ECHL Kalamazoo Wings

K-Wings Weekly

Published on December 21, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


Game Rewind

Friday, December 18th Vs Gwinnett (Kalamazoo 4-Gwinnett 2)

Kalamazoo, MI- A week off didn't seem to hurt the Kalamazoo Wings. Using a complete 60-minute effort, the K-Wings defeated the Gwinnett Gladiators 4-2.

End-to-end action with a feverish pace led to plenty of scoring chances, but no scoring in the opening period. Both teams finished the period 0-for-2 on the power-play. Entering the night with 16 penalty minutes on the season, forward Rick Cleaver accumulated both of the K-Wings first period infractions. Combining for 24 shots in the period, Gwinnett out-shot Kalamazoo 13-11 in the first.

After missing the past 17 games because of playing with the American Hockey League for the Manitoba Moose, Darryl Bootland made the most of his return to the K-Wings breaking the scoreless gridlock in the second period. Bootland (4th) deflected a Ryan McGinnis slap shot 7:37 into the period to earn his ninth point in eight games for Kalamazoo.

Pulling away in the third period, Kalamazoo scored twice in the first five and half minutes of the stanza to take a 3-0 lead. Matt Jones (10th) 5-on-3 power-play goal 31 seconds into the period extended the K-Wings advantage to two goals.

Registering the eventual game-winner, Mathieu Curadeau tied Cleaver for the team-lead in goals scored recording his 12th marker of the season. Assisting on the tally, Cleaver extended his point streak to six games, one shy of the K-Wings' season-high of seven held by Sam Ftorek.

Matt Siddall (7th) broke the Tyson Sexsmith's shutout bid, placing a wrist shot under the crossbar at the 13:11 mark of the period.

Answering back forty-four seconds later, Kalamazoo regained their three-goal cushion with a lamp-lighter from Brian McGuirk (5th).

Sam Roberts (7th) tacked on another goal for Gwinnett, but it would not be enough, as the K-Wings earned their third win in their last four games.

Sexsmith raised his record to 2-0-0-0 stopping 32 shots in the victory, while Gwinnett's David Brown (3-4-1-0) turned a side 28 shots in the loss.

Saturday, December 19th Vs Gwinnett (Gwinnett 4-Kalamazoo 3-Overtime)

Kalamazoo, MI- A former member of the Western Michigan Broncos, Pat Galivan homecoming to southwest Michigan wouldn't go as planned the night before, but on Saturday, Galivan gave his Gwinnett Gladiators an early Christmas gift, two goals and a 4-3 overtime victory over the Kalamazoo Wings.

For the second straight night, the two most prolific scoring teams in the ECHL could register on the scoreboard in the opening 20 minutes.

Kalamazoo made amends for their lack of first period scoring in the next stanza. Darryl Lloyd (8th) gave the K-Wings the lead 7:45 into the second period by lifting a deflection over David Brown.

Building on their momentum, Andrew Fournier (12th) followed Lloyd's goal by netting one of his own 29 seconds later. Assisting on the goal was Rick Cleaver, who extended his point streak to a K-Wings' team-season tying seven games.

Killing a penalty, Galivan put the Gladiators on the scoreboard scoring on a shorthanded breakaway.

Wrapping up the scoring in the second, Fournier earned his second tally of the evening deflecting a Louis Liotti slap shot for his team-leading 13th goal of the season.

Mounting a comeback, Gwinnett's Tim Miller (2nd) scored early in the third period with a power-play goal to cut the K-Wings lead to 3-2.

Midway in the period, a check by Mitch Versteeg created one of the most unusual moments of the season. The velocity of Versteeg's check actually broke one of the dasher boards.

The check may have broke the board, but not the spirit of the Gladiators, who tied the contest with less than three minutes remaining in regulation with a goal from Jason Lawrence (4th) .

In overtime, Galivan (12th) capped off a three-point (2 goals, 1 assist) night by knocking in the game-winning rebound 4:17 into the extra session.

Fast Forward

Continuing their season-high eight-game home stand with their sixth and seventh leg of the swing, the K-Wings will host the Wheeling Nailers this Friday, December 26th at 7:30 p.m. On the season, Kalamazoo is 2-0-0-0 versus Wheeling, who starts the week in fourth place in the North Division.

The K-Wings will finish the week at Wings Stadium this Sunday, December 27th with a 4 p.m. encounter against the Cincinnati Cyclones. Kalamazoo is 2-3-0-0 versus Cincinnati, with each team winning on their home ice. The K-Wings and Cyclones enter the week with 35 points and tied for first place in the North Division. Sunday's game will be a Family Four Pack afternoon, which features four tickets, four hot dogs and four Pepsi for only $44. There will also be a post-game skate with the players.

Team Leaders: Kalamazoo Wings

Goals: Andrew Fournier (13 Goals)

Assists: Rick Cleaver (20 Assists)

Points: Rick Cleaver (32 Points)

+/-: Mathieu Curadeau (+12)

Penalty Minutes: Bryan Jurynec (76 Minutes)

Power Play Goals: Rick Cleaver (6 Goals)

Short Handed Goals: Trent Daavettila, Andrew Fournier, Sam Ftorek (1 Goal)

Game Winning Goals: Mathieu Curadeau (4 GW)

Shots: Rick Cleaver, Sam Ftorek (80 Shots)

Shooting Percentage: Andrew Fournier (22.4%)

Overtime Goals: Mathieu Curadeau (1 Goal)

Shootout Goals: Rick Cleaver and Darryl Lloyd (2 Goals)

Shootout Percentage: Matt Jones, Brian McGuirk (100%)

Goals Against Average: Ryan Nie (2.66)

Save Percentage: Ryan Nie (0.918)

Curadeau Placed on IR

Forward Mathieu Curadeau has been placed on the K-Wings' 3-Day IR. In a separate transaction, the K-Wings have activated forward Sal Peralta from the injured-reserve list.

Seventh Heaven

Kalamazoo's Rick Cleaver enters the week on a seven-game point streak. Cleaver, who has earned 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists) during his current run, has tied the K-Wings' season-high for games with a consecutive point shared by Sam Ftorek.

New Leader in the Clubhouse

With two goals on Saturday, forward Andrew Fournier now leads the K-Wings with 13 goals. Fournier has been on a tear earning seven points (5 goals, 2 assists) in his last three games.

Shooting for a Shootout

On the season, the K-Wings have played better in the shootout than in overtime. Kalamazoo, who has dropped three straight overtime finishes are 1-3 in OT this year, while a perfect 4-0 in games that end in a shootout.

The Obscure Stat of the Week

Saturday's overtime loss marked the first-time this season that the K-Wings had lost a game when leading after two periods. Kalamazoo is now 11-0-1-0 when holding a lead heading into the third period.

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 ECHL 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.

K-Wings Live Returns in Next Week

Join special guests Ben Simon, Olivier Legault and guest co-host Bryan Jurynec as they join Head Coach Nick Bootland and the "Voice of the K-Wings" Mike Modugno on Monday, December 28th 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 72 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

Saturday, December 26th Vs Wheeling 7:30 PM

Sunday, December 27th Vs Cincinnati 4:00 PM (Family Four Pack/Post-Game

Skate w/Players)

Thursday, December 31st Vs Cincinnati 7:30 PM (8th Annual New Year's Eve Bash,

Presented by Cool 101 and WWMT)

Friday, January 1st @ Toledo 7:00 PM

Saturday, January 2nd Vs Toledo 7:30 PM (Star Wars Night)

Check out the Kalamazoo Wings Statistics

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ECHL Stories from December 21, 2009


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