The Kalamazoo Wings (19-16-0-0) have dropped their last four games, all to division rivals. On Friday, the K-Wings lost to the Wheeling Nailers by a score of 6-2. Then on Saturday they dropped a 5-3 decision to the Indy Fuel.
Finishing off the weekend at home, the K-Wings feel to an early 2-0 deficit to the Fuel before coming back to take a 3-2 lead in the third period. However, with just under two minutes remaining in the game, the Fuel scored two goals to steal a win from the K-Wings. Greg Betzold, Zach Jordan and Matheson Iacopelli scored for the K-Wings.
The team currently holds on to fourth place in the Central Division standings with 38 points. The Toledo Walleye lead the division with 50 points, followed by the Fort Wayne Komets with 42 and the Cincinnati Cyclones with 41. The Nailers, Fuel and Iowa Heartlanders round out the rest of the division.
Hitting the road for the next two weeks, the K-Wings first visit is to Coralville, Iowa where they will battle the Iowa Heartlanders on Friday and Saturday nights. This will be the second meeting between the two teams.
The K-Wings return home on Wednesday, February 9th when the host the Wheeling Nailers at 7 pm.
K-Wings News and Notes: Forward Zach Jordan was reassigned to Kalamazoo from the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. Forward Jake Slaker was recalled by the Cleveland Monsters.
Hall of Fame: Former K-Wings goaltender and current assistant coach, Joel Martin, was inducted into the ECHL’s Hall of Fame this past week. Martin is the K-Wings record holder for games played (422), wins (229), shutouts (21), and played parts of 10 seasons in the ECHL with the K-Wings, Columbus, Trenton, Augusta and Elmira. Martin ranks second in league history with 22,962 minutes played, third with 394 appearances and fourth with 199 ECHL wins. Martin is also the only goaltender in league history to record 30 or more victories in three seasons.
Photos courtesy of Kimberly Moss
By: Mark C. McGlothlen