Komets Down Generals 3-2, Win 3rd Consecutive Turner Cup

And so the Fort Wayne Komets won the IHL's Turner Cup. Again. And they got to meet the Commissioner of the IHL and skate around with the Turner Cup. Again. Okay, so maybe it is starting to feel a bit like Forrest Gump getting invited to meet the President at this point. Or maybe Groundhog Day. The bottom line is that the silverware will be staying in Fort Wayne's trophy case for yet another season. The Komets defeated the Flint Generals in game 5 of the Turner Cup Finals on Saturday night in Fort Wayne, IN. It was a game that was dominated by the determined play of the Komets from the opening puck drop, yet somehow came down to the wire. At 3:36 of the first period, Fort Wayne already had 7 shots on goal to Flint's 1, plus a close call about a minute into the contest that didn't quite make it across the goal line. The Komets were pressing hard, and it seemed the General's only game plan was to hold on and wait for a major mistake. But major mistakes by the Komets were few and far between on this night. And while referee Jim Hawthorne was calling a few penalties here and there, he kept the chances more or less even, which wasn't a good thing for Flint. Komets defenseman Brandon Warner was whistled for interference at 11:41, but the Generals were unable to manage a single shot on goal with the man advantage. Upon seeing Fort Wayne return to full strength, Flint was saddled with back-to-back penalties of their own -- tripping on forward Rick Smith at 14:01 and slashing on forward Mike Olnyk at 16:40. They killed the first successfully, but at 17:52, the Komets cashed the second one in. Forward Matt Syroczynski took a shot from the edge of the left circle that went wide and wound up behind the net where forward Justin Hodgman had taken position. Hodgman passed it back out to Syroczynski, who skated in to the front of the crease and sent a wobbly shot over Generals goalie Rob Nolan's outstretched stick for the 1-0 lead. An assist also went to forward Colin Chaulk. At 18:33 of the period, forward P.C. Drouin was sent off for interference, but it was once again Fort Wayne that had the best chance to score as a result. Komets forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock was hauled down on a short-handed breakaway with about 30 seconds remaining in the frame, though no penalties were called on the play. Flint still had 33 seconds of power play time remaining to begin the second period, but their impotence with the puck continued. It was a pattern that would haunt them throughout the game. The Generals were able to kill an interference penalty on forward Chris Kovalcik at 1:12 of the second, but when Fort Wayne forward Brad MacMillan was sent to the box for holding at 3:24, they still couldn't find the back of the net with a map. Then at 5:52 Chaulk and Flint forward Ben Boudreau were sent off for roughing and holding, respectively. At 6:20, Generals defenseman Chris Bogas joined his teammate in the box for cross-checking. With the Komets on a 4-on-3 man advantage, their lead was soon 2-0. At 6:44, Hodgman sent a pass to Drouin, who faked a shot as he passed the puck to defenseman Guy Dupuis, who faked a shot as he passed it back to Drouin. Drouin then sent a slap shot from the right point that hit the twine low glove-side. At 8:32 of the middle frame, Flint had finally managed to accumulate a grand total of 10 shots on goal. The Komets, meanwhile, had 24. At 11:11, Drouin once again made the night that the Generals' were quietly going into seem even longer. On a break, Komets defenseman Kevin Bertram sent a pass from the right wing to Drouin skating up the left. Upon reaching the left circle, Drouin faked a slap shot, paused, and put a quick wrist shot just under the crossbar on the top right corner of the net to make the count 3-0. Forward Leo Thomas was also awarded an assist on the play. At 15:47, coincidental roughing penalties were handed out to MacMillan and Kovalcik, the same pair that had gotten into a full-fledged fight one night earlier in Flint, MI. It appeared that Kovalcik was merely desperate for something -- anything -- that might help spark his team. As in game 2 of the series, Fort Wayne was changing up their lines as quickly as possible, leaving Flint perpetually looking a step behind their opponents. As the final seconds of the second period ticked down, Olnyk took his frustrations out on Komets forward Justin Chwedoruk, jamming him into the boards from behind, though once again, Hawthorne kept his whistle in his pocket. Fort Wayne was now just 20 minutes from another championship, which seemed well in hand. Not so fast. At 4:29, the Generals finally broke the goose egg when Bogas' shot from the left point bounced back out to forward John Ronan in the right circle, and Ronan put the puck just under the crossbar to cut the deficit to 3-1. Flint had another power play opportunity at 7:41 when Fort Wayne defenseman Keith Rodger was called for cross-checking, but as usual, they did nothing with it. The Komets were tightening the screws again, eager to close the series out on home ice and all too aware that another goal would put Flint within striking distance. So perhaps it was fitting that it was Generals defenseman and former Komet Jake Pence who cut Fort Wayne's edge to 3-2 with an angle shot from the right point that made it past Komets goalie Nick Boucher into the bottom of the net at 13:00, giving the Generals new hope. Forwards Bryan Smolinski and Pascal Rheaume picked up the assists. When Drouin was sent to the box with a hooking call at 13:40, things were becoming tense indeed. But Flint being Flint, they messed it up yet again. After just 24 seconds, Ronan was whistled for cross-checking, and so ended what might have been the Generals' last, best hope for victory. Assuming, you know, that they could have figured out how to score with a man advantage. At 1:47, Flint pulled Nolan just as they had for all 4 of the previous games in the series, yet they couldn't muster a single shot on goal as the seconds ticked down. Then the horn sounded, mercifully ending the Generals misery for another year as the Komets celebrated. To Flint's credit, they waited patiently on the ice for Fort Wayne to organize a handshake line, bringing the contest and the IHL's 2010 Turner Cup Finals to its official end. Then, at least for the Komets, it was party time. Nolan made 39 saves on 42 shots. Boucher stopped 19 of 21 in claiming the victory.

Notes: A sell-out crowd of 10,480 was on hand to view the Komets winning their 3rd consecutive championship. In the last 3 years, Fort Wayne is 15-0-1 in games where at least 10,000 fans are in attendance. The only loss, 3-2 in overtime, was to the Flint Generals on Sunday, April 13, 2008 -- the last game of the regular season... The Komets were 2 for 6 on the power play; the Generals went 0 for 5. In the Playoff Finals overall, The Komets were 9 for 21... Fort Wayne outshot Flint 17-6 in the first, 12-5 in the second, and 13-10 in the third... This was the Komets 7th Turner Cup win in the team's 58 year history and their 8th championship in all... The last team to win 3 consecutive Turner Cups -- the Cincinnati Mohawks -- went on to win a total of 5 back-to-back titles (1953-1957)... Turner Cup Playoffs MVP was awarded to Syroczynski, who had 11 goals and 16 points in 12 games... Drouin took the hand-off from Komets Captain Guy Dupuis and made the first lap with the Turner Cup. Drouin had 5 goals in the playoffs and led the team in points with 18. He missed the 2009 Turner Cup Playoffs due to a broken hand/wrist... Forward Dan Lapointe was scratched for Flint due to injury as was goalie Sergei Zvyagin. Chad Alban was the emergency back-up for the second game in a row. For the Komets, forward Mitch Woods was scratched while defenseman Keith Rodger returned to the line-up after missing games 3 and 4 of the series in Flint... Washington Capitals Head Coach Bruce Boudreau attended the game to watch his son Ben play for the Generals... The Komets annual End-of-Season Party and Jersey Auction will be held on Tuesday, May 18 in the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum's main arena. Doors open at 6:30 PM. Admittance is free for season ticket holders, $5 for everyone else.

