Kalamazoo, MI- The Kalamazoo Wings, proud member of the ECHL, three-time defending North Division Champions and National Hockey League affiliate to the Vancouver Canucks, and American Hockey League's Chicago Wolves announce the Canucks have reassigned forwards Steven Anthony and Prab Rai (RYE), defenseman Adam Polasek (poh-LAH-shehk) and goaltender Joe Cannata (ka-NA-tuh) to the K-Wings.   

Anthony is poised to return to Kalamazoo for his second pro season. A 7^th round (187^th selection overall)  selection of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Anthony posted 20 points (8 goals, 12 assists) in 34 games last season.

Before coming to Kalamazoo a season ago, Anthony played  four seasons of Junior hockey for the Saint John’s Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), including the 2010-11 campaign, where he produced 60 points (23 goals, 37 assists) to help Sea Dogs to capture the Memorial Cup championship.

Also returning to Kalamazoo is Rai. A fifth-round (131^st overall) selection of the Vancouver Canucks during the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Rai is entering his first full season of professional hockey. Joining the K-Wings midseason last year, the forward notched six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 24 games with Kalamazoo.

Rai began his junior career with the Prince George, after a season and a half with the Cougars, the native of Surrey, British Columbia played three and a half seasons with the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Capping off his best season in juniors, Rai recorded 69 points (41 goals, 28 assists) in 67 games during the 2009-10 season with the Thunderbirds. Rai finished the season as the Thunderbirds leading-scorer and was named to the WHL West Second All-Star team.  

A second-year pro, Polasek registered nine points (1 goal, 8 assists) and was plus-eight in 46 games last season with the Wolves. A fifth-round selection of the Canucks (145^th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Polasek posted 80 points (20 goals, 60 assists) in 127 games in Junior hockey, as a member of the Prince Edward Island Rocket (QMJHL).

Preparing for his first pro campaign between the pipes is Cannata.  A sixth-round (173^rd overall) selection in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Cannata played in one game last season for the Wolves, in which he allowed only two goals to secure his first professional victory.

A four-year standout at Merrimack College (Hockey East), Cannata went 17-12-7during his senior season, posting career-bests in goals-against average (2.18) and a save percentage (0.926). Cannata’s 2.18 GAA was ranked 14^th in all of NCAA hockey, while his 0.926 save percentage placed him 11^th nationally. Cannata leave Merrimack College, as the schools record holder for career wins (59).

The K-Wings will open up the regular season this Friday, October 12^th with an 8 p.m. encounter against the Fort Wayne Komets at the Allen County Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Kalamazoo will return home to Wings Stadium on Friday, October 19^th with a 7:30 p.m. face-off to battle Fort Wayne featuring a pregame home opening tailgate party.

Single-game and season tickets for the 2012-2013 season are on sale at the Wings Stadium Ticket Office. Ticket Office hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday’s.  To charge tickets by phone, please call Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000.

Tickets for all K-Wings home games are $13 and $17.50 for adults and only $7 for kids ages 14 and under. The price for all K-Wings premium night games (all colored ice games and New Year’s Eve game) are just $1 more.

Fans can save money by purchasing K-Wings single-game tickets in advance because tickets purchased on the day of a game increase by $2 (adults only).  

For more information regarding today’s transactions, please contact Mike Modugno, director of public relations and broadcaster at (269) 226-0384.

-www.kwings.com-