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Kalamazoo Wings (IHL, 1989-90)

1989-90 Regular Season:
Wings vs. Fort Wayne Komets
      The Kalamazoo Wings were in their fifteenth season of operation in the International Hockey League by 1989. Owned by Ted and Martha Parfet, the Wings were the primary affiliate of the Minnesota North Stars, hence the green, gold and black jerseys. The team played it's home games at the 5,113-seat Wings Stadium, just off I-94. Long-time IHL executive Bill Inglis was back as General Manager, and John Marks returned behind the Kalamazoo bench.
     Coming off a 4th place, 39-36-7 record in 1988-89, the K-Wings improved significantly the following season. Marks led the team to a 53-23-6 record, setting a new franchise record for wins in a regular season. Their 112 points were good enough for second place in the Eastern Division and third overall in the league. The Wings' 389 goals not only led the league, but set a franchise record. Right Winger Mitch Messier led the team in points with 80 (34 goals), while Darcy Norton was the top goal-scorer with 39. The team had a balanced attack on offense, as fourteen players scored over 10 goals on the year.
     On defense, the K-Wings surrendered 311 goals, tied for third-fewest in the IHL. While the team used five different goaltenders, the main two netminders were Larry Dyck and Jarmo Myllys. Myllys, a 1987 North Stars draft pick, went 31-9-3 with a 3.50 GAA and 1 shutout in 49 games. Dyck played 36 games, going 20-12-2 with a 3.55 GAA. Other netminders used that year include Wade Flaherty, John Blue and Kari Takko.
     1986 Draft pick Dean Kolstad was the top scorer on defense, with 50 points. Future NHLers Jayson More and Rob Zettler were also on the K-Wings blueline.
     Kalamazoo had the fourth-fewest penalty minutes in the league, with 2,269. Fan favorite Kevin Evans spent 346 minutes in the "sin bin", but wasn't a liability on the ice, as he also chipped in 30 goals and 54 points in 76 games. Future North Star and San Jose Shark defenseman Link Gaetz was the other K-Wing with 300 penalty minutes (318), while scoring 5 goals and 21 points.
     Kalamazoo easily qualified for the postseason for the fourteenth consecutive season. The Wings
opened the Turner Cup Playoffs with the Flint Spirits. The Spirits were the primary farm team of the New York Rangers, and had a bounce-back season of their own. After finishing dead last in 1988-89, the Spirits jumped to a 40-36-6 record, which put them in third place, just one point ahead of last place Fort Wayne. The Wings had no trouble with the Spirits, crushing them in four straight and outscoring Flint 26-9 in the process. In the Eastern Division Finals, the Wings faced the defending champion Muskegon Lumberjacks. Kalamazoo put up a fight, but fell to the Jacks in 6 games, outscored 26-19. Muskegon would then be dethroned by the Indianapolis Ice (made up of the former Saginaw Hawks) in four straight.
December 26, 1989:
Fort Wayne Komets vs. Kalamazoo Wings
     This is a 58-page program, all in black and white. Bob Wagner wrote an article titled "Remember the Good Old Days?", which looked back at memorable moments in the history of the K-Wings and the IHL. The usual statistics from last season, team records and the season schedule are included as well. This program is from a December 26, 1989, game against the Fort Wayne Komets. This version of the Komets was in it's final season, as the team would relocate to Albany, New York. Dennis Desrosiers was the Komets' GM, coming over from Saginaw after the Hawks folded. Notable Komets include longtime forward Colin Chin, future Winnipeg Jet Stephane Beauregard, and long-time Flint Bulldog/General defenseman Stephane Brochu.
     Local advertisements include Gilmore Brothers Men's Store, Michigan National Bank, Hair for You Total Image, and WNWN 98.5 FM.

References:
International Hockey League Season Statistics: 1989-90, from hockeydb.com
"Wings", 1989-90 Kalamazoo Wings Game Program


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