Komets Crush Generals 6-2, Take 3-1 Lead in Series

And like a spirit in the night, it was gone again. The Flint Generals fighting spirit, that is. After keeping pace with the Fort Wayne Komets goal for goal through the wild and woolly score-fest that was game 3, the Generals were clearly outgunned and outmatched on Friday night and seemed content to run up the white flag when all was said and done. This with 4065 fans, their largest crowd in over 2 years, looking on. "Power-play" was the word for the night, with either goals or missed opportunities sealing each team's fate. Flint had the first chance, when referee Scott Hoberg called Komets forward Justin Chwedoruk for tripping at 2:02 of the first. That man advantage went nowhere. Then at 5:29, a scrum broke out that resulted in two Flint players -- forward Rick Smith and defenseman Craig Cescon -- and Fort Wayne forward Justin Hodgman picking up roughing minors. This put the Komets on a 5-on-4 power play, which forward Sean O'Connor cashed in on at the 6:54 mark. O'Connor, near the goal line on the left, had tried to send a centering pass to Chwedoruk in front of the net, but the puck never made it, bouncing off some Flint players instead. O'Connor then skated in, grabbed the puck, and knocked it past Generals goalie Rob Nolan for the 1-0 lead. Assists went to forward Leo Thomas and defenseman Brandon Warner. No one can say that Flint didn't have its chances, though. At 9:34 and 11:47, the Komets were whistled for back to back penalties -- Hodgman for cross checking and forward Matt Syroczynski for holding -- and the hapless Generals were still unable to find the net. Meanwhile, Fort Wayne's players were having no problem finding the one guarded by Nolan. At 15:18, Thomas put the Komets up 2-0 on a rush when a shot by O'Connor from the left boards ricocheted off his skate and in, catching Nolan out of position. Also assisting on the play was forward P.C. Drouin. The Generals tried to regroup in the second period, allowing no additional Fort Wayne goals in the frame. Unfortunately the only goal they could muster, which came at 4:59, was quickly waved off due to the net having been knocked off its moorings. More ill-will broke out at 6:21 and both Syroczynski and Flint defenseman Brandon Gentile were sent to the box for roughing. During the later part of the period, the Generals finally began pressuring Fort Wayne, catching their opponents a bit flat-footed at the end of the frame. As a result, Drouin picked up a hooking call at the 20:00 mark. After having an entire intermission to plan, Flint finally solved Komets goalie Tim Haun just 36 seconds into the third. Forward Jamie Schaafsma put a shot on goal from the top of the slot, and Pascal Rheaume was in front of the net to knock the rebound home, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Forward Bryan Smolinski also picked up an assist. Then at 1:07, Generals forward Nathan Ward made a similar play, hitting a shot from the slot that bounced around in a scramble in front of the net before Flint forward Mike Olnyk got it past Haun to knot the game 2-2. Brandon Gentile was credited with the other assist. The Generals were on a roll. Unfortunately for them, their aggressive style of play quickly began netting penalties instead of goals. At the 2:00 mark, forward Chris Kovalcik was sent off for goalie interference, and the Komets made it count at 3:37 after defenseman Guy Dupuis took a slap shot from the high slot just inside the blue line. The puck was stopped, but Syroczynski was there to swat at the rebound as was forward Colin Chaulk, who finally coaxed it home, putting Fort Wayne back on top 3-2. The goal was disheartening for Flint, to be sure, but it was what came next that really broke their backs. At 4:52, Olnyk was whistled for slashing and at 6:12, defenseman Steve Silver joined him the box for boarding, giving Fort Wayne a 5-on-3 power play for 40 seconds. Though the Generals successfully killed the two man advantage officially, before their fourth player had time to take position, the Komets scored again. Drouin sent a shot on goal from the upper left circle and it was tipped in by Syroczynski in front of the crease at 6:55, giving Fort Wayne a 4-2 lead. Though they still had over 13 minutes to make it up, the only fight Flint had left was when Kovalcik was drawn into a bout with Komets forward Brad MacMillan at 11:23. The full-fledged fight -- a rare occurrence in playoff hockey -- started in front of the Fort Wayne bench before migrating to center ice. MacMillan, who was playing without a cage for the first time since having surgery to repair a broken nose, wrestled Kovalcik to the ice before being escorted to the penalty box, his arms raised in triumph for the Fort Wayne fans who had made the road trip. If the Generals' will to win had died, Drouin was the one who drove a stake into its heart to make sure it never came back. He netted a rebound goal at 12:18 to stretch the advantage to 5-2, and the game, for all intents and purposes, was over. Assists were awarded to Chwedoruk and O'Connor. Flint had one final chance to show some life and make a game of it at 16:18 when Drouin was called for tripping. The Generals responded by pulling Nolan, just as they had before successfully tying game 3 on Wednesday, but this time the plan backfired. Even 6-on-4, they couldn't get the puck past Fort Wayne's defense, and just 3 seconds after it had expired, Thomas hit the empty net to cap the scoring at 6-2. Defenseman Danko Mironovic assisted on the play. Afterwards, a defeated Nolan returned to his net, having no further reason to watch from the sidelines. He finished with 25 saves on 31 shots. Haun stopped 33 of 35 shots for the victory. The Komets took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 finals series and can claim the IHL's Turner Cup with their next win. Game 5 in the series will be in Fort Wayne, IN on Saturday night, May 15, 2010.

Notes: The last time the Generals had more than 4065 fans in attendance for a home game was on Friday, January 11, 2008 when 4421 gathered to witness Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames forward Darren McCarty make his home debut for the Generals. The Komets were 3 for 5 on the power play; Flint was 1 for 6. Shots on goal were even at 14 aside in the second and 11 aside in the third, though the Generals had a 10-7 edge in the first. Defenseman Keith Rodger was scratched from Fort Wayne's line-up. Forward Dan Lapointe was out due to injury for Flint. General's goalie Sergei Zvyagin was also scratched, reportedly due a lower-body injury. Chad Alban was signed to be Nolan's emergency back-up. Haun had been Fort Wayne goalie Nick Boucher's back-up for 7 straight games prior to this contest. His last appearance between the pipes was in game 3 of the Komets semi-final series vs. Port Huron on Sunday, April 25. Washington Capitals' Coach Bruce Boudreau was on hand to watch his son, forward Ben Boudreau, play for Flint. The elder Boudreau was planning to attend game 5 in Fort Wayne, IN as well.

