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ECHL Kalamazoo Wings

K-Wings Weekly

March 20, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


Kalamazoo, MI- For the second straight game, the most prolific scoring team in the ECHL had trouble finding the net, as the Kalamazoo Wings dropped a 3-1 decision Wednesday night to the Toledo Walleye.

Scoreless after the first period, Toledo took the lead 13:40 into the middle frame when Kris Belan found Andrej Nestrasil on a backdoor pass.

Derek Brochu (4th, 5th) put the game out of reach in the third period striking for a pair of goals during four-on-four hockey four minutes apart midway in the period.

Snapping a streak of 126:58 between goals for the K-Wings, Nick Sirota (14th) pushed in a Prab Rai rebound with 17.8 seconds remaining in the contest.

In his return from the AHL, Riley Gill (20-12-1-3) stopped 28 shots, while Alec Richards (7-6-0-1) earned top star billing making 39 saves in the victory.

Friday, March 16th Vs Trenton (Kalamazoo 2-Trenton 0)

Kalamazoo, MI- Riley Gill made 26 saves and the Kalamazoo Wings scored all their goals in the first period en route to a 2-0 victory over the Trenton Titans on Noodles & Company Night

Leading the league with 74 first period goals entering Friday's contest, the K-Wings added to their total striking twice in the first 20 minutes. Ripping a slap shot off the pipe and into the net, Nick Sirota notched his 15th goal of the season with a power-play marker 14:56 into the period.

Nearly three minutes later, the K-Wings closed out the scoring, when Dwight Helminen deflected a Sam Ftorek slap shot through the legs of Trenton's Dave Caruso.

Despite leading the league in first period tallies, the goals from Sirota and Helminen were the first in the last three opening periods for the K-Wings.

The shutout was Gill's second of the season and the fifth of his career.

Saturday, March 17th Vs Toledo (Toledo 4-Kalamazoo 3-Shootout)

Kalamazoo, MI- The Kalamazoo Wings scored two goals in the final five minutes to cap a three-goal rally, but were unable to score in the shootout and fell to the Toledo Walleye 4-3 during the 31st Annual "World Famous" St. Patrick's Day Green Ice Game, presented by Fifth-Third Bank, WWMT and WRKR.

Kalamazoo came out of the gates firing on all cylinders; however it was Toledo who would score twice in the opening period. Todd Griffith (17th) got the scoring started for the Walleye with his power play tally 11:25 into the period.

A minute and a half later, Toledo would take a two-goal lead with the sixteenth goal of the season from forward, Harrison Reed. His wrist shot from the right side beat Kalamazoo goalie, Riley Gill over the glove.

In a penalty filled second period that featured 19 infractions for a combined 54 minutes, both teams actually found time to score. Capturing their third-goal on a odd-man rush, Andrej Nestrasil (7th) scored on a backhander 8:59 into the period.

Registering their first goal late in the second, Dwight Helminen (4th) stopped in front of the Walleye net and batted in a Darryl Bootland rebound with 49 seconds remaining in the period.

The third period featured the same hard hitting from both teams and remained scoreless until late in the period. Helminen (5th) took a hard wrist shot from the blue line the knuckled past the Toledo's Alec Richards for his second of the game.

The K-Wings, however, where not done. With only 1:46 remaining in the regulation, Nick Sirota (16th) buried a shot from the slot off a pass from Kory Karlander to tie the game 3-3.

Toledo went into overtime with a 4-on-3 power play advantage but was unable to capitalize as the sudden death period remained scoreless and both teams headed to a shootout.

In the shootout Joey Martin tallied the only goal for either squad and to secure the victory for Toledo.

Sunday, March 18th @ Toledo (Kalamazoo 9-Toledo 1)

Toledo, Ohio- Registering a season-high nine-goal effort, the Kalamazoo Wings dismantled the Toledo Walleye 9-1 Sunday afternoon at the Huntington Center.

Despite dominating the opening period of play by outshooting the Walleye 18-5 and winning 10 of the 13 face-offs, the K-Wings weren't able to score in the first period.

Most of the K-Wings scoring chances in the first period came off the stick of Justin Taylor, who had five shots in the period.

Finally breaking through in the second period, Kalamazoo struck for four goals in the middle frame starting with Dustin Cloutier's 10th goal of the season 49 seconds into the period.

Capitalizing on a power-play midway in the period, Trent Daavettila knocked in a rebound for his 16th goal of the season to push the K-Wings lead to 2-0.The goal was Daavettila's eighth with a man-advantage, which ties him with Mike Matczak for the team-lead.

Keeping up the pressure moments later, Cloutier won a face-off back to Eric Kattelus, who one-timed a slap shot past Alec Richards to extend the lead to 3-0.

Kalamazoo ended the scoring in the period with Cloutier's second of the night 18:26 into the second.

Dustin Carlson replaced Richards between the pipes to start the third period, but the change of goaltender didn't impede the K-Wings assault.

Taylor snapped a 21-game scoring drought notching his 21st goal of the season on the K-Wings first shot on Carlson 1:47 into the third period.

