ECHL Kalamazoo Wings

K-Wings Weekly

January 11, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


Game Rewind

Wednesday, January 6th @ Johnstown (Kalamazoo 4-Johnstown 3-Overtime)

Johnstown, PA- Scoring two goals in the final five minutes of regulation to erase a two-goal deficit, the Kalamazoo Wings rallied to defeat the Johnstown Chiefs 4-3 in overtime.

Neither team was able to score in the first period. Out-shooting Kalamazoo 12-10 in the opening 20 minutes, Johnstown generated a majority of the scoring chances i with their power-play unit. The Chiefs went 0-for-4 in the first period with a man-advantage, which included a 5-on-3 power-play late in the period for 1:07.

After no scoring the first period, each team registered on the scoreboard in the middle stanza. Fresh from being called-up earlier in the morning from the SPHL's Columbus Cottonmouths, Jeff Martens (1st) knocked in a rebound 1:46 into the period to give the Chiefs the lead.

Capitalizing on a 5-on-3 power-play, Andrew Fournier tipped in a Rick Cleaver rebound for his team-leading 16th goal of the season to tie the contest at 1-1. The assist from Cleaver extended his K-Wings season-high point streak to 11 games.

Two unanswered goals from Chanse Fitzpatrick (16th) and Dan Collins (6th) would seem to give the Chiefs a commanding 3-1 lead with less than five minutes to play.

However, the K-Wings had other plans, starting 50 seconds after Collins' tally; Jeff Mason extended his point streak to four games and his goal streak to three with his seventh of the season to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Cleaver (15th) recorded the equalizer with 2:16 remaining in the third with a wrist shot from the left circle.

In overtime, Cleaver wrap-up his four point night by netting his second of the game, this time a power-play game-winner. The goal was Cleaver's team-tying 16th of the season.

Friday, January 8th Vs Charlotte (Kalamazoo 2-Charlotte 1)

Kalamazoo, MI- A game of 60 minutes came down to 66 seconds and in the end it was the Kalamazoo Wings that be victorious with a 2-1 decision versus the Charlotte Checkers.

Making up for no scoring in the opening period, both teams combined for three goals in the second.

Avoiding a check while shooting, Mathieu Curadeau (13th) gave the K-Wings the lead 6:16 into the second period. The goal was Curadeau's first since December 18th, which snapped a drought of four games for the forward.

Charlotte responded 35 seconds later, when Andrew Carroll's (13th) slap shot tipped off the glove hand of Ryan Nie and inched across the goal line to tie the contest.

Capping off the three goals in a span of 1:06 was Matt Jones (12th), who regained the lead for Kalamazoo with a right circle slap shot.

Just like the first period, the final 20 minutes proved to a defensive battle. Neither team was able to light the lamp, giving the K-Wings the narrow one goal victory.

Nie stopped 19 shots to earn the victory and raise his record to 10-4-1-0, while Ryan Munce allowed two goals on 27 shots to drop his record to 5-6-1-0.

Saturday, January 9th Vs Charlotte (Kalamazoo 7-Charlotte 4)

Kalamazoo, MI- A defensive battle the night before, an offensive explosion tonight. The Kalamazoo Wings matched their season-high for most goals in a game with 7-4 victory versus the Charlotte Checkers.

Before the crowd of 3,251 could get settled, the Checkers leaped ahead of the K-Wings with a goal from Andrew Carroll (14th) 1:58 into the contest.

The early goal allowed didn't seem to unnerve Kalamazoo, who rattled off four answered goals of their lone.

A pair of lamp-lighters from Matt Jones (13th, 14th) propelled the K-Wings ahead. Later in the frame, Tyler Willis chipped a perfect pass to Sam Ftorek, who slit the defense to ring up his fifth goal of the season.

Each team exchanged power-play goals in the second period. Mathieu Curadeau (14th) rifled a shot from the point early in the stanza, while Julien Brouillett (7th) answered back with a 5-3 tally for the Checkers.

Putting the contest out reach in the third period, Jones (15th) earned his second professional hat trick after a Ftorek power-play drive hammered off the end wall and slid back in front of the net.