Flint Strikes Back With 7-6 OT Victory Over Komets in Game 3

Oh, there it is! And in the Flint Generals' locker room, a collective sigh of relief. After falling 2-1 to the Fort Wayne Komets in game 2 of the Turner Cup Finals on Monday night -- the only goal they could muster being scored inadvertently by Fort Wayne forward Justin Hodgman against his own goalie -- the Generals found their missing offense on Wednesday night. And like a misplaced remote control, it turned out to be exactly where they left it -- at Perani Arena in Flint, MI. The Generals showed that they weren't going to play tentative hockey from the moment the first puck dropped. Just 26 seconds in, referee T.J. Luxmore called Flint forward Jamie Schaafsma for hooking, but the Generals took the penalty in stride. Just 31 seconds after killing it, Flint forward Matt Moffat took advantage of a Fort Wayne turnover when a Komets defenseman fell down on the play. Moffat grabbed the puck and netted an unassisted goal to give the Generals the 1-0 lead at 2:57. As bold as the Generals were playing, Fort Wayne was on the other end of the spectrum, looking unusually tense. It wasn't long before the Komets committed yet another turnover. This time it was Flint forward Mike Olnyk who capitalized on the chance, finding the back of the net at 5:37 to put the Generals up 2-0. Assists went to Moffat and forward Nathan Ward. The announced crowd of 2421 cheered on their underdog Generals in glee. Meanwhile, the Komets knew they had to break out and break out quickly. This was a job for Superman! Or forward Matt Syroczynski. One of the two. Syroczynski pulled Fort Wayne within 1 at 6:47 after taking a pass from forward David Hukalo and quickly firing the puck short-side, top-shelf, cutting the deficit to 2-1. With his teammates still looking a bit ill-at-ease, Syroczynski struck again with a power play goal at 10:28. Generals defenseman Craig Cescon had been sent off for roughing as of 9:02, and Syroczynski used the man advantange to send a shot from the high slot past Flint goalie Rob Nolan to tie the game 2-2. Hodgman and forward P.C. Drouin picked up the assists. But what comes around goes around. At 10:43 Komets defenseman Kevin Bertram took Fort Wayne's first penalty -- a tripping call -- and the Generals responded with a power play goal of their own. Another Fort Wayne turnover led to Flint forward John Ronan putting the puck past Komets goalie Nick Boucher from close range at 11:08, vaulting the Generals back on top 3-2. Assists went to forward Pascal Rheaume and defenseman Tyler Howells. So naturally it was up to Syroczynski to complete his hat-trick just 16 seconds later at 11:24 with a rebound of a shot by Hodgman, knotting the game at 3-3. Defenseman Brandon Warner was also awarded an assist. The Generals had to be wondering at this point what they had to do to stay ahead of the Komets. It certainly didn't help when Flint forward Rick Smith was whistled for elbowing at 16:05. But bad luck soon turned to good for Flint, as a Drouin turnover at the blue line and the Komets slow reaction coming out of their zone led to a short-handed goal by Flint Forward John Mori. Three Fort Wayne players homed in on his teammate, forward Bryan Smolinski, leaving Mori unguarded in front of the net for the easy tally at 16:46, giving the Generals a 4-3 lead going into the first break. Smolinski and defenseman Chris Bogas assisted. As the second frame began, the Komets again closed the gap. Forward Justin Chwedoruk capitalized on a Flint turnover, breaking behind the defense and tucking a shot underneath Nolan to bring the count to 4-4 at 1:18. Hodgman and defenseman Frankie DeAngelis picked up the helpers. Fort Wayne had finally settled in and was looking much more comfortable. At 5:46 a pair of unsportsman-like penalties were handed out to Komets forward Brad MacMillan and Generals forward Chris Kovalcik after the two made a show of antagonizing each other, though neither would take the bait. For a while it seemed as it Fort Wayne might just clamp down defensively and take control just as they had in the first two contests. Then Dupuis took an interference penalty at 13:05, and suddenly the game was afoot again. Rheaume hit the twine with a drive at 14:11, putting Flint back on top 5-4. Howells and Schaafsma were credited with the assists. The Komets replied just 39 seconds later at 14:50 when forward Colin Chaulk picked up a rebound of a Syroczynski shot and scored with a wrap-around, tying the game yet again at 5-5. About a minute later, Hodgman squandered an opportunity to give Fort Wayne its first lead when he missed the open corner of the net on a breakaway, so the score remained knotted for the third time in 3 games to begin the third. And third periods have been kind to the Komets of late. This time it took until 14:08 of the third, but Chwedoruk finally gave Fort Wayne the lead on a rebound of a Hodgman shot after a Rheaume turnover led to a 2-on-1 breakaway. As in the previous 2 games, the Komets seemed content to nurse their 6-5 edge through the final minutes as Flint looked on in frustration. At the 1:44 mark the Generals pulled Nolan, and it was déjà vu all over again. Except this time, something changed. Fort Wayne forward Sean O'Connor was sent to the box for hooking at 18:23, handing Flint a 6-on-4 advantage with the extra attacker. They made it count with just 9.8 seconds remaining on the clock. Smolinski faked a shot, and then faked another before finally wristing the puck over Boucher's stick to pull Flint into a 6-6 tie and force overtime. The Komets only consolation was Olnyk taking a high sticking penalty with 3/10ths of a second left in regulation, setting the stage for a pivotal power play in overtime. But once back on the ice, Fort Wayne couldn't get organized and wasted the opportunity, managing perhaps one shot on goal before Flint returned to full strength. About 7 minutes into overtime, Drouin had another prime chance on a breakaway, but he waited too long and was unable to get the puck to either of the 2 teammates skating in with him. Flint finally broke through at 11:52, after Smolinski chipped the puck into the offensive zone and it rolled on edge to the net as Mori and Dupuis raced after it. Boucher thought he had the puck, but it wound up behind the net, where Schaafsma was able to grab it and tuck it just inside the right goal post to give Flint the 7-6 victory as Dupuis and defenseman Danko Mironovic stood on either side of Boucher, flat-footed and bewildered, while the Generals and their fans celebrated. The win cut their deficit in the Turner Cup Finals series to 2-1. Game 4 will be in Flint, MI on Friday night. Boucher made 31 saves on 38 shots. Nolan stopped 33 of 39 for the win.

Notes: Fort Wayne was 1 for 5 on the power play; Flint was 2 for 4. The Komets outshot the Generals 17-9 in the first, but Flint outshot Fort Wayne 14-9 in the second and 7-4 in overtime. Defenseman Keith Rodger was the scratch for the Komets. MacMillan returned to the line-up after missing game 2. He was still wearing a full cage to protect his surgically repaired nose. For Flint, Dan Lapointe was the scratch due to injury. Former Red Wings and Bruins coach Dave Lewis and the owner of the "A" level Evansville IceMen attended the game as they reportedly consider becoming the new owners of the Flint Generals for the 2010-2011 season. This was the highest scoring Komets playoff game since 1995 and the first time a Komets playoff series began with 3 games decided by 1 goal since 2000 vs. Quad City.