Less than two minutes later, Nick Sirota (17th) extended his goal and point streak to four games riffling a slap shot over the shoulder of Carlson.

Following Sirota's goal, the Walleye returned Richards to the game.

Earning his first goal of his pro career, Paul Cianfrini (1st) broke up the shutout bid 4:36 into the period for the Walleye's lone goal of the afternoon.

Responding 12 seconds later, Daavettila (17th) extended the K-Wings lead to 7-1 knocking in a rebound from Dwight Helminen. The assist from Helminen extended his point streak to three games.

Capping off a K-Wings season-high five-point performance, Cloutier (12th) recorded the team's first hat trick of the season on a backhander 8:48 into the period.

Kory Karlander concluded the K-Wings scoring late in the third period.

Kalamazoo outshot Toledo 42-23. Goaltender Riley Gill earned his 22nd victory of the season making 22 saves.

Fast Forward

The K-Wings will begin a three-game week this Friday, March 23rd, as they host the Chicago Express at 7:30 p.m. during Celebration! Cinema Night, featuring Batman and Spider-Man. March 23rd will also be a Frugal Fan Friday, featuring $1 Beer, $1 Hot Dogs and $1 Pepsi products, as well as a Win-Win Night. If the K-Wings defeat the Express this Friday, all fans in attendance will receive a FREE ticket to the K-Wings game on Sunday, March 25th.

On Saturday, March 25th, the K-Wings will travel to Sears Centre for a 7:30 (CDT) encounter against the Express. On the season, the K-Wings are 5-5-1-1 versus the Express, who start the week in tied for the second place in the North Division.

The K-Wings will finish the week on Sunday, March 25th at Wings Stadium with a 4 p.m. face-off versus the Cincinnati Cyclones on a Family Hockey in the 'ZOO, presented by Meijer, Pepsi, Charter and the Kalamazoo Gazette. The first 500 kids will receive a FREE K-Wings Superhero, Courtesy of Charter. Sunday will be the final regular season home game for the K-Wings and will feature, a FREE post-game skate with the team (skate rental is $3) and post-game team awards. On the season, the K-Wings are 8-4-1-1 versus the Cyclones, who are tied for second in the North Division.

Team Leaders: Kalamazoo Wings

Goals: Darryl Bootland (24 Goals)

Assists: Trent Daavettila (54 Assists)

Points: Trent Daavettila (71 Points)

+/-: Darren Archibald (+15)

Penalty Minutes: Darryl Bootland (170 Minutes)

Power Play Goals: Trent Daavettila, Mike Matczak (8 Goals)

Short Handed Goals: Seven Players Tied (1 Goal)

Game Winning Goals: Trent Daavettila, Brandon Svendsen (5 GW)

Shots: Darryl Bootland (207 Shots)

Shooting Percentage: Dean Strong (27.5%)

Overtime Goals: Sam Ftorek (2 Goals)

Shootout Goals: Justin Taylor (5 Goals)

Shootout Percentage: Dean Strong (50%)

Goals Against Average: Riley Gill (2.89 )

Save Percentage: Riley Gill (0.905)

The Mad Hatter

Dustin Cloutier not only earned the K-Wings first hat trick of the season on Sunday, he recorded his first three-goal performance of his career. Before Sunday, the K-Wings last hat trick was by Kory Karlander back on February 25, 2011 against the Toledo Walleye.

Heating Up

Forward Nick Sirota enters the week looking to extend two streaks. Sirota is riding a four-game goal and assist streak.

K-Wings Release Fogal

On Monday, the K-Wings released goaltender Brad Fogal. Fogal, who was traded from Cincinnati to Kalamazoo last month, played in one game for the K-Wings.

Magic Number

The K-Wings need 6 more points not only to wrap-up a post-season berth in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, but to clinch their third straight North Division title. The points can be a combination of Kalamazoo victories and/or losses by the Cincinnati Cyclones (divisional title/overall berth), Chicago Express (divisional title/overall berth) or Reading Royals (overall berth).

The Obscure Stat of the Week

The K-Wings nine-goal effort on Sunday was the most the team has scored since joining the ECHL. The last time Kalamazoo recorded nine goals in a game prior to Sunday was back in the 2008-2009 season, when they recorded the feat against the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the International Hockey League.

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.

Cloutier and Taylor on the Radio

Join special guests Dustin Cloutier and Justin Taylor 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 www.kwings.com from 6-7 p.m. at Old Burdick's Wings West.

K-Wings on Radio

Catch all the K-Wings games, home and away, on the K-Wings Radio Network (95.9 FM WLKM & 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

Friday, March 23rd Vs Chicago 7:30 PM (Celebration! Cinema Night, featuring Batman and Spiderman and Frugal Fan Friday)

Saturday, March 24th @ Chicago 7:35 PM (CDT)

Sunday, March 25th Vs Cincinnati 4:00 PM (Family Hockey Day in the 'ZOO, featuring Post-Game Awards, presented by Meijer, Pepsi, Charter and the Kalamazoo Gazette)

Wednesday, March 28th @ Toledo 7:00 PM

Check out the Kalamazoo Wings Statistics

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