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IHL 2 Kalamazoo Wings

K-Wings Weekly

March 23, 2009 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


Game Rewind

Tuesday, March 17th Vs Muskegon (Muskegon 7-Kalamazoo 4)

Kalamazoo, MI - The first period proved to be the decider on "World Famous" Fifth/Third Green Ice at Wings Stadium presented by The CW 7 and WRKR, as the Muskegon Lumberjacks leapt ahead 4-1 after 20 minutes and fended off the Kalamazoo Wings the rest of the way, winning by a final score of 7-4 Tuesday night.

Dominic Osman's second goal of the night and 21st of the season at 17:25 of the third drew the K-Wings within two at 6-4, but Adam Bartholomay (10th) locked up the Lumberjacks' victory by dumping the puck into an empty net with 1:11 to play.

Lucas Drake and Rick Cleaver each earned three assists to pace Kalamazoo, which missed an opportunity to extend rival Muskegon's season-long four-game losing streak. The K-Wings' power play didn't disappoint, as the man-advantage unit converted twice on nine chances.

Kalamazoo outshot Muskegon in every period en route to a 45-26 advantage, but 'Jacks goalie Clayton Pool made enough crucial saves to earn the win.

With the rare loss on the shamrock-tinted frozen floor, the K-Wings dropped to 18-7-0-3 overall and 14-5-0-2 in the IHL in 28 all-time Green Ice Games. The first annual crowd-pleaser was held on March 17, 1982, when Kalamazoo downed Muskegon 4-1.

The K-Wings burst out of the gate early, sending a flurry of shots in the direction of 'Jacks goalie Clayton Pool, but despite some close calls they couldn't get the opening goal. That honor went to Chad Woollard, who nailed his 27th when he tossed a bad-angle wrister off the post and in at 5:00.

Alec Kirschner rubbed salt in the wound at 11:39, ramming home his own rebound from in close to make it a 2-0 Muskegon bulge. Osman answered just 15 seconds later for Kalamazoo, taking a Drake feed in the left circle and picking the top-left corner for his 11th and second as a K-Wing.

However, the Osman tally didn't hold the visitors at bay for long, as Chad Costello (16th) buried a Bartholomay centering pass at 13:25 and Steven Later (5th) blasted a point shot through Joel Martin on the power play at 18:42. Jason Tapp replaced Martin following the Later goal.

The margin remained three goals after the second period, as both sides exchanged power-play markers. Casey Handrahan (3rd) hit twine with a screen shot from 55 feet out at 5:51, assisted by the same two K-Wings who set up the first goal, Drake and Cleaver.

The Lumberjacks boosted their lead to 5-2 on a blistering Woollard (28th) one-timer during a 5-on-3 advantage. IHL scoring leader Todd Robinson made it happen, dishing the puck into Woollard's wheelhouse from the left side of the net.

Dan Boeser (6th) scored at 4:00 of the third as the trailer on a 4-on-2 Muskegon rush to give the visitors their largest lead at 6-2. Tommy Lange (21st) answered seven and a half minutes later on the power play, tipping in a Rob Jarvis wrister.

Friday, March 20th Vs @ Bloomington (Kalamazoo 4-Bloomington 3)

Bloomington, IL - Scoring once on the power-play and twice shorthanded, the fourth-place, Kalamazoo Wings increased their lead for the final playoff spot in the International Hockey League with a 4-3 victory over the fifth-place Bloomington PrairieThunder.

Special teams paved the way for the K-Wings in the opening 20 minutes of action leading to both of the team's goals. While attempting to kill off a penalty, Rick Cleaver intercepted a Bloomington pass in the neutral zone, which led to an odd-man rush and a Cleaver shorthanded goal. Cleaver's tally at 9:39 was his IHL rookie-leading 51st point and 24th goal of the season.

Making the most of their lone power-play chance of the period three minutes later, Casey Handrahan gave a perfect outlet pass to Tommy Lange (21st), who proceeded down the ice, skating around three Thunder players like they were pylons. Lange finished off the play using a deke to freeze goaltender Jason Wolfe and scored five-hole. Lange's goal extended his point streak to a K-Wings' current-high six games.

Jan Jas (21st) brought Bloomington back to within a single goal, scoring on a rebound 4:34 into the second period.

