KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings (3-5-0-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, beat the Bloomington Bison (3-3-1-2) in a shootout at Wings Event Center Sunday, 4-3.
After the Bison stormed back in the third to tie the game, the K-Wings didn’t flinch in the shootout as Zach Okabe struck first, lacing a bullet just inside the left bar to give Kalamazoo the first-round advantage. Colin Bilek then went bar down in the second-round, securing the win for the K-Wings as Blommington was stymied in both of its attempts.
Rookie goaltender Luke Pavicich (1-1-0-0) was stout in the net, making four saves in overtime for Kalamazoo. Pavicich made 32 of 35 saves in his first start of the 2025-26 campaign.
After a scoreless first period, Davis Pennington (1) started the action on the power play, firing a missile over the left shoulder of the goaltender from just inside the blue line for his first goal of the season at the 5:55 mark. On the play, Hunter Strand (2) slung a pass to Pennington, who went back-and-forth with Zach Okabe (5) before firing a slapshot from deep.
Less than a minute later, Kylor Wall (2) matched Pennington with a slapshot of his own from downtown to make the score 2-0 at the 6:46 mark. Setting up the goal, alternate captain Quinn Preston (7) dished the puck to Okabe (6) amidst battling defenders as he nudged the puck to Wall for the primary assist.
Bloomington then responded at the 9:39 mark, drawing to within one.
Unsatisfied with a one-goal lead, Strand (1) cleaned up the trash on the power play and flicked a shot inside the right post. Antonio Venuto (2) and Ryan Cox (1) picked up assists on the play, making the score 3-1.
Unfortunately, the third frame belonged to the Bison, scoring back-to-back goals in 23 seconds, starting at the 13:25 mark, tying the game at three.
Kalamazoo was 1-for-1 on the penalty kill and 2-for-5 on the power play, while charting 35 shots in the contest.