Komets Dismiss Generals 2-1, Take 2-0 Lead in Finals Series

The players, members of the media, and Head Coach Al Sims called it "ugly" hockey. Well, that's one word for it. One thing is for sure, though. If things get much uglier, the fans won't get to see the Komets hoisting their third consecutive Turner Cup. They'll be too deeply entrenched in a R.E.M. cycle when the silverware is handed out. On Monday night, the Fort Wayne Komets once again downed their opponents, the Flint Generals, in a cautiously played and closely contested -- at least on paper -- contest that was eerily similar to Saturday night's game 1. Komets forward Justin Hodgman got the first goal. Flint took an early lead, and then gave it up. The score was tied going into the third. The Komets grabbed the lead a few minutes into the final frame, and then shut the door on the Generals for the win. Do you ever get déjà vu? The game began with Flint testing Fort Wayne goalie Nick Boucher a bit more than he had been in Game 1, as the Generals were outshooting the Komets early. The Komets responded to the pressure about halfway through the opening frame, ratcheting up their defense to keep the chances more or less equal. There was only one show of hostility in the game, which occurred at 17:27 of the first. Several players got caught up in a scrum behind the Flint net. Afterwards, referee Bob Langdon, who called a grand total of 4 penalties during the contest, sent only Fort Wayne forward Justin Chwedoruk and Generals forward John Ronan to the box, both for unsportsman-like conduct. This left the teams skating 4 aside. Things were going well for the Komets until the 18:27 point, when Flint defenseman Jake Pence put a shot on net from the right circle that hit Boucher in the chest. Hodgman skated in to help sweep the bouncing puck from the crease, except that the puck ricocheted off his stick, past the surprised Boucher and into the net. Hodgman held his head in dismay as he rounded the corner of the rink before skating back to the bench. He had just scored the first goal of the game. For Flint. Since opposing players are not credited for such slip-ups, the tally was awarded to Pence, unassisted. Less than a minute into the second period, the Generals missed a chance to expand on their gift lead when forward Jamie Schaafsma missed an open net. For the time being at least, Flint was doing a good job of clogging up the center of the ice and playing solid defensively, but cracks in the facade soon began to show. At around the 7:00 mark, the Komets got a 3-on-1 breakaway that fizzled after forward P.C. Drouin chose to pass the puck instead of shoot it. At 10:35, Drouin was called for boarding Generals forward Chris Kovalcik -- a penalty that was taken as a result of pure frustration -- but Flint failed to cash in with the man advantage. In fact, they almost gave up a couple short-handed breakaways before the 2 minutes had expired. Then at 13:09, Generals forward Nathan Ward was sent off for hooking. It was the only power play the Komets would need to even things up. Defenseman Guy Dupuis took a shot from the right point, and the puck trickled past Flint goalie Rob Nolan, briefly coming to rest unseen beneath his right arm. Komets forward Matt Syroczynski skated in with Generals defenseman Chris Bogas in hot pursuit, chipping it top-shelf at 13:22 and tying the game 1-1. Hodgman picked up the other assist on the play. As the period drew to a close, Fort Wayne's tempo heated up, and they didn't let up after the intermission. After Saturday's game, what happened next seemed almost inevitable. At 5:46 of the final frame, Fort Wayne took a 2-1 lead when forward Sean O'Connor got the puck in the right corner and beat Flint defenseman Steve Silver to the front of the net. Spotting Drouin cutting across the crease, O'Connor feathered a short pass to him, and Drouin slipped the puck under the outstretched leg of Nolan. With a lead in hand -- however small -- the Komets clamped down defensively. Changing their lines up at every opportunity, they forced the weary Generals to try and keep pace. It proved to be an effective strategy, as Flint, already at a disadvantage for match-ups, was constantly confronted with freshly rested Komets players. After that it was just a matter of time. 8:30 to go. 6:03 to go. 2:30 to go. 1:48 to go. The story remained the same. At 1:16 the Generals pulled Nolan, but as before, it made absolutely no difference. With 15.1 seconds left, Flint was called for icing, and Nolan was forced to return. After leaving the ice a second time, Fort Wayne nearly stretched the lead to 3-1, but the empty net goal by Syroczynski came after time had expired and did not count. Not that it mattered. Once again the Komets had squeaked out a 1-goal victory over the fledgling Generals. Fort Wayne now leads the Turner Cup Finals series 2-0. The teams next meet for game 3 in Flint, MI on Wednesday, May 12, 2010. Nolan made 34 saves on 36 shots. Boucher stopped 31 of 32 shots -- though it could be argued that he had a shut-out against Flint's players.

Notes: Announced attendance was 6509. Fort Wayne was 1 for 1 on the power play; Flint was 0 for 1. The Komets outshot the Generals 15-7 in the third period and 36-32 overall. For Fort Wayne, forward Mitch Woods returned to the line-up, while forward Brad MacMillan was scratched. Defenseman Tyler Howells returned to the line-up for Flint, while forward Dan Lapointe was once again scratched. At one point in the game, the net Boucher was defending came off it's moorings. Boucher reportedly tried to get the attention of a linesman but failed. He proceeded to pull the net back into place so it wouldn't be noticed while the Komets attacked on the other end of the ice, only nudging it askew when the Generals were about to enter the Fort Wayne zone. Boucher moved the net several times before it was finally noticed and play was stopped.

