Komets Jump 'Jacks 7-2

The Fort Wayne Komets (15-9-0-1) got the jump on the top-seeded Muskegon Lumberjacks (19-6-0-3) on Saturday, the day after Christmas, with their best offensive performance of the season so far despite an extended holiday leave that allowed many players to spend the holidays at home for the first time in several years. The win snapped the Lumberjacks 4 game winning streak. The Komets wasted little time getting their first goal, as forward Colin Chaulk netted a shot just 59 seconds into the opening frame. Fellow forwards David Hukalo and Konstantin Shafranov assisted on the tally. Forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock made it 2-0 at 10:37 with assistance from defenseman Kevin Bertram, and Schrock proceeded to fight Muskegon forward Mark Cody, who was no doubt hoping to wake his team up, just 1 second after the score. It didn't work, as the Komets scored 4 more unanswered goals. At 11:53, Muskegon's Robin Bouchard was sent off for slashing, which led to a a Komets notching a power play goal courtesy of Chaulk and assisted by forward P.C. Drouin and defenseman Guy Dupuis making the score 3-0. At 17:42, Leo Thomas made his mark by putting the puck past Muskegon goalie Sebastien Centomo, bringing the count to 4-0 to close out the period. The Komets outshot their opponents 13-3 in the frame. Drouin and defenseman Bobby Phillips received the helpers on the play. Two more fights broke out in the final seconds of period 1, this time between defenseman Keith Rodger and Muskegon forward David Rohlfs while Schrock took on Lumberjacks defenseman Russ Smith. Each picked up 5 penalty minutes for fighting. Rodger and Rohlfs also received 10 minute misconducts while Schrock and Smith got matching 2 minute roughing penalties. Centomo was replaced by back-up goaltender Matt Lundin at the start of the second period, but the result was much the same, with Fort Wayne stretching their lead to 5-0 at 5:50 when Hukalo got a goal of his own. Shafranov and Chaulk were awarded the assists. Then, as if to underscore the Lumberjacks ineffectiveness, at 8:34 with 13 seconds remaining on a hooking penalty to Phillips, Schrock scored a shorthanded goal that brought the tally to 6-0. The Lumberjacks finally got on the board at 10:43 on a subsequent power play. Defenseman Matt Woodard was whistled for tripping at 10:38 to set up the play that resulted in the goal by defenseman Matt Krug. An assist went to forward Damian Surma. Muskegon scored again at 18:38 of the middle frame. Forward J.T. Dahlinger got a shot past Komets goalie Nick Boucher to cut Fort Wayne's lead to 6-2. Defenseman Jason Lawmaster and forward Brian Bicek got the assists. In the third period there were no further penalties for either team to exploit, and despite the fact that Muskegon outshot the Komets 10-6, it was Fort Wayne that netted a goal to cap the scoring. At 17:19, defenseman Frankie DeAngelis slipped the puck past Lundin to bring the final score to 7-2. Rodger and Chaulk picked up the assists. Boucher made 26 saves on 28 shots in the victory. Centomo stopped 9 of 13 and Lundin 17 of 20.

Notes: Announced attendence was 3875 despite harsh wintery conditions affecting the area. Prior to this meeting, the Komets had lost 5 of 8 and had lost 3 in a row to Muskegon. Their last victory over the lumberjacks had been at home on Halloween. Fort Wayne forward Brad MacMillan did not play as he was serving a 1 game suspension for accidentally hitting an opponent with his own helmet during a fight at Bloomington the previous Sunday. Forward Tomas Klempa was also unable to attend the game due to severe weather in Omaha, Nebraska. The Komets were 1-5 on the power play. Muskegon was 1-4 with the extra man.