Komets Get Shootout Victory Over Mallards

The Fort Wayne Komets (9-4-0) played their third game in three nights on Sunday, but managed to overcome the fledgling Quad City Mallards (2-7-3) in the end. The first period was a bit like being pecked to death by ducks for the K’s. Mike Zbriger got Quad City on the board first with a fluky play just 47 seconds into the game. The puck hit a Komets defenseman, flipped into the air, struck Fort Wayne goalie Tim Haun on the back and bounced into the net. Patrick Levesque and Chris Lipsett were awarded the assists. The Mallards struck again at the 18:28 mark. Juris Stals got the tally to put the Mallards up 2-0 with helpers going to Ryan Fultz and Justin White. But the Komets came to life in the second. At 2:07, a power play goal which some are crediting to P.C. Drouin even though the official score sheets give it to Justin Chwedoruk cut the deficit in half. Guy Dupuis evened the score when his shot, again coming on a power play, found the net at 7:56. Just 1:20 later, Dupuis had the go-ahead goal at 9:16 to give the Komets a 3-2 lead. Dupuis’ second tally was assisted by David Hukalo. Colin Chaulk picked up assists on all three plays. But Quad City wasn’t content to watch their lead evaporate and their team fall behind. The Mallards rallied to tie the game at 15:35, when Chris Lipsett’s shot found the net with assists going to Darren McMillan and Patrick Levesque to cap the scoring in regulation. Things heated up in the third period and overtime, with both teams pressing for the game winner. Ultimately, though, it would take a shootout to decide the contest. The Mallards had every reason to be disappointed by this development, after Chris Lipsett missed a shot at an open net on a 2-on-1 rush with 10 seconds remaining in overtime. Quad City’s shooters were Mike Zbriger, Chris Lipsett and Juris Stals, but none of them could get the puck past Haun. Leo Thomas, P.C. Drouin and Justin Chwedoruk took aim at the net for the Komets, with Drouin being the only one to successfully beat Quad City goalie Sebastien Laplante, giving Fort Wayne a hard-fought 4-3 victory.

Notes: Haun made 30 saves on 33 shots for the Komets. Laplante stopped 35 of 38 for Quad City. Fort Wayne was 2-4 on the power play, while the Mallards went 1-7. The Komets have won all three of their games against Quad City this season. Announced attendance was 2586.