As the Kalamazoo Wings are getting ready to play their third game of series one in the Kelly Cup Finals, Goalie Jonathan Lemieux is called up to AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, as the Canucks start their Playoff push. Lemieux has played 39 regular season games and one playoff game for the Wings this season, holding a 17-16-3 record.
With this call, the Wings need an experienced Goaltender to help them complete their journey to the Kelly Cup. The Wings have turned to Blake Pietila. They are signing an ATO, an Amateur Tryout Contract and activating Blake immediately. Kalamazoo plays Toledo in Game 3: 4/24 at Kalamazoo at 7 p.m. The Toledo Walleyes hold the series 2-0, the first game ending in Overtime and the second with a three-point lead. The Wings are looking to chip away at that lead starting tomorrow night.
Blake Pietila most recently signed an amateur tryout contract with the Cleveland Monsters, the Columbus Blue Jackets affiliate, on April 5th of this year. The Contract expired with no games played under it, but many practices and drills at the AHL level were completed before this. Blake was an NCAA Athelte attending Michigan Tech. While with Michigan, Blake held the Alternate Captain position and had 141 games with a record of 76-49-11, holding 17 shutouts, and his last season, a 2.38GAA and a .917SV%. He also has previous experience in the USHL with the Roughriders, where they made it to playoffs, and he holds a 3-3 record.
The Wings must win the next four games to advance to the next series for the Central Division in the Kelly Cup Championship chase.