Komets Take Game 1, Beat Flint 3-2

The 2009 IHL Turner Cup Finals got off to an orderly yet closely contested start on Saturday night in Fort Wayne, IN when the second-seeded Fort Wayne Komets downed the underdog Flint Generals 3-2 to take an early 1-0 series lead. The action in the first period was surprisingly slow given the Generals extremely physical play against the top-seeded Muskegon Lumberjacks in the semifinals. Other than a spectacular save that Flint goalie Rob Nolan made on a shot by Komets forward Sean O'Connor with roughly a minute left in the frame, the only highlights from the first 20 minutes were the two penalties that referee Jim Hawthorne called on Fort Wayne, both for interference. Defenseman Danko Mironovic was sent off just 2:01 into the game, and at 9:00 forward David Hukalo was whistled after colliding with Generals forward Ben Boudreau, the son of Washington Capitals coach and former Komet Bruce Boudreau. Boudreau lay on the ice for a couple of minutes before being helped to the dressing room. He was later able to return to the game. The Komets successfully killed both penalties, and the contest remained scoreless at the first intermission. Things heated up significantly in the second period, beginning with Flint taking its first penalty of the night, a hooking call on defenseman Jake Pence at 1:12. Fort Wayne capitalized at 1:18, just 6 seconds into the resulting power play. Defenseman Guy Dupuis' shot from the top of the right circle hit the left goal post, but the rebound bounced to the stick of forward Justin Hodgman, who wristed it into the top of an open net from the lower left circle, giving Fort Wayne a 1-0 lead. Forward Colin Chaulk picked up the other assist. At 3:18, the Generals got that one back with a power play goal of their own. Komets defenseman Bobby Phillips had been sent to the box for cross checking at 2:43 to set up the man advantage. Forward John Ronan then picked up a rebound at the top of the crease and sent it sailing high over Fort Wayne goalie Nick Boucher to knot the game at 1-1. The goal was controversial since Mironovic has slid into the net on his side, looking like he was posing for a magazine photo shoot as he dislodged it from its moorings just before the puck crossed the line. According to the rules, because the puck would have entered the net normally had it not been dislodged, Hawthorne was allowed to award the goal, and he did just that. Defenseman Brandon Gentile and forward Jamie Schaafsma were credited with the assists. Flint took a pair of penalties at 5:59 and 6:21 -- hooking on defenseman Steve Silver and tripping on forward Rick Smith -- to hand the Komets a 5-on-3 power play for 1:38, but the Generals successfully killed the penalties after only allowing Fort Wayne a couple of good chances at the net. Upon returning to full strength, Flint pulled out to a 2-1 lead at 8:54. Forward Bryan Smolinski skated out from behind the net and sent a pass from the bottom of the left circle to Schaafsma at the right corner of the crease, who beat Boucher. Silver was awarded the other assist. The Komets tied things up again at 13:34 when Dupuis chipped the puck towards the net from the right boards and forward Justin Chwedoruk, who was waiting at the right corner of the crease, jumped up to catch the puck, dropped it to the ice and knocked it past Nolan. An assist also went to Mironovic on the play. Fort Wayne spent the last 5 minutes of the period pressing hard for the tie breaker, and finally got it at 3:39 of the third. As with their first goal, it came on the power play. At 1:46, Flint defenseman Craig Cescon was sent off for hooking Chaulk, and the Komets cashed it in just 7 seconds before it was set to expire. Forward P.C. Drouin's slap shot from the top of the left circle hit a post, but Fort Wayne got another lucky bounce when the puck headed directly for Dupuis in the right circle. Dupuis then swept a backhand shot top-shelf past Nolan to cap the scoring at 3-2. Hodgman got the other assist. Flint nearly answered a few seconds later, but the play was thwarted. With about 8 minutes to go, the Generals had a goal quickly waved off because the puck was poked in after the whistle had ended play. Flint continued to press as the clock ran down, pulling Nolan with 45 seconds remaining, but it wasn't enough as Boucher and the Fort Wayne defense held the line until the horn sounded. The two teams next meet for game 2 in Fort Wayne on Monday, May 10, 2010. Nolan stopped 28 of the 31 shots he faced. Boucher made 22 saves on 24 shots for the victory.

Notes: Announced attendance was 8089. The Komets were 2 for 4 on the power play; the Generals were 1 for 4. Fort Wayne outshot Flint in all three periods and 31-24 overall. For the Komets, Brad MacMillan returned to the line-up wearing a cage to protect his surgically repaired nose. Forward Mitch Woods was Fort Wayne's only scratch. Scratches for the Generals were forward Dan Lapointe and defenseman Tyler Howells. Flint's "green man", who is hoping to draw attention to the team to prevent it's folding, attended the game. The Generals reached the finals after recovering from a 3-1 series deficit against Muskegon. The Lumberjacks won games 1 and 2 in Muskegon by margins of 2-1 and 6-4, respectively. Flint took game 3 in Flint 4-1, but Muskegon won game 4 in Flint 5-2. The Generals then rattled off three straight 5-2 victories, two of them in Muskegon, for the victory. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum was once again experiencing technical difficulties after lighting had damaged the P.A. system on Friday night. The system was not checked until 90 minutes before game time, and the speakers facing the Komets' bench were not functioning for the contest. During the Komets semifinals series with the Port Huron Icehawks, the jumbotron scoreboard malfunctioned, most notably during game 3, but also during games 5 and 7.

Two More "Fans in the Stands" Interviews Now on YouTube

Wendy Bartle's "Fans in the Stands" interviews with Jason Marquardt and Staff Sgt. Mark Boner are now available to be viewed on YouTube, the video sharing website.

Jason Marquardt: Friday, December 18, 2009

Nine-year-old Jason Marquardt has been a Komets fan for three years and plays hockey himself in a local mite league as a defenseman. He has worked with several Komets players who volunteer their time to help instruct young people interested in the sport of hockey. On the night the interview was taped, his team was on the verge of it's own championship playoff run and the Christmas holidays were right around the corner.

Staff Sgt. Mark Boner: Thursday, December 31, 2009

Staff Sgt. Mark Boner is a member of the Indiana National Guard and attended high school locally, graduating from Elmhurt here in Fort Wayne. He also played hockey himself as a teenager at McMillan Ice Arena. Boner attained notoriety amongst Komets fans when he made a video of himself raising the Komets flag while stationed in Iraq. The clip was first shown to fans in December of 2008. Boner was not able to see the last two championship games in person because of being overseas, but he was able to listen in live on the internet and watch recordings of the games. Boner also took part in the "Komets Kare Package" program earlier this season and discusses its status.

Komets to Play Generals in Turner Cup Finals

Here is the schedule for the IHL's 2010 Turner Cup Finals series between the Fort Wayne Komets and the Flint Generals:

FORT WAYNE KOMETS VS FLINT GENERALS
2010 IHL Turner Cup best-of-seven Finals

Game 1: Saturday, May 8 at Fort Wayne, 7:30pm
Game 2: Monday, May 10 at Fort Wayne, 7:30pm
Game 3: Wednesday, May 12 at Flint, 7pm
Game 4: Friday, May 14 at Flint, 7pm
*Game 5: Saturday, May 15 at Fort Wayne, 7:30pm
*Game 6: Monday, May 17 at Flint, 7pm
*Game 7: Wednesday, May 19 at Fort Wayne, 7:30pm
*If necessary