While Jan's goal gave the Thunder momentum, it would be short lived. Kalamazoo recorded their second shorthanded goal on the night midway in the frame, when Martin Ondrej fed Lucas Drake, who finished off the two-on-one scoring his team-leading 26th of the season. The lamp-lighter was also Drake's team-leading third shorthanded goal.

Growing their lead in the third period, Justin Cross (8th) gave the K-Wings their largest lead of the night at 4-1 scoring on a breakaway 2:18 into the final period.

The K-Wings didn't know it then, but they would need every bit of that three-goal cushion, as Bloomington answered late with goals from Matt Frick (3rd) and Nick Goyens (4th), but it wouldn't be enough as Kalamazoo hung on for the one-goal victory.

Saturday, March 21st Vs Flint (Kalamazoo 7-Flint 6)

Kalamazoo, MI - What a difference a goal makes. Entering Saturday, the Kalamazoo Wings were 11-1-0-0 versus the Flint Generals with seven of those contest decided by a single goal. Kalamazoo continued their success over Flint with another one-goal triumph in front of 3,911 at Wings Stadium.

The Generals swung the pendulum in their favor early in the contest, capitalizing on a shorthanded opportunity 39 seconds into the first period from Maxime Lincourt (19th).

Lincourt pushed the Generals ahead 2-0 later in the period, netting a wrist shot right under the crossbar on the power-play 6:31 into the period.

The K-Wings capitalized on their third power-play of the night with just over a minute remaining in the first period when Lucas Drake broke into the Generals' zone and made a no-look, between-the-legs pass to Dominic Osman who buried it. The goal was Osman's 22nd of the season and team leading ninth power-play goal.

The Generals returned their lead to two goals when Travis Hanson found Greg Bullock (22nd) in the slot. The one-timer by Bullock beat Jason Tapp and put Flint up 3-1 over the K-Wings.

Just thirty seconds later Kalamazoo responded with a two-on-one break that had Justin Cross making a perfect pass to Anthony Battaglia (17th) who lit the lamp for the K-Wings second goal of the night.

A mere fifteen seconds later the K-Wings tied up the score when defenseman Jordan Little (4th) crashed the net and stuffed the puck over the goal line to make it 3-3.

Rookie Tommy Lange gave Kalamazoo their first lead of the night when he stick-handled around a sprawled Chad Alban.

The goal by Lange was his 23rd of the season and continued his goal streak, which is now a K-Wings' season-high five games. The goal also continued Lange's point streak which is at a K-Wings' season-high tying seven games.

The furious scoring pace continued in the third period with each team putting three more goals up on the board.

Trent Daavettila (4th) scored just 19 seconds into the stanza to push the K-Wings cushion to two goals.

The Flint Generals quickly answered back with two of their own from Justin Styffe (5th) and Mike Podelnyk (1st) to knot up the score at 5-5.

The K-Wings struck right back with back-to-back goals just sixteen seconds apart from Lange (24th) and Battaglia (18th) to allow the K-Wings a 7-5 lead.

Flint made it interesting with a goal from Travis Hanson (3rd) at 10:56 of the period, but the K-Wings were able to withstand the goal scoring fury and win the game 7-6.

Sunday, March 22nd Vs Muskegon (Kalamazoo 5-Muskegon 4-Shootout)

Kalamazoo, MI- Sunday was Faith Night at Wings Stadium and who better to generate key goals for the Kalamazoo Wings than Justin Cross, who scored in regulation and then the eventual game-winning goal in the K-Wings 5-4 shootout victory over the Muskegon Lumberjacks.

Muskegon got on the board first when Robin Bouchard found an open Billy Collins in the slot. Collins beat Joel Martin five-hole, for his 19th goal of the season.

For the third time in two nights Kalamazoo was able to answer back with a goal of their own less than thirty seconds after their opponents. Anthony Battaglia found Cross who had a gaping net to bury his 9th goal of the season.

Kalamazoo took a quick lead in the second period when Dominic Osman lit the lamp. The goal was his 23rd of the season and came just 52 seconds into the period.

The Lumberjacks answered back with a power-play goal from Bouchard (32nd) to tie the score at 2-2.

Bouchard would once again be a thorn in the K-Wings' side when he found a streaking Collins (20th) who scored on the break-away to make it 3-2 Muskegon. On the power-play at 8:07 it would once again be Bouchard, with his 33rd on the season.

