K-Wings Win Back & Forth Tilt over Icemen in OT
ECHL Kalamazoo Wings

K-Wings Win Back & Forth Tilt over Icemen in OT

Published on March 6, 2026 under ECHL (ECHL)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Wings (24-23-3-3), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, start the weekend victorious, downing the Jacksonville Icemen (19-26-7-1) Friday in overtime at Wings Event Center, 6-5.

Andre Ghantous (14) sent the K-Wings fans home happy, crossing up the netminder and depositing the game-winning overtime goal 5:07 into the extra frame. On the game-winner, Collin Saccoman (10) collected a loose puck against the K-Wings' endboards and sent the puck up the ice to Nolan Walker (24) outside the defensive left circle. Walker fed Ghantous on the rush with a tap pass along the sideboards, and Ghantous did the rest.

David Keefer (5) started the scoring for the K-Wings by taking advantage of an out-of-position goaltender, firing a shot into the twine before the netminder could return to his paint at the 4:56 mark of the first period. On the play, Kylor Wall (5) intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and wrapped the puck off an endboard stanchion that took a wicked bounce and stopped at the top of an empty crease as Keefer rushed in for the goal.

The Icemen responded with a short-handed goal on the first penalty of the contest at the 12:12 mark.

However, Josh Bloom (13) didn't let the man advantage go to waste, finessing the puck inside the left post on the same power-play opportunity 44 seconds later. On the power play strike, Jackson Kunz (2) backhanded a neutral zone pass to Bloom, who rushed into the offensive zone with Zach Okabe (30). The duo went back and forth before Bloom slammed in his own rebound.

Jacksonville answered back, scoring a goal at the 13:22 mark. The Icemen struck first in the second period as well, scoring at the 2:29 mark to take a 3-2 advantage.

Evan Dougherty (2) then evened the game, deflecting a shot over the netminder's pads and into the back of the net at the 10:24 mark. On the setup, Hunter Strand (15) sent a pass to a firing Jayden Lee (19) from just inside the blue line that found the stick of Dougherty at the top of the crease.

However, Jacksonville regained the lead, scoring a goal just before the second period horn at the 19:18 mark.

Wall (4) answered with a net front goal to tie the game at the 2:20 mark of the third frame. On the goal, Ghantous (16) passed the puck to Keefer (19) outside the right circle, who crossed a beautiful rinkwide backhanded feed to Wall in the slot for the bang-bang goal.

Okabe (13) then powered the puck through defensive sticks and into the back of the net at the 6:40 mark. On the go-ahead goal, Ryan Cox (8) won a battle for the puck against the left corner boards that found Kunz (3) nearby. Kunz skated into the trapezoid before finding Okabe rushing the net for the five-hole goal from the top of the crease.

Unfortunately, the Icemen responded with a goal at the 15:10 mark to knot the game at five and send the contest to overtime.

Aku Koskenvuo (4-6-0-0) made 38 saves in the contest. Kalamazoo went 1-for-4 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

Tomorrow, Kalamazoo takes on Jacksonville for the second game in the set featuring 'EmpowHER Night,' presented by Girl Scouts Heart of America, for a 4:30 p.m. EST puck drop presented by Discover Kalamazoo at Wings Event Center.

Celebrate strength, spirit, and the power of women at K-Wings EmpowHER Night! We're spotlighting the incredible impact women make both in Kalamazoo and in sports at 4:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, March 7, at Wings Event Center. The first 1,000 women, of all ages, through the doors score a limited-edition EmpowHER K-Wings baseball cap! After the final whistle, stick around for a Fans Skate the Ice event - just $5 for skate rentals!

Check out the Kalamazoo Wings Statistics

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