K-Wings Weekly: Kalamazoo Melds, Converges on Newfoundland this Week
February 26, 2024 - ECHL (ECHL)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release
K-Wings pick up two key wins ahead of Canada trip this week.
OVERALL RECORD: 27-20-3-0
LAST WEEK: 2-1-0-0
KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, play three games on the road against the Newfoundland Growlers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week.
Last week, the K-Wings went 2-1-0-0 (3-2 F/OT, 1-2, 5-3).
Kalamazoo opened last week versus Maine on Wednesday. The Mariners led 2-1 after two periods but a Collin Saccoman equalizer and stellar play from goaltender Hunter Vorva late forced overtime. Collin Adams found the back with 14 seconds left in OT to give Kalamazoo the 3-2 victory.
The K-Wings spent Saturday night grappling with the Wheeling Nailers. A Collin Adams extra-attacker goal with 52 seconds remaining pulled Kalamazoo within one but the K-Wings were unable to find an equalizer in the waning moments of a 2-1 loss. Rookie goaltender Jonathan Lemieux was fantastic and made 37 saves. Both of Wheeling's goals came on 5-on-3 advantages late in the second period, and Kalamazoo had a controversial goal disallowed with just over six minutes remaining in the second.
Kalamazoo closed the week with a matinee rematch against the Nailers on Sunday. Rookie defenseman Jacob Nordqvist notched his first pro goal and multipoint (1g-1a) game while Erik Bradford did the same in his 500th professional contest. Luke Morgan (1g-1a) and Josh Passolt (2g-1a bookended the scoring, with Passolt taking home the game's No. 1 Star. Wheeling cut a 4-1 Kalamazoo lead to 4-3 late, but Hunter Vorva slammed the door shut with 28 saves in the 5-3 win.
The K-Wings now have points in eight of their last 10 games.
UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL
The K-Wings play three games on the road this week before returning to Kalamazoo to play home games on Mar. 8 and Mar. 10 at Wings Event Center.
The K-Wings return to Wings Event Center for 'Dumb & Dumber' Night on Friday, March 8! Just when we thought we couldn't have done anything stupider, we've gone out and totally redeemed ourselves with Dumb & Dumber Night at Wings Event Center. Join us, as we pay honor to the hit 90s movie, and enjoy $3 Friday ($3 beers, sodas & hot dogs) at the game. And get your paddle arm warmed up because there'll be a Specialty Jersey auction postgame!
'Mascot Madness' takes over Wings Event Center on Sunday, March 10! It's that time of year, again, as Slappy, the K-Wings' iconic mascot, is inviting his friends for "Mascot Madness"! Don't miss Mascot broomball, as it's primed to be a must-see during the intermission. And to make the game more special for Slappy, stick around afterward for a post-game skate with Slappy and the players (*$5 skate rentals available).
RESULTS
Wednesday, Feb. 21 - Maine 2, Kalamazoo 3 F/OT (Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI) | Box Score
The Kalamazoo Wings (26-19-3-0) used a season-high shot total and yet another Collin Adams game-winner to defeat the Maine Mariners (20-22-6-0) at Wings Event Center Wednesday, 3-2 in overtime. Collin Adams (11) sent Maine packing at the 6:44 mark of overtime by tapping in a Luke Morgan (6) rebound from below the left circle. Adams and Morgan ended the game on a 3-on-2 rush after a spectacular Hunter Vorva (12-6-0-0) save on the other end. Derek Daschke (13) angled the puck into Morgan for the initial shot on goal. Vorva made 29 saves on 31 shots against to pick up a career-best sixth-straight victory, including six saves in OT. The Kalamazoo native has conceded two goals or fewer in 10 of his last 11 starts. Maine opened the scoring at the 14:03 mark of the first period on the power play. Ayden MacDonald (6) tied it up with a power play tip-in from the blue paint at the 3:21 mark of the second. Maine retook the lead at the 7:36 mark. Collin Saccoman (4) made it 2-2 at the 6:35 mark of the third with a tip-in from the right side on the rush. The K-Wings finished the game 1-for-3 on the power play and 0-for-1 on the penalty kill. Kalamazoo took the final shot total, 43-31.