Kalamazoo recorded their third man-advantage marker midway in the period, when Rick Cleaver snipped his team-leading 17th goal of the season. Tonight was a milestone evening for Cleaver, who was playing in his 100th career pro contest.

Assisting on the tally was Jones, who ended the night with four points (3 goals, 1 assists).

Keeping the pendulum swinging their way, Ftorek (6th) pushed the K-Wings lead to five goals netting his second of the evening to cap off a four-point night (2 goals, 2 assists) for the captain.

Charlotte closed out the scoring adding goals from David Marshall (6th) and Carroll (15th).

Perhaps giving the K-Wings a bit of good luck, two-year season ticket holder Dennis Randall was behind the bench, serving as assistant coach for the game. Randall received the honor by being selected the K-Wings' January Two-Year Season Ticket Holder of the Month.

Fast Forward

Hitting the road for four games in five days, Kalamazoo will commence the week on Wednesday, January 13th with a 7:30 p.m. encounter against Cincinnati Cyclones. Kalamazoo leads Cincinnati by one point for first place in the North Division. On the season, the K-Wings are 2-4-1-0 against the two-time defending North Division champions.

Heading to the south for the second of three trips this season, the K-Wings will battle the defending Kelly Cup champions, South Carolina Stingrays, in back-to-back games this Friday, January 15th and Saturday, January 16th. Both games versus the Stingrays are slated for 7:05 p.m. and will be the lone regular season meetings between the teams. Picking up where they left off last season, South Carolina owns the best record in the league at 25-9-2-4 and leads the South Division by 16 points.

Before leaving for all-star break, the K-Wings will conclude their four-game road swing with a 3 p.m. face-off against the Charlotte Checkers. After winning three-straight games, the Checkers have now dropped three straight. Despite their currently losing streak, Charlotte remains in second placed tied with the Florida Everblades. On the season, the K-Wings are 3-0-0-0 versus the Checkers.

Team Leaders: Kalamazoo Wings

Goals: Rick Cleaver (17 Goals)

Assists: Rick Cleaver (23 Assists)

Points: Rick Cleaver (40 Points)

+/-: Mathieu Curadeau (+14)

Penalty Minutes: Bryan Jurynec (90 Minutes)

Power Play Goals: Rick Cleaver (8 Goals)

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

Game Winning Goals: Mathieu Curadeau (4 GW)

Shots: Sam Ftorek (98 Shots)

Shooting Percentage: Andrew Fournier (21.3%)

Overtime Goals: Rick Cleaver, 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 (2.61)

Save Percentage: Ryan Nie (0.917)

On the Road Again

Kalamazoo starts the week on a four-game road swing. The K-Wings, who are 9-3-2-0 away from Wings Stadium, are riding a three-game road winning streak (12/05/09-present).

Five Alive

The K-Wings have earned victories in five straight games (01/01/10-present). The five-game streak is one game shy of Kalamazoo's longest winning streak of the season is six games set from October 15th-October 30th.

Six Pack

Andrew Fournier has racked up points in six straight games. During his current run, Fournier has earned seven points (3 goals, 4 assists).

Road Warrior

Kalamazoo's Mathieu Curadeau enters the week on a six-game road scoring streak (10/17/09-present). Curadeau has earned points in seven of the six road games he has played in.

The Obscure Stat of the Week

Kalamazoo has won their last two road contests with their final shot of the game. The K-Wings defeated the Toledo Walleye back on January 1st with a goal from Jeff Mason with 3.7 seconds remaining and on January 6th; Rick Cleaver recorded the game-winner in overtime against the Johnstown Chiefs.

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.

Cleaver and Colbert on the Radio

Join special guests Rick Cleaver and Will Colbert as they join Head Coach Nick Bootland and the "Voice of the K-Wings" Mike Modugno this Monday 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

Wednesday, January 13th @ Cincinnati 7:30 PM

Friday, January 15th @ South Carolina 7:05 PM

Saturday, January 16th @ South Carolina 7:05 PM

Sunday, January 17th @ Charlotte 3:00 PM

Friday, January 22nd Vs Cincinnati 7:30 PM (Culver's Night and Frugal Fan Friday)

Check out the Kalamazoo Wings Statistics



ECHL Stories from January 11, 2010


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