K-Wings Weekly: Kalamazoo Split Week, 269 Night & 'slappy on the Shelf' Giveaway Sunday
Published on December 8, 2025 under ECHL (ECHL)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release
Kalamazoo splits gritty road trip in Bloomington last weekend, prepares for two at home with holiday festivities this week.
OVERALL RECORD: 6-10-2-0
LAST WEEK: 1-1-0-0
KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (5-9-2-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, play four games this week with two at home. The K-Wings kick off the week versus the Bloomington Bison on Wednesday at 7 p.m. EST for a '269 Night & Winning Weekday' at Wings Event Center, then hit the road for a 7:35 p.m. EST puck drop in Cincinnati on Friday, and then the team heads to Fort Wayne on Saturday for another 7:35 p.m. EST start. Kalamazoo returns home on Sunday for 'Christmas with the K-Wings' versus the Komets at 3 p.m. EST with a fan skate postgame.
Last week, the K-Wings went 1-1-0-0 (4-3, 1-5).
On Friday, Kalamazoo's Quinn Preston erupted for his first two-goal outing of the season in a come-from-behind slugfest in Bloomington that saw a season high 60 combined PIMs. Goaltender Jonathan Lemieux found his groove, making 21 saves, and rookie Hunter Strand charted his third multi-point (1g,1a) game of 2025-26.
Saturday, the K-Wings could not overcome two Bloomington first-period goals, despite Preston's continued production, notching his third goal of the weekend. Lemeiux replaced rookie Luke Pavicich in net for the final 25:45, turning aside 15-of-16 shots.
UPCOMING EVENTS IN DETAIL
Wednesday, Dec. 10: Join us for the first 269 Night and Winning Weekday of the 2025-26 season on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. EST! If the K-Wings beat Bloomington, you win a free ticket to our next midweek game! Plus, it's a party all about the 269 with $2 Beers, $6 Wing Baskets, and $9 tickets (*Tickets $11 if purchased Gameday).
Sunday, Dec. 14: Christmas with the K-Wings: Get into the holiday spirit on Sunday, December 14! The first 1,000 fans will get a Slappy on the Shelf giveaway, and after the game, slide into some post-game fun with our Fans Skate the Ice event- just $5 skate rentals! It's the perfect way to celebrate the season, K-Wings style!
NEXT WEEK!
Kalamazoo hits the road for two games in Bloomington at 8 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 19, and Saturday, Dec. 20, at Grossinger Motors Arena.
THE REST OF THE MONTH!
Wednesday, Dec. 31: Annual New Year's Eve Game: Join us for Kalamazoo's Annual New Year's Eve game, presented by Parker! The K-Wings battle the Toledo Walleye at Wings Event Center to ring in the new year. Start your NYE with thrilling hockey action, then catch the football games on TVs throughout the arena. It's a tradition decades in the making- don't miss out on ringing in the new year, K-Wings style!
Dec. 31 HH F&F Deal: Go easy on the Wallet and be home for the Ball to Drop with the NYE Hungry Howie's Friends and Family deal for the Dec. 31 game! Tap below to secure 4 tickets, 4 knit hats & a $20 Hungry Howie's pizza voucher. So, this package pays for itself at $45 bucks. Tap below to secure now!
RESULTS
Friday, Dec. 5 - Kalamazoo at Bloomington (W, 4-3), Grossinger Motors Arena, Bloomington, IL| Box Score
The Kalamazoo Wings (6-9-2-0) scrapped their way past an early two-goal deficit against the Bloomington Bison (9-5-2-2), riding four straight goals and three multi-point performances to victory Friday at Grossinger Motors Arena, 4-3. Quinn Preston (4) started the scoring for the K-Wings by redirecting a floater inside the left post to bring the score within one, after the Bison's two first-period goals at the 47-second and 4:04 marks. Preston then recorded his first multigoal game of the season, catching the netminder out of position and firing a shot inside the left post for a game-tying power-play goal at the 18:48 mark of the second. Breaking the tie at the 5:21 mark of the third, Strand (8) was outmanned but not outgunned, sniping his second short-handed goal of the season at the 5:21 mark. Zach Okabe (5) scored the game-winning goal at the 12:56 mark of the third, as he collected offensive zone faceoff scraps that leaked him all alone in the slot, making it 4-2. Bloomington scored at the 16:59 mark, but Kalamazoo shut the door the rest of the way out. Jonathan Lemeuix (2-4-1-0) settled in net, making 21 stops in the contest. The K-Wings went 1-for-2 on the power play and 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Saturday, Dec. 6 - Kalamazoo at Bloomington (L, 5-1), Grossinger Motors Arena, Bloomington, IL | Box Score
The Kalamazoo Wings (6-10-2-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, dropped the middle contest of a three-game set against the Bloomington Bison (10-5-2-2) Saturday at Grossinger Motors Arena, 5-1. Quinn Preston (6) extended his hot streak, scoring Kalamazoo's lone goal at the 19:01 mark of the second period to make it 4-1. Andre Ghantous (6) started the play with a neutral zone pass to Antonio Venuto (7), who fed Preston in the slot. Unfortunately, Bloomington controlled the momentum, scoring two unanswered goals in both the first (17:24 & 19:07) and second period (7:50, 19:01). The Bison carried the momentum into the third frame, adding another goal 4:36 into the period. Luke Pavicich (2-4-1-0) was replaced by Jonathan Lemieux after Bloomington's fourth goal, making 13 saves. Lemieux played the final 25:45, going 15-of-16 the rest of the way out. Kalamazoo was also 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
ON THE MOVE
There were no transactions last week.
FAST FACTS
Alternate captain Quinn Preston extended his point streak to five games (4g, 3a) with three goals this weekend
Kalamazoo rookie forward Hunter Strand notched his third multi-point outing (1g, 1a) on Friday and now has points in six of his last eight games (8 PTS: 7g, 1a)
K-Wings rookie Hunter Strand's eight goals rank him No.1 in the ECHL for Shooting Percentage (38.1%), and he currently ranks No. 2 in the Central Division for rookie goals scored. His two short-handed goals are also T-No. 2 among ECHL rookies and T-No. 3 overall in the ECHL
TEAM TRENDS
4-0-1-0 - Leading after 2 Periods
3-1-0-0 - When scoring 5+ goals
4-2-1-0 - When scoring on the power play
STATISTICAL LEADERS
POINTS: 18 - Quinn Preston
GOALS: 8 - *Hunter Strand
ASSISTS: 12 - Quinn Preston
PLUS/MINUS: +5 - Quinn Preston
PIMS: 30 - Spencer Kennedy
PP GOALS: 2 - *Hunter Strand
PP ASSISTS: 2 - Multiple Players
SH GOALS: 2 - *Hunter Strand
GW GOALS: 3 - Zach Okabe
SHOTS: 48 - *Davis Pennington
WINS: 2 - Jonathan Lemeuix, *Luke Pavicich
GAA: 3.34 - *Luke Pavicich
SAVE %: .902 - *Luke Pavicich
* Rookie
** Currently with Abbotsford (AHL)
*** Currently with Vancouver (NHL)
SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY: Last Week - 1/6 (16.7 %)
This Season - 8/58 (13.8 %) | No. 24 (ECHL)
PENALTY KILL: Last Week - 6/6 (100%)
This Season - 42/53 (79.2%)| No. 24 (ECHL)
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