Komets Vanquish Icehawks 4-0, Advance to Turner Cup Finals

On Monday night the Fort Wayne Komets completed yet another playoff hat-trick, rattling off their third straight victory over the Port Huron Icehawks to bounce back from a 3-1 series deficit and advance to the IHL's Turner Cup finals for the third consecutive year -- only the second time in franchise history that the Komets have made it to the finals that many times in a row. And they did it in commanding fashion, not allowing the Icehawks to record a single point. In fact the only moment of the game that gave Fort Wayne fans pause for concern came at 2:18 of the opening period. Port Huron defenseman Mike Gershon was sent to the box by referee T.J. Luxmore for kneeing Komets forward Justin Chwedoruk. Chwedoruk, one of Fort Wayne's key rookies, was assisted off the ice and hobbled to the locker room following the hit, but would later return to the game. Meanwhile, Fort Wayne went on the first power play of the night, and it paid off almost immediately. The Komets won the face-off, and forward Justin Hodgman picked up the puck, passing it back to forward P.C. Drouin on the left point. Drouin then passed to defenseman Guy Dupuis on the right point, who put a slap shot from above the inside edge of the right circle past screened Port Huron goalie Raffaele D'Orso for a 1-0 lead at 2:25. At 4:55, Fort Wayne forward Sean O'Connor sent a 60 foot pass up the ice to forward Leo Thomas, who took off on a breakaway up the middle of the Icehawks zone. Thomas then beat D'Orso with a quick wrist shot glove-side that made the count 2-0. Komets goalie Nick Boucher also picked up an assist on the play. Just 16 seconds later, Fort Wayne did it again. This time, forward David Hukalo had the puck at the Port Huron blue line but lost it after colliding with an Icehawks player. Komets forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock was there to pick it up, taking off up the slot on another breakaway before flipping the puck up high with a backhand shot that made it past D'Orso at 5:11. With the scoreboard suddenly reading 3-0, Port Huron Coach Stan Drulia wisely called a timeout to settle down his rattled troops. The break apparently helped, because Port Huron tightened up defensively afterwards and did not allow another goal for the remainder of the opening frame, nor throughout the second period. The Komets did take a couple of penalties late in the second -- defensemen Frankie DeAngelis for hooking at 15:55 and defenseman Kevin Bertram for holding at 18:39 -- but the Icehawks once lethal power play was toothless all night long. There was one close call about halfway through the final frame just as another hooking call on DeAngelis was expiring. A Port Huron player managed to jam the puck free and across the line through a pile of players in front of the net, but Luxmore immediately waved the goal off because the play was already considered dead. Some pushing and shoving amongst the players ensued but the hostilities did not escalate. At 11:36, the Komets put the game out of reach once and for all when Hukalo cleared the puck from the Fort Wayne zone, ricocheting it off the left boards. Chwedoruk picked it up at the red line and skated in towards D'Orso before leaving a drop pass for the trailing Schrock. Schrock completed the play, breaking in on D'Orso and hitting the twine glove-side with a quick wrist-shot from the left face-off circle for his second goal of the evening, capping the scoring at 4-0. If the Icehawks had any hope left of at least making a show of it, it died at 18:09 when forward Mike Kinnie was whistled for tripping. And so yet another once promising Port Huron playoff run came to an end, not in the honor and glory of a triple overtime, but with a whimper. The Komets now await the winner of the Muskegon Lumberjacks/Flint Generals semifinal series, which will be decided on either Tuesday or Wednesday night. Boucher stopped all 33 shots he faced in claiming the win. D'Orso made 20 saves on 24 shots.

Notes: Announced attendance was 7454, the largest Fort Wayne crowd for a first round playoff game since 1995. The Komets went 1 for 3 on the power play. The Icehawks were 0 for 4. Port Huron outshot Fort Wayne in every period and 33-24 overall. The only other time the Komets advanced to the finals 3 times in a row was 1963-1965. When playing a game 7 in a playoff series, Fort Wayne has now won 7 of 10. Not playing for the Komets was forward Brad MacMillan, who had surgery to repair a broken nose a week earlier. Missing the game for Port Huron was defenseman Brian Deeth and goalie Larry Sterling, out with an apparent concussion suffered during game 4 of the series in Port Huron, MI. Sterling made the bus trip to Fort Wayne, but did not bring his gear.

Komets Bring Down Icehawks 4-3, Tie Series

Last Wednesday night, the Fort Wayne Komets were staring up at the Port Huron Icehawks from a 3-1 series deficit in the IHL 2010 Semifinals, vowing that they had been there, done that and were not intimidated. While technically true -- the Komets had bounced back from 3-1 deficits against Rockford in 2005 and Port Huron in 2008 -- every season's team is different, and given the Komets inconsistent performance this year, it was impossible to say if they could actually back up those words on the ice. Would this Komets team rise to the occasion or go quietly into the night? In Port Huron, MI on Saturday night, they rose, setting the stage for the final act of what could be yet another improbable game 7 comeback. The Komets took control of the game early when forward Leo Thomas skated out of the corner, got around Port Huron defenseman Daniel Tetrault and fired a wrist shot top-shelf from the bottom of the right circle at a hard angle for the 1-0 lead. Defenseman Guy Dupuis assisted on the play. Port Huron goalie Larry Sterling was in goal, having started the game despite having appeared to suffer a concussion in game 4 of the series on Wednesday night. After the first 20 minutes, Sterling apparently thought the better of it and was replaced by Raffaele D'Orso to start the second. According to reports, Sterling did not "feel comfortable" in the net. At 3:46 of the middle frame, referee Scott Hoberg called coincidental roughing penalties on Icehawks forward Kris Vernarsky and Fort Wayne forward Colin Chaulk while also whistling Komets forward Matt Syroczynski for slashing. Then at 4:48, Hoberg sent Fort Wayne defenseman Kevin Bertram off as well with an illegal stick infraction, handing Port Huron a 5-on-3 man advantage. The Icehawks made the most of it at 5:44 when forward Derek Patrosso picked up a rebound from a scramble in front of the net to pull Port Huron even at 1-1. Assists went to forward Mike Kinnie and defenseman Jamie Lovell. The Icehawks got a second 5-on-3 man advantage for 23 seconds moments later when Komets defenseman Danko Mironovic was called for roughing at 6:25, but nothing came of that power play. Fort Wayne responded by retaking the lead again at 12:15. On a 2-on-1 rush, forward P.C. Drouin passed the puck to forward Sean O'Connor, and O'Connor's shot hit the twine for the 2-1 edge. But at 18:56, the Komets took another pair of costly penalties -- defenseman Keith Rodger for roughing and goalie Nick Boucher for hooking -- giving Port Huron yet another 5-on-3 power play, this time for a full 2 minutes. Just 15 seconds later, they made it count. Lovell buried a shot from the point to knot the game 2-2. Vernarsky and Kinnie were credited with assists. The remaining 5-on-4 man advantage spilled over into the final frame, but Fort Wayne successfully killed it off. Hoberg decided to swallow his whistle for the remainder of the contest, and it was whole new hockey game. Once again, it was the Komets who tallied first to break the deadlock. At 14:39 of the third, Fort Wayne forward Justin Hodgman whiffed on a shot from about 35 feet out, but Chaulk was able to pick the puck up and wrist it past a screened D'Orso for the 3-2 lead. Seeing the back of the net puff, Chaulk jumped for joy. The celebration was a bit premature, however. Port Huron scored their first even strength goal of the night thanks to a wrap-around by Kinnie that caught Komets goalie Nick Boucher out of position, drawing the Icehawks even again at 3-3. Forwards Brandon Naurato and Peter Flache were awarded the assists. About 30 seconds later, O'Connor rang a shot loudly off the post in what might have been Fort Wayne's best chance to break the tie before overtime. Might have been except for the monumental, literally last-second effort put together by Thomas, Drouin, and Bertram. Drouin was on his knees when he passed the puck up the boards to Bertram, who threw it on net from about 10 feet inside the blue line. Thomas skated in just in time to reach out and deflect it in, all with just 2.1 seconds remaining in the game. That sealed it, forcing a game 7 in the series, which will be played in Fort Wayne, IN on Monday night. So far, Fort Wayne does seem to be following a familiar script. Whether the Icehawks can write a different ending for themselves this time around is yet to be seen. Sterling stopped 7 of the 8 shots he faced before leaving the game. D'Orso made 13 saves on 16 shots in relief. Boucher stopped 31 of 34 for the victory.

