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ECHL Kalamazoo Wings

K-Wings Notch 3 Short-Handed Goals, Beat Heartlanders in Shootout

January 31, 2025 - ECHL (ECHL)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


CORALVILLE, IA - The Kalamazoo Wings (15-22-1-1), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, answer the bell in the second period, scoring five straight, including three shorthanded goals and weathered adversity to beat the Iowa Heartlanders (22-12-4-3) in the shootout Friday at Xtream Arena, 7-6.

Josh Bloom scored the only shootout goal, and Jonathan Lemieux (8-13-1-0) stopped all three attempts by the Heartlanders to take the win.

The K-Wings scored three shorthanded goals for the first time in the franchise's ECHL era (since 2009-10). Kalamazoo also scored five goals in the second period, their first five-goal period since Dec. 19, 2021, when the K-Wings notched five third-period goals to beat Indy, 8-6.

Iowa scored first on the power play at the 16:04 mark of the first. The Heartlanders made it 2-0 with a goal at the 18:03 mark.

Quinn Preston (7) scored on the power play at the 1:27 mark of the second period. Ben Berard (11) fed the puck to Zach Berzolla (7) in the left circle, and he found Preston at the top of the crease to bang it home.

Ryan Cox (4) then tied the game with a goal at the 10:30 mark. Berzolla (8) found Kylor Wall (4) for the initial shot from the left point, and Cox came crashing in from the bottom of the right circle to smack the rebound into the back of the net.

Then, the K-Wings got going shorthanded. Bloom (8) scored as he blasted in down the seam and pushed the puck five-hole at the 15:55 mark, assisted by Joe Arntsen (7).

Later that penalty kill, Drake Pilon (1) notched his first professional goal to make it 4-2 at the 16:35 mark. Arntsen (8) sent a long stretch pass from his own left-wing corner to Pilon at the blue line, he beat an Iowa defender down the right side of the slot and rifled it home. Collin Saccoman (10) picked the secondary assist on the goal.

Luke Morgan (1) then added a third shorthanded goal at the 18:36 mark. Pilon (1) sent a soft saucer pass to Morgan at the left circle to wrip a nasty wrister inside the left post for the score.

The Heartlanders responded with a power-play goal at the 19:31 mark, and scored again 1:20 into the third to get back within one.

Lee Lapid (2) then scored in his first game since Dec. 20 to push it to 6-4 at the 4:23 mark. Max Humitz (9) sent the puck up the left side to Berard (12), who found Lapid charging down the slot to make a swift forehand-to-backhand move and finish.

Iowa would add two goals to knot the game up at the 11:46 and 16:26 marks after Ty Young was relieved in net due to an equipment issue.

Young was stout in net before departing at the 9:54 mark of the third, stopping 31 of 35 shots faced. Lemieux then made eight saves the rest of the way in regulation and overtime to force the shootout.

Kalamazoo continues the three-game weekend set in Iowa Saturday at 7:00 p.m. (6 p.m. CST).

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Pink Ice is just around the corner, as Kalamazoo will host Bloomington 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!

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