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IHL 2 Kalamazoo Wings

K-Wings Weekly

January 5, 2009 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


Game Rewind

Monday, December 29th @ Fort Wayne (Kalamazoo 4-Fort Wayne 3-Shootout)

Fort Wayne, IN - For the second time this season, the Kalamazoo Wings erased a two-goal Fort Wayne Komets third period lead and put the dagger in their archrivals in the extra session with a 4-3 shootout victory.

Two penalties against Kalamazoo in the first 2 minutes of the contest proved to be costly. Fort Wayne's Mathieu Curadeau (14th) capitalized with a 5-on-3 power-play marker on the very first shot of the game 2:13 into period.

Kalamazoo scored the equalizer midway into the stanza on a third chance rebound tally from Mark Nebus. The goal from Nebus was his team-leading 16th of the season and extended his point streak to four-games.

Brian Boulay reclaimed a one-goal lead for the Komets late in the first period as the second-year rookie knocked in his first professional tally on a Rick Varone rebound.

Flying out in the second period, the Komets extended their lead to 3-1 just 34 seconds into the period, when Konstantin Shafronov faked a slap shot and made a backdoor pass to Sean O'Conner (3rd), who flipped it into the open net.

Struggling on the power-play, going 0 for 8 in their last two games including the first two periods of this contest, the K-Wings made amends in the third striking on two of their three chances to tie the game at 3-3.

Nebus (17th) brought the K-Wings back to within a single goal scoring early in the period and rookie sensation Rick Cleaver (9th) registered the equalizer with 30.4 seconds remaining in regulation.

With no scoring in overtime, the two rivals headed into a marathon of a shootout. Kalamazoo outlasted Fort Wayne in the 14-man showdown outscoring the Komets 4-3 in the extra session, including two goals from Anthony Battaglia, who registered the game-winner with his second lamp lighter.

With the victory, the K-Wings moved into a first place tie in the IHL standings with the Port Huron Icehawks.

-MORE-

Wednesday, December 31st Vs Muskegon (Kalamazoo 7-Muskegon 3)

Kalamazoo, MI- The Kalamazoo Wings know how to throw a party. In front of a Wings Stadium crowd of 4,696, the K-Wings received offensive production from eleven players, dropped the gloves three times and disposed of the Muskegon Lumberjacks 7-3 during the 7th Annual New Year's Eve Bash, presented by COOL 101 FM and WWMT.

Kalamazoo started the scoring with Rick Cleaver's 10th goal of the season at 9:24 of the first period. Cleaver buried a pass from Glenn Detulleo top shelf to put the K-Wings up 1-0.

Muskegon answered back with a breakaway goal from Chad Woollard (15th). Woollard received a pass at the blue line behind the two Kalamazoo defenders and scored five-hole on goaltender Joel Martin to knot the game at one.

The K-Wings regained the lead for good at 14:59 of the first period with a marker from Blair Manning.

Kalamazoo recorded 21 shots in the first period, a season high. The shot total also surpasses that of their previous game in Fort Wayne on Monday, December, 29th where the K-Wings only managed 19 shots the entire game.

The K-Wings came out firing early in the second period with a goal from Lucas Drake (14th) at 1:57. Manning recorded his first hat trick of the season with his second and third goals of the night coming back to back in the stanza, leading Kalamazoo to a 5-1 lead.

Cleaver added another tally for Kalamazoo midway through the period for his 11th goal of the season and his second on the night. After Cleaver recorded the K-Wings' sixth goal, Muskegon opted to change goaltenders, sending Clayton Pool between the pipes.

Muskegon got on the board for the first time in the second period at 13:58, with a powerplay goal from Frank Littlejohn (12th).

Continuing to scorch opposing team's netminders, Mark Nebus registered his team-leading 18th lamp-lighter of the season. The goal, which was assisted by Bryan Jurynec, extended Nebus' point streak to five games and gives Jurynec a three-game point streak.

Billy Collins closed out the game's scoring, notching his 6th goal of the season for the 'Jacks.

Kalamazoo tagged a team season-high 51 shots on net. The 51 shots surrendered by Muskegon means the Lumberjacks have allowed an astonishing 97 shots over their past two games.

The victory for the K-Wings extended their IHL season-high home winning streak to eight games and kept them tied with the Port Huron Icehawks on top of the IHL standings.

Friday, January 2nd @ Flint (Kalamazoo 4-Flint 3)

Flint, MI- The Kalamazoo Wings started the new year the same way they ended 2008, with a victory. This time the K-Wings held off a late Flint Generals rally to defeat the Generals 4-3.