Notes: Announced attendance was 1729 and included a large contingent of Fort Wayne fans. The Komets were 0 for 2 on the power play; the Icehawks were 2 for 8. Port Huron outshot Fort Wayne 20-8 in the second period and 34-24 overall. Hodgman returned to the Komets line-up after serving a 2 game suspension for a postgame slash to Icehawks forward Nick Lindberg in game 3 the previous Sunday. Not playing for the Komets was forward Brad MacMillan, who had surgery on his broken nose Tuesday morning. D'Orso was backed up once again by emergency signee Pat Street. For Port Huron, defenseman Brian Deeth was a healthy scratch.

Komets Crush Icehawks 7-2, Stave Off Elimination

Is history repeating itself? Two years ago, the Fort Wayne Komets found themselves down 3-1 to the Port Huron Icehawks in their Turner Cup Finals series. That team bounced back by winning the next 3 games in a row, capping a record-setting season with the ultimate accolade, the Turner Cup. This year, the Komets again found themselves down 3-1 to the Icehawks, though this time it was in the semifinals round. Like in 2008, the Komets rallied with a commanding victory on Friday night to send the series back to Port Huron. But it didn't look like it would turn out that way early on. In fact, it looked like it would be more of the same. Fort Wayne was getting its chances but having trouble capitalizing on them. Then referee Jim Hawthorne called Komets forward Mitch Woods for roughing and defenseman Guy Dupuis for interference at 15:45 and 17:12 respectively, giving Port Huron not only their first power play of the night, but also a 5-on-3 for 33 seconds. The Komets successfully killed both penalties -- the first positive sign of the night for them -- but less than a minute later, with just 3.2 seconds remaining to play in the first period, Icehawks forward Derek Patrosso fired a hard angle shot from the boards near the goal line as Dupuis was skating past Fort Wayne goalie Nick Boucher, inadvertently screening him. The puck knuckled over Boucher's glove, beating the goalie short side for a 1-0 lead as the teams headed to the dressing room. An assist went to forward Nick Lindberg. Port Huron did it again just 15 seconds into the middle frame. This time, the Icehawks intercepted a pass from Komets defenseman Bobby Phillips, and forward Mickael Bedard one-timed it past Boucher to give Port Huron a 2-0 lead. Patrosso was credited with an assist. It was looking like it would be a very long night for the Komets, indeed. But after killing off a couple more power plays, Fort Wayne began their rally. Forward P.C. Drouin dug the puck out from the corner and it was picked up by forward Leo Thomas, who then passed it from behind the net to forward David Hukalo in the slot. Hukalo flipped the puck up high, putting it past Icehawks goalie Raffaele D'Orso to make the count 2-1. About a minute later, Port Huron had a prime chance to counter and diffuse the Komets momentum when a Dupuis turnover led to Patrosso skating in on a breakaway, but Boucher made the save to keep things close. It was a game changing play that would pave the way for all that was to come. At 18:52, with the teams skating 4 aside after a roughing call on Port Huron forward Kerry Bowman and a holding call on Komets forward Sean O'Connor, both at 17:09, Fort Wayne knotted the game 2-2. In a display of exceptional effort, forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock kicked the puck out behind the net and spotted forward Matt Syroczynski coming off the bench. Schrock threaded a pass to Syroczynski from the left corner, putting it right on his stick, and Syroczynski sent a one-timer into the twine. As the 20:00 mark of the second period, Hawthorne called a hooking penalty on Icehawks forward Peter Flache, and 50 seconds into the third period, Fort Wayne cashed it in. Port Huron defenseman Daniel Tetrault committed a turnover in his own end, allowing Dupuis to send a shot on net. Coming off the boards, forward Colin Chaulk deflected it in for a power play goal and the Komets first lead of the game at 3-2. The Icehawks continued to press, but this just led to more mistakes. At 6:34, forward Justin Chwedoruk stole the puck from a Port Huron defenseman and backhanded a chip shot over D'Orso on a breakaway to stretch the lead to 4-2. The Komets killed off a questionable boarding call on Thomas at 10:02 before Tetrault was sent off for holding at 12:49. Once again, Fort Wayne made their rivals pay. At 13:39, Syroczynski redirected the puck straight up over D'Orso's shoulder for a 5-2 lead. Hukalo and Drouin got the assists. Right about then, the Icehawks sensed that it just wasn't going to be their night. As their thoughts turned to the bus ride home and the suddenly necessary game 6, they gave up 2 more goals. At 16:28, Woods skated up the middle towards D'Orso on a breakaway before passing the puck to Chwedoruk for a slap shot from the right circle, extending the lead to 6-2. Just over a minute later, O'Connor capped the scoring at 7-2 with a rebound goal at 17:36. Assists went to Drouin and Thomas. The Komets and Icehawks next meet on Saturday night in Port Huron, MI, where the Icehawks, at least, are hoping to prevent another bout of déjà vu. Boucher made 32 saves on 34 shots for the victory. D'Orso stopped 32 of 39.

Notes: Announced attendance was 7091. In a notable switch, the Komets were 2 for 5 on the power play; the Icehawks were 0 for 5. Port Huron outshot Fort Wayne 16-10 in the first period but Fort Wayne outshot the Icehawks 17-6 in the third and 39-34 overall. For Fort Wayne, forward Brad MacMillan did not play after having surgery on his nose last Tuesday. Also out was Justin Hodgman, who was serving the second game of a 2 game suspension -- the result of a postgame slash on Port Huron forward Nick Lindberg in game 3 on Sunday night. The Icehawks were missing goalie Larry Sterling, who appeared to suffer a concussion during the second period of game 4 on Wednesday night. Pat Street of Fredonia State College was brought in to be D'Orso's emergency back-up. Also scratched was defenseman Brian Deeth.