The K-Wings pulled to within one when Osman (24th) planted himself in front of the net and tipped in a Lucas Drake shot. The goal came on a 5-on-3 power-play for the K-Wings and was Osman's team leading 10th power-play goal.

Just 2:55 into the third period Tommy Lange (25th) tied the score at 4-4, when he ripped a slap shot to beat Muskegon goaltender Clayton Pool. The goal extended Lange's point streak to eight games and goal streak to six games, both K-Wings' season-highs.

The two teams would play it even for the rest of the period, needing an extra session and shootout to decide the match.

Kalamazoo's Battaglia and Muskegon's Luke Stauffacher traded shootout goals before Cross, the 4th shooter, slipped the puck past Pool. With one last chance to tie the game up, Matt Gens was denied by Martin earning the K-Wings their third straight victory.

Fast Forward

Kalamazoo will begin their three-game week this Wednesday, March 25th with a 7:11p.m. face-off versus the Port Huron Icehawks on Group Appreciation Night. Port Huron enters the week atop of the IHL mountain with 87 points and are just one of two teams (Fort Wayne) that has already clinched a postseason berth. On the season, the K-Wings are 6-6-0-0 versus the Icehawks.

On Friday (3/27), the K-Wings will commence a brief two-game road swing at 7 p.m. against the Muskegon Lumberjacks at L.C. Walker Arena. Kalamazoo trails Muskegon by six points for third place. The Lumberjacks need one point to clinch a playoff berth.

Kalamazoo will conclude the week on Saturday, March 28th with a 7:30 tilt against the Flint Generals. Saturday is the last regular season encounter between the teams. Kalamazoo is 12-1-0-0 against Flint, who is looking to snap a three-game losing streak.

Team Leaders: Kalamazoo Wings

Goals: Lucas Drake (26 Goals)

Assists: Glenn Detulleo (46 Assists)

Points: Glenn Detulleo (69 Points)

+/-: Mark Nebus (+16)

Penalty Minutes: Jordan Little (134 Minutes)

Power Play Goals: Dominic Osman (10 Goals)

Short Handed Goals: Lucas Drake (3 Goals)

Game Winning Goals: Glenn Detulleo (6 GW)

Shots: Tommy Lange (236 Shots)

Shooting Percentage: Glenn Detulleo (16.4%)

Overtime Goals: Lucas Drake (2 Goals)

Shootout Goals: Anthony Battaglia (5 Goals)

Shootout Percentage: Justin Cross (75%)

Goals Against Average: Joel Martin (3.14)

Save Percentage: Joel Martin (0.906)

Elite Eight

Center Tommy Lange enters the week on a K-Wings' season-high eight-game point streak. Lange is also on a K-Wings' season-high and IHL season-high tying six-game goal streak.

A Trio of Streaks

Besides Tommy Lange, three other K-Wing players are riding impressive point streaks. Lucas Drake is on a six-game point streak, while Rick Cleaver and Casey Handrahan have recorded points in four straight games.

A Reversal of Fortune

After dropping three straight, the K-Wings have turned things around. Kalamazoo enters the week on a three-game winning streak.

The Wizard of Oz

Since joining the K-Wings, forward Dominic Osman has recorded eight points in six games. Osman, who earned points in all but one of his games in Kalamazoo, is currently on a two-game goal streak.

The Obscure Stat of the Week

In three of the last four games, the Kalamazoo Wings have recorded four goals within 35 seconds of their opponent's goal. On Tuesday (March 17th) Dominic Osman scored 15 seconds after a Muskegon tally. On Saturday (March 21st) Anthony Battaglia scored 30 seconds and Tommy Lange 26 seconds, following a Flint goal. On Sunday (March 22nd) Justin Cross followed with a goal 31 seconds after Muskegon got on the board.

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.

Daavettila and Osman on the Radio

Join special guests Trent Daavettila and Dominic Osman 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

Wednesday, March 25th Vs Port Huron 7:11 PM (Group Appreciation Night)

Friday, March 27th @ Muskegon 7:00 PM

Saturday, March 28th @ Flint 7:30 PM

Friday, April 3rd Vs Port Huron 7:30 PM (Team Poster Giveaway Night, Presented by WRKR)

Saturday, April 4th Vs Bloomington 7:30 PM

Check out the Kalamazoo Wings Statistics



International Hockey League 2 Stories from March 23, 2009


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