in accomplishing that goal."

Besides playing overseas, Thompson has played in North America in the International Hockey League (IHL), American Hockey League (AHL) and in the ECHL. This season will be Thompson's second tour of duty in the UHL experience, as the defenseman played 38 games last year with the Kansas City Outlaws.

Under UHL rules, Thompson will have to play in six of the K-Wings last eight games to be eligible for the K-Wings playoff roster. Thompson will be in the lineup Saturday, April 1st, when the K-Wings travel to Flint, Michigan to try to avenge a shootout loss earlier this week against the Flint Generals.

Thompson is schedule to make his Wings Stadium debut on Friday, April 7th, as the K-Wings host the Motor City Mechanics at 7:30 p.m. Next Friday's game will coincide with Team Poster Night presented by Mark Maurer Great Lakes Mortgage Company, Fed-Ex Kinkos and WRKR.

Tickets for the April 7th contest or any of the remaining K-Wings' home games are available by calling the Wings Stadium Ticket Office at (269) 345-5101, or stopping by during regular business hours of 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday or on Saturday's from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Fans can also order "E-Tickets" online through www.ticketmaster.com.

Besides regular season individual game tickets, Playoff strips for season ticket holders are on-sale now; Playoff strips and individual-game tickets for the first round will go on-sale to the general public Monday, April 3rd. While the K-Wings opponent is unknown, they do know it will take 12 victories to hoist the Colonial Cup. All three rounds of the UHL playoffs will be a Best of Seven Series.

Playoff Strip Packages range from $108 (Blue Area)-$168(Red Area). Single game tickets for the playoffs, which go on-sale on April 3rd, will range from $9 (Blue Area)-$14 (Red Area). Tickets for kids ages 12 and under will be $7. Just like in the regular season ticket prices, fans that purchase their tickets before the day of the game will save the fifty-cents per ticket surcharge added on to regular ticket prices.

In the event that the K-Wings do not play all twelve potential home playoff games, Playoff Strip Package purchasers will have the balance applied to next year's season tickets.

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from March 31, 2006


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