Komets Pushed to Brink; Lose in Port Huron 4-2

When the Komets gave up home ice advantage to the Port Huron Icehawks in game 3 of their IHL Playoffs semifinal series last Sunday night, they wound up losing a lot more than just the game. Recently returned Komets forward Justin Hodgman -- the team's "golden boy" through two previous Turner Cup runs in 2008 and 2009 -- lost his composure and committed a vicious slash to the ankle of Icehawks forward Nick Lindberg as the buzzer sounded. In one moment of thoughtlessness, he may have ended Fort Wayne's hopes for a "three-peat". Or at least put them in great jeopardy. On Tuesday, the Komets learned that they would have to play without Hodgman, one of their most prolific scorers thus far and a player who has the ability to energize the entire team, for games 4 and 5 -- games that could potentially decide the series. Heading into Wednesday's contest, the team vowed that it would make no difference, and indeed, it was the closest thing to a must-win for the Komets short of an elimination game. Yet as the contest began, something seemed to be missing. In each of the previous 3 contests, Fort Wayne had been the one to jump out to the early lead, but this time it would be the Icehawks that got on the board first at 17:23 of the first. Komets forward Colin Chaulk had been sent to the box for hooking by referee Bob Langdon at 16:29, giving Port Huron the man advantage -- something Fort Wayne had wanted to avoid as much as possible. Just under a minute later, Port Huron had a 1-0 lead on a shot from the right faceoff circle by forward Mike Kinnie that found the back of the net after a series of back and forth touch passes typical of Port Huron's surprisingly lethal power play. Assists went to forwards Brandon Naurato and Nick Lindberg. The Komets had their chances as well, but they never seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Their strategies were too easily predicted and countered. In short, they just seemed to be missing something -- or someone. As the second period began, Komets forward Matt Syroczynski appeared to be favoring one leg due to a possible minor injury sustained near the end of the opening frame, but he did not leave the game. Fort Wayne wasn't the only team that would have to deal with injury. There was a scary moment at the 7:42 mark when Icehawks goalie Larry Sterling was involved in a collision behind his net that also involved Port Huron forward Paul Cianfrini and Chaulk. Sterling's leg got clipped by the players' sticks, and he hit his head on the ice, lying motionless for what seemed like an eternity. When he finally awoke, he seemed confused, and was soon escorted back to the team's locker room by Icehawks' athletic trainer Kristie Hittle. Meanwhile, Port Huron's new junior league goalie Raffaele D'Orso was pressed into service. Talk about a baptism by fire. When play resumed, it was initially the Icehawks who were pressing their advantage, no doubt fired up over losing Sterling. At 10:46 there was a hard hit on Fort Wayne forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock that could be deemed retaliatory. Then at 11:33, Port Huron Forward Brandon Kaleniecki got to a rebound and extended the lead to 2-0. Assists went to Kinnie and defenseman Mike Gershon. The announced crowd of 1230 broke into a taunt of Komets goalie Nick Boucher, heartily enjoying their team's success. But as Fort Wayne could have told them, 2 goal leads can be quick to evaporate. At 18:06, Naurato was whistled for an overly aggressive slash from behind on Komets defenseman Danko Mironovic, while Icehawks forward Matt Auffrey was sent off with an unsportsman-like penalty, giving Fort Wayne 2 full minutes of 5-on-3 time. At 18:34, they cashed it in. Komets forward P.C. Drouin tallied with a shot from the left circle that cut the deficit to 2-1. Syroczynski and Chaulk were awarded the assists. The goal not only got the Komets on the scoreboard, it was an attitude changer as well. Suddenly Fort Wayne was actually making a game of it. The Komets newfound fire didn't fade during the second intermission and just 4:52 into the final frame, they knotted the game 2-2. Defenseman Kevin Bertram fired a shot at a hard angle from the bottom of the left circle, and the puck bounced in off the side of D'Orso's pads. Chaulk was credited with an assist. Immediately after the goal, play was again stopped for several long minutes as some cracked glass behind the net had to be replaced. It is unclear as to whether the delay took its toll on Fort Wayne's momentum or if it was merely the will of the hockey gods, but just when things had finally started looking up, they were just about to fall apart entirely for the Komets. At 11:56 they failed to score on a prime opportunity -- arguably the best of the game. Forward David Hukalo had a 2-on-0 breakaway with Syroczynski, but when Hukalo passed the puck, Syroczynski's shot went into the corner. Moments later, Syroczynski had the puck again, but was unable to handle it a second time. At 13:13, the Komets got a lucky break when Langdon missed a roughing call on Fort Wayne forward Sean O'Connor, instead sending off Icehawks forward Kris Vernarsky for his retaliatory roughing actions. But even that good fortune soon turned sour. At 14:24, Chaulk took an interference penalty that ended the man advantage. Then at 15:08 -- just 5 seconds before Vernarsky's penalty was set to expire -- Bertram joined Chaulk in the box, also for interference, thus handing Port Huron 1:11 of 5-on-3 time with just under 5 minutes remaining in the game. The first half of the power play passed without incident, but the Icehawks weren't about to waste a gift-wrapped chance like this. A timeout was called by head coach Stan Drulia, and when the game resumed, Port Huron capitalized with just 6 seconds remaining before the Chaulk penalty expired. A shot from the point by Icehawks defenseman Jamie Lovell was knocked down by Mironovic but Vernarsky was there to pick up the puck and put it past Boucher for a 3-2 lead. Defenseman Daniel Tetrault picked up the other assist. Then to add insult to injury, the Icehawks scored again at 16:58, this time with a 5-on-4 advantage, to cap the scoring at 4-2 and seal the victory. Kinnie got the rebound goal while Vernarsky and Lovell assisted on the play. With 1:31 left to play, Fort Wayne pulled Boucher, but unlike Port Huron, could do nothing with the man advantage. The Komets and Icehawks now head back to Fort Wayne for game 5 in the series to be played at 8 PM on Friday night. The win gives Port Huron a commanding 3-1 lead in the series, and puts them just 1 game away from advancing to the Turner Cup Finals. Sterling stopped all 14 of the shots he faced before leaving the game. D'Orso made 26 saves on 28 shots in relief. Boucher made 25 saves on 29 shots for the loss.

Notes: The Komets went 1 for 6 on the power play; the Icehawks went 3 for 6. Fort Wayne outshot Port Huron 13-10 in the first, 15-6 in the second, 14-13 in the third, and 42-29 overall. Komets forward Brad MacMillan did not play after having an operation to fix his broken nose on Tuesday. Defenseman Keith Rodger returned to action after being a healthy scratch for 3 games. For Port Huron, Lindberg, who apparently escaped serious injury in the Hodgman incident, did play. The Komets also trailed the Icehawks 3-1 in their 2008 Turner Cup Finals series after losing the first 2 games, winning game 3, and losing game 4. Fort Wayne came back to win the championship that year by taking the next 3 games in a row. This year, it is the Icehawks that have won 3 games in a row after losing game 1 of the series in Fort Wayne.

Hodgman Suspended For Playoff Games 4 and 5

From the IHL:

Fort Wayne forward Justin Hodgman has been issued a two (2) game suspension for his actions during IHL Playoff Game B-3, Port Huron @ Fort Wayne, on Sunday, April 25th. The suspension is being issued under Rule 29 (Supplementary Discipline) as a result of a slash at the end of the game. Hodgman will be ineligible to participate in the following playoff contests:

IHL Playoff Game B-4, Fort Wayne @ Port Huron, Wednesday, April 28th

IHL Playoff Game B-5, Port Huron @ Fort Wayne, Friday, April 30th

Komets Lose Home Ice Advantage in 4-3 Loss to Icehawks

After a tough overtime loss in Port Huron the night before, the Fort Wayne Komets were hoping for a strong showing on home ice Sunday night to get their playoff hopes back on track. Instead, it was the Port Huron Icehawks who again came out of the contest with the upper hand, and this time, that also included the coveted prize of home ice advantage for the remainder of the series. As was the case on Saturday, the Komets came out strong in the opening frame. Forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock put a big hit on Icehawks captain Kevin Hansen seconds after the puck had dropped. But just moments later, Port Huron returned the favor when forward Mickael Bedard, the Icehawks hero from the night before, had a hard hit on Schrock from behind. In many ways, those incidents represented the game in a microcosm. The Komets wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard. At 3:33, forward Colin Chaulk was skating across the offensive zone from right to left with Port Huron defenseman Rob Cowan on his shoulder. Chaulk