Two delays because of dislodged glass didn't slow up the K-Wings in the first period. Kalamazoo stormed out of the gates with a Mark Nebus goal 5:05 into the contest. Nebus' tally was his team-leading 19th of the season and extended his goal streak to three games and his point streak to six.

Following up on his hat trick performance on New Year's Eve, Blair Manning struck for his fifth goal of the season midway through the period on a backhander that sailed past former K-Wing goaltender and Kalamazoo native, Chad Alban.

Just 1:30 after Manning lit the lamp, the K-Wings extended their lead to 3-0, when Rick Cleaver (12th) ripped a one-timer from between the circles 10:52 into the period.

Out-shooting the Generals 9-4 in the second period, it was the K-Wings that scored the stanza's lone goal. Camped out in front of the crease, Bryan Jurynec (3rd) deflected a Nebus shot past Alban to give the K-Wings a 4-0 advantage. The goal by Jurynec extends the rookie forward to a four-game point streak.

Feisty in the third, Flint received goals from Greg Bullock (15th), John DiPace (18th) and Steve Rymsha (20th), but it wouldn't be enough as the K-Wings survived the last charge to defeat the Generals 4-3.

The K-Wings victory coupled with an overtime loss from the Port Huron Icehawks gaveKalamazoo sole possession of first place in the International Hockey League.

Saturday, January 5th Vs Fort Wayne (Kalamazoo 4-Fort Wayne 2)

Kalamazoo, MI - The flipping of the calendar had no effect on Wings Stadium magic, as the Kalamazoo Wings captured their ninth consecutive victory on home ice, 4-2 over the Fort Wayne Komets Saturday night.

Like the previous night in Flint, the K-Wings dropped a multiple-goal first period on the opposition. Rick Cleaver (13th) extended his goal-scoring streak to four games at 3:03 by snapping a shot from in close over the blocker of Komets goalie Nick Boucher. Cleaver got his prime opportunity thanks to a quick breakout pass from Lucas Drake that set up a 2-on-1 with Glenn Detulleo. Cleaver then cruised down the left side, using Detulleo as a decoy until the last possible moment. With the tally, the productive rookie matched Mark Nebus' four-game goal run earlier this season.

A little more than four minutes later, Tommy Lange (11th) displayed deft hands to make it 2-0 Kalamazoo. Rob Jarvis released a seemingly harmless wrister from the right point, and Boucher was poised to make a routine stop. Or at least he was poised until Lange got the tip of his blade on the puck, changing its direction enough for it to slide through the goaltender's legs.

The second frame was just as spirited as the first, with both teams trading brutal hits and a pair of goals. It was defenseman Brian Boulay (2nd) who nailed the opening goal for Fort Wayne at 4:12, burying a one-timer from the top of the left circle behind Kalamazoo goaltender Jason Tapp. Boulay, who has scored both of his goals this season against the K-Wings, got the marker because of a sharp 20-foot dish from Komets teammate Colin Chaulk.

The Komets looked to be on the cusp of tying the game at 11:57 of the period when the K-Wings' Jason Robinson took a holding minor. However, the power play promptly sputtered, allowing Detulleo to break up the ice with the puck, curl back and find the open trailer Jarvis (7th), who whistled a left wing wrist shot past a stunned Boucher for a 3-1 K-Wings advantage after 40 minutes of play. The shorthanded goal was only the third surrendered by the Komets this season and the second allowed to the K-Wings. The shorthanded tally was the fifth scored by Kalamazoo this season, the most in the IHL.

With the Komets pressing to get back within one early in the third, the K-Wings' Tapp was forced to make several outstanding saves. Tapp, the night's first star, ended up stopping 43 Fort Wayne shots in the game, but he couldn't keep the visitors from making it interesting late in the game, as Sean O'Conner put home a rebound on the power play at 14:03.

But the heightened drama would merely last 85 seconds, thanks to Anthony Battaglia's (10th) bad-angle, top-shelf goal at 15:28 that provided the final margin. With some help from Justin Cross in the right corner, Battaglia pulled the puck out of a scrum and squeezed a shot through on the short side for a 4-2 K-Wings lead.

Mark Nebus, who picked up the second helper on Lange's first-period goal, has now registered at least a point in seven consecutive contests, matching a run by Detulleo earlier this season.

First-place Kalamazoo won for the ninth straight time on Wings Stadium ice (an IHL season best) despite failing to score during five power-play chances.

Fast Forward

Getting ready for three games in three nights, the Kalamazoo Wings will hit the road this Thursday, January 8th for a 7 p.m. face-off against the Flint Generals. Thursday will be the second to last regular season visit for the K-Wings at the Perani Arena. Kalamazoo is 8-0-0-0 against Flint this season and are 5-0-0-0 at the Perani Arena.

