K-Wings Prepare for Trio with Canucks Night & Marvel at Home
ECHL Kalamazoo Wings

K-Wings Prepare for Trio with Canucks Night & Marvel at Home

Published on January 5, 2026 under ECHL (ECHL)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


Kalamazoo travels to Bloomington on Wednesday before hosting Iowa for Canucks Night & Marvel this weekend.

OVERALL RECORD: 10-13-2-2

LAST WEEK: 0-2-0-1

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (10-13-2-2), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, hit the road for a midweek clash against the Bloomington Bison at 8 p.m. on Wednesday at Grossinger Motors Arena. Then the K-Wings return home for games versus the Iowa Heartlanders, showcasing Canucks Night at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and their Marvel game on Sunday at 3 p.m. at Wings Event Center.

Last week, the K-Wings went 0-2-0-1 (3-5, 2-4, 2-3).

On New Year's Eve, Kalamazoo and Toledo's special teams went to work, allowing four power-play goals and a short-handed goal combined. K-Wings forward Nolan Walker scored both of Kalamazoo's power-play goals, along with Derek Daschke (1g, 1a) and David Keefer's (2a) strong performances. Unfortunately, the K-Wings couldn't overcome three consecutive Walleye goals in the 5-3 loss.

Saturday, the K-Wings dominated in nearly every aspect, outshooting the Fuel 28-19 and posting a perfect 2-for-2 on the penalty kill. Netminder Ty Young (3-1-0-0) was stout between the pipes, turning aside 15-of-18 shots, but Indy scored on their first two shots of the game and held tight the rest of the way out.

The K-Wings earned their point this week in the longest game of the year, as Kalamazoo fell to Indy in the 12th round of a shootout on Sunday. The game was owned by the goaltenders, as Jonathan Lemieux (2-4-1-2) made a season high 41 saves (51 including shootout) in the marathon loss. Kalamazoo took the early lead on Zach Okabe's power play goal and Colin Bilek followed it up with a breakaway snipe to give the K-Wings an early 2-0 lead. However, the Fuel scored a pair to send the game to a scoreless overtime period before the dramatic shootout.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL

Kalamazoo plays two games at home this week at Wings Event Center.

Saturday, Jan. 10: The K-Wings return home for Canucks Night as we honor our NHL affiliate, the Vancouver Canucks, on Saturday, January 10 presented by Bell's! Puck drop is at 4:30 p.m., presented by Discover Kalamazoo! The K-Wings will hit the ice in Canucks-inspired specialty jerseys, then auction them off post-game with proceeds benefiting the South County Firefighters Association.

Sunday, Jan. 11: Suit up for Marvel Day on Sunday, January 11, at 3:00 p.m., as the K-Wings take on the Iowa Heartlanders! From super plays to heroic saves, it's an action-packed afternoon where hockey meets the Marvel Universe is fun for the entire family. Assemble your squad, it's game time!

NEXT WEEK!

The K-Wings play two games at Wings Event Center.

Friday, Jan. 16: Celebrate love, pride, and hockey at our 5th Annual Rainbow Ice Night on Friday, January 16! The ice will shine bright, and so will the fans at Wings Event Center in a show of unity and support. Don't miss this vibrant night of inclusion, celebration, and K-Wings hockey! Stick around post-game for the specialty jersey auction.

Rainbow Ice Ticket Package: Take it easy on the wallet with the K-Wings Rainbow Ice Ticket Package! Get four White or Blue level seats to a Rainbow Ice game plus a free bowling game at Airway Fun Center for just $89. Bonus: 10% of every purchase supports United Way of South Central Michigan. Limited time. Don't miss out!

The K-Wings finish the week in Indy at 7 p.m. EST puck drop on Saturday, January 19, at Fishers Event Center.

COMING LATER THIS MONTH!

Saturday, Jan. 24: The Dark Side invades Wings Event Center on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at 4:30 p.m., presented by Discover Kalamazoo, as the K-Wings battle the Toledo Walleye on Star Wars Night! Join the Resistance, wear your Jedi best, and get ready for an epic showdown in a galaxy not-so-far away.

Friday, Jan. 30: Get ready to rock the rink at Motley Zoo Night! The K-Wings will hit the ice in totally rad, 80s rock-inspired uniforms, then auction them off to fans postgame. It's a night of hockey, hair metal, and high bids- don't miss this blast from the past !