Saturday, Feb. 24 - Kalamazoo 1, Wheeling 2 (WesBanco Arena, Wheeling, WV) | Box Score
The Kalamazoo Wings (26-20-3-0) battled throughout and nearly staged another late comeback but ultimately fell to the Wheeling Nailers (30-19-1-1) at WesBanco Arena Saturday, 2-1. Collin Adams (12) kept Kalamazoo's hopes alive late and made it 2-1 by chopping a loose puck home from the left circle at the 19:08 mark of the third. Brad Morrison (22) assisted the extra-attacker goal. Goaltender Jonathan Lemieux (13-14-2-0) was lights-out for most of the contest and stopped 37 of 39 shots faced. The rookie netminder did not allow an even-strength goal as Wheeling converted both strikes late in the second on the power play. Wheeling opened the scoring with a 5-on-3 power-play goal at the 17:39 mark and added another 5v3 tally at the 18:48 mark. The K-Wings were not granted a power play opportunity in the game and finished 3-for-5 on the penalty kill. Wheeling took the final shot total, 39-24.
Sunday, Feb. 25 - Kalamazoo 5, Wheeling 3 (WesBanco Arena, Wheeling, WV) | Box Score
The Kalamazoo Wings (27-20-3-0) used two power-play goals, three Josh Passolt points, and 28 Hunter Vorva saves to beat the Wheeling Nailers (30-20-1-1) at WesBanco Arena Sunday, 5-3. Erik Bradford (1g-1a), Luke Morgan (1g-1a), rookie Jacob Nordqvist (1g-1a), and Josh Passolt (2g-1a) each recorded multiple points to push Kalamazoo past Wheeling. Nordqvist scored his first professional goal in the win while Bradford bumped his team-leading points total to 56 (19g-37a) in his 500th professional game. Goaltender Hunter Vorva (13-6-0-0) also extended his career-best win streak to seven games with 28 saves on 31 shots faced. Luke Morgan (5) opened the scoring at the 3:05 mark of the first period after tipping in a Collin Adams (15) shot from below the right circle. Jacob Nordqvist (1) doubled the Kalamazoo lead at the 6:13 mark with a one-timer from the left circle on the power play. Wheeling made it 2-1 at the 6:50 mark. Erik Bradford (19) restored Kalamazoo's two-goal lead at the 13:07 mark with a snipe from the right circle. Passolt (18) netted the game-winner with a bar-in one-timer from the right circle at the 7:26 mark of the second. The Nailers cut the deficit to two with a power play goal at the 12:05 mark of the third and made it 4-3 with 3:48 remaining. Passolt (19) secured his team-high seventh multi-goal game of the year with an empty-netter from his own zone at 19:41. The K-Wings finished 2-for-3 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill. Wheeling took the final shot total, 31-27.
THE WEEK AHEAD
Friday, Mar. 1 - Kalamazoo at Newfoundland, 5:30 p.m. EST - Mary Brown's Centre (St. John's, NL)
Saturday, Mar. 2 - Kalamazoo at Newfoundland, 5:30 p.m. EST - Mary Brown's Centre (St. John's, NL)
Sunday, Mar. 3 - Kalamazoo at Newfoundland, 2:30 p.m. EST - Mary Brown's Centre (St. John's, NL)
ON THE MOVE
Feb. 21: Rookie forward Tyler Vanuden was released from a Standard Player Contract
FAST FACTS
Rookie defenseman Jacob Nordqvist scored his first professional goal versus Wheeling on Sunday
Veteran forward Erik Bradford skated in his 500th professional game versus Wheeling on Sunday
Kalamazoo's powerplay is converting at 25.3% (16/63) since Dec. 31
TEAM TRENDS
17-0-0-0 when scoring 4+ goals this season
14-6-1-0 in second/third game in a row this season
20-9-3-0 record since Dec. 6
STATISTICAL LEADERS
POINTS: 56 - Erik Bradford
GOALS: 19 - Erik Bradford, Josh Passolt
ASSISTS: 37 - Erik Bradford
PLUS/MINUS: +13 - Erik Bradford
PIMS: 147 - Chaz Reddekopp
PP GOALS: 4 - Erik Bradford
PP ASSISTS: 10 - Erik Bradford
SH GOALS: 1 - Erik Bradford, Josh Passolt, Cooper Walker*
GW GOALS: 5 - Collin Adams
SHOTS: 143 - Erik Bradford
WINS: 13 - Jonathan Lemieux, Hunter Vorva
GAA: 2.33 - Hunter Vorva
SAVE %: .926 - Hunter Vorva
* Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)
** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)
SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY: Last Week - 3/6 (50%)
This Season - 27/155 (17.4%) - No. 22 in the ECHL
PENALTY KILL: Last Week - 7/11 (63.6%)
This Season - 152/182 (83.5%) - No. 5 in the ECHL
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