Returning to Wings Stadium on Friday, January 9th, Kalamazoo will host the Bloomington PrairieThunder at 7:30 p.m. The K-Wings are 3-3-0-0 versus the Thunder this year and 2-0-0-0 at Wings Stadium. Bloomington is led by Don Parson's, who is the all-time leader goals scored (682) in minor league hockey history.

The K-Wings will finish the week on Saturday, January 10th with a 7 p.m. encounter against the Muskegon Lumberjacks. With a 2-3-0-0 records against the 'Jacks, the K-Wings are in search of their first victory in four attempts at L.C. Walker Arena. Currently in fourth place, Muskegon commences the week on a two-game winning streak.

Team Leaders: Kalamazoo Wings

Goals: Mark Nebus (19 Goals)

Assists: Glenn Detulleo (29 Assists)

Points: Glenn Detulleo (40 Points)

+/-: Rick Cleaver, Mark Nebus (+18)

Penalty Minutes: Jordan Little (65 Minutes)

Power Play Goals: Mark Nebus, Tyler Willis (4 Goals)

Short Handed Goals: Anthony Battaglia (2 Goals)

Game Winning Goals: Lucas Drake (3 GW)

Shots: Tommy Lange, Mark Nebus (107 Shots)

Shooting Percentage: Blair Manning (27.8%)

Overtime Goals: Lucas Drake, Mark Nebus (1 Goal)

Shootout Goals: Anthony Battaglia (2 Goals)

Shootout Percentage: Anthony Battaglia, Justin Cross (100%)

Goals Against Average: Joel Martin (2.74)

Save Percentage: Joel Martin (0.918)

Leave It to Cleaver

Earlier this morning, forward Rick Cleaver was named the IHL's Aquafina Rookie of the Month for December. Cleaver, who is currently on a K-Wings' season-high tying four-game goal streak, concluded the month with 15 points (8 goals and 7 assists).

Home Cookin'

With a record of 10-2-0-0, the K-Wings own the best home record in the IHL. Kalamazoo is also on an IHL season-high nine-game home winning streak.

Get the Point

Several K-Wings players enter the week on multi-game point streaks. Mark Nebus is currently enjoying a K-Wings season-high tying seven-game point streak. While Rick Cleaver, Justin Cross and Glenn Detulleo have all earned points in four-straight games.

Paving the Way

Kalamazoo starts the week on a four-game winning streak. The K-Wings, who have gone 19-4-0-0 in their last 23 games, are in first place and possess the league's top winning percentage at 67.7%.

The Obscure Stat of the Week

With a pair of wins over the Fort Wayne Komets, the K-Wings have won five straight over their arch-rivals. The victories also give Kalamazoo the all-time IHL season series lead at 127-126-31-2.

Tickets! Get Your Tickets!!

Tickets for all K-Wings home games are now on sale. Catch all the action as your K-Wings play the very best the IHL has to offer. Tickets are on sale now by calling the Wings Stadium Ticket Office at (269) 345-5101.

Get On-Line

This season, the best way to keep track of the K-Wings is to log onto www.kwings.com. The site has player profiles, information about Wings Stadium events, and much, much more.

Cross and Stayzer on the Radio

Join special guests Justin Cross and Blair Stayzer as they join Head Coach Nick Bootland and the "Voice of the K-Wings" Mike Modugno on "K-Wings Live". The show is on The Classic Hits Station WLKM (95.9 FM) and online through the B-2 Networks through www.kwings.com from 7-8 p.m. at Old Burdick's Bar and Grill inside the Holiday Inn Kalamazoo on South 11th Street.

K-Wings on Radio

Catch all the K-Wings games, home and away, on the K-Wings Radio Network (95.9 FM WLKM & B-2 Networks on kwings.com). Join the "Voice of the K-Wings" Mike Modugno for all 76 regular season games plus the playoffs. Pre-game coverage begins with the Kalsee Credit Union Pre-Game Show 15 minutes prior to face-off. For the most complete coverage of the K-Wings from the opening face-off to the final buzzer, keep your radio tuned this season to the K-Wings Radio Network.

Upcoming Games

Thursday, January 8th @ Flint 7:00 PM

Friday, January 9th Vs Bloomington 7:30 PM

Saturday, January 10th @ Muskegon 7:00 PM

Wednesday, January 14th Vs Flint 7:11 PM (Lansing Popcorn Night)

Friday, January 16th @ Fort Wayne 8:00 PM

Check out the Kalamazoo Wings Statistics



International Hockey League 2 Stories from January 5, 2009


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