K-Wings Fujimagari is Breaking Barriers for Women in Hockey Already in ECHL Debut

The Kalamazoo K-Wings were in a tight preseason game against the Toledo Walleye Saturday Night. The two teams were tied at 3 goals apiece, headed into overtime, and the K-Wings were trying out their newest goalie, who entered in the 3rd period to replace Jonathan Lemieux.

In the end, the K-Wings got the exciting overtime win and surrounded their new goalie in celebration with her first win. Oh, did I mention, her name is Mariah Fujimagari, and she's a girl.

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Not that it SHOULD make a difference, but it kind of does, especially in such a massively male-dominated sport.

The Kalamazoo Wings singed Fujimagari on a PTO (Professional Try Out) for this preseason, after an amazing performance in her previous leagues - Playing for the AIK in Sweden's SDHL last season, and with the Worcester Blades in the CWHL. She also spent time with the Buffalo Beauts and Connecticut Whale in the PHF league.

Fujimagari goes down as the FIRST woman goalie in ECHL to notch a win, even though it was a preseason game. She made a total of 14 saves, including five in overtime, and secured her win when Erik Bradford went five-hole on the Walleye's goalie, Jan Bednar. She also earned the third star of the game for her efforts.

While an incredible feat, she is not the first ECHL woman goalie ever. While the K-Wings were playing in the IHL, Erin Whitten and Manon Rheaume were goaltending for various teams, and a handful of games in the 1993-94 season for the ECHL.

Should Fujimagari make the final cut, she would be the first woman goaltender in the league in more than two decades, and the first ever for the K-Wings.