RESULTS

Wednesday, Dec. 31 - Toledo at Kalamazoo (L, 5-3), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI| Box Score

The Kalamazoo Wings (10-12-2-1) fell to the Toledo Walleye in the New Year's Eve Contest Wednesday in front of 5,062 at Wings Event Center, 5-3. Derek Daschke (4) got the celebrations started early with his fourth goal in his last five games at the 3:52 mark of the first period. The Walleye then unfortunately responded with a power-play goal at the 15:22 mark to knot the New Year's Eve clash at one. Nolan Walker (6) capitalized early in the second period with his first power-play goal of the season at the 5:33 mark. The Walleye's special teams struck again with two consecutive goals, one short-handed at the 12:18 mark and then again on the power-play at the 4:32 mark of the third period. Toledo scored an additional goal at the 12:41 mark, bringing Toledo's lead to two. Walker (7) then responded with his second power-play goal of the night with a right-circle wrister that zipped inside the left post to bring the deficit to one at the 17:58 mark. Unfortunately, the Walleye scored with one minute remaining in regulation. Aku Koskenvuo (2-3-0-0) made 29 saves, and the K-Wings went 2-for-5 on the power play in the final game of 2025.

Saturday, Jan. 3 - Kalamazoo at Indy (L, 4-2), Fishers Event Center, Fishers, IN | Box Score

The Kalamazoo Wings (10-13-2-1) battled hard but could not overcome the first two shots of the contest, dropping the front half of the weekend series against the Indy Fuel (13-11-3-1), Saturday at Fishers Event Center, 4-2. Indy's first two shots of the game found the back of the net at the 5:58 and 10:39 marks to give the Fuel the early score sheet momentum. However, the second period was owned by the K-Wings as Ryan Cox (5) sniped his first career short-handed goal at the 13:21 mark. On the play, Evan Dougherty (2) collected the puck in Kalamazoo territory and rushed to the right of the offensive zone before finding Cox alone in the slot to cut the deficit to one. Derek Daschke (3) picked up the secondary assist on the goal. Unfortunately, the Fuel responded with two third-period goals, one at the 15:41 mark and an empty-netter at the 17:34 mark. Hunter Strand (9) then added a late K-Wings' goal at the 18:46 mark to bring the score to 4-2. On the setup, Andre Ghantous (9) won a battle for the puck in the offensive zone and passed to a firing Jayden Lee (8). Strand collected the rebound at the top of the crease and put it in the back of the net for the final goal of the contest. Ty Young (3-1-0-0) made 15 saves in the contest, and Kalamazoo outshot Indy 28-to-19. The Wings also went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

Sunday, Jan. 4 - Indy at Kalamazoo (L, 3-2 F/SO), Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI| Box Score

The Kalamazoo Wings (10-13-2-2), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, fell to the Indy Fuel (14-11-3-1) in a shootout Sunday at Wings Event Center, 3-2. Jonathan Lemieux (2-4-1-1) was brilliant between the pipes, making a season high 41 saves (51 including shootout) and defended home ice for 12 rounds into the longest shootout of the K-Wings' season. Zach Okabe (7) celebrated his 25th birthday with a top-shelf power-play goal to get the scoring started for Kalamazoo at the 18:40 mark of the first period. Colin Bilek (6) carried the momentum into the second period with a breakaway top-shelf snipe to bring the lead to two at the 8:06 mark. Unfortunately, Indy responded with a pair of goals, one at the 12:01 mark and another 13 minutes into the third period, to knot the game at two and send the game to overtime. After a scoreless overtime period, the game went to a shootout. Kalamazoo had its best penalty kill performance of the season, going a perfect 6-for-6.

ON THE MOVE

There were no transactions last week.

FAST FACTS

Defenseman Derek Daschke has points in four of his last five games (3g, 2a)

Ryan Cox notched his first career shorthanded goal on Saturday against Indy

The K-Wings recorded their best penalty kill performance of the season, going a perfect 6-for-6 on Sunday versus Indy

TEAM TRENDS

8-3-2-2 in one-goal games

5-0-0-0 when scoring a power-play goal on the road

5-1-0-0 when scoring five goals or more

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS: 24 - Quinn Preston

GOALS: 10 - Quinn Preston

ASSISTS: 14 - Zach Okabe, Quinn Preston

PLUS/MINUS: +6 - Zach Okabe, Quinn Preston

ROOKIE GOALS: 9 - *Hunter Strand

ROOKIE ASSISTS: 9 - *Davis Pennington, *Antonio Venuto

PIMS: 48 - Spencer Kennedy

PP GOALS: 3 - Quinn Preston

PP ASSISTS: 4 - David Keefer, Nolan Walker

SH GOALS: 2 - *Hunter Strand

GW GOALS: 3 - Zach Okabe

SHOTS: 69 - Quinn Preston

WINS: 3 - Ty Young

GAA: 2.76 - Ty Young

SAVE %: .904 - Ty Young

* Rookie

** Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)

*** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY: Last Week - 3/14 (21.4 %)

This Season - 15/92 (16.3 %) | No. 22 (ECHL)

PENALTY KILL: Last Week - 10/12 (83.3%)

This Season - 64/83 (77.1%)| No. 25 (ECHL)

Check out the Kalamazoo Wings Statistics

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ECHL Stories from January 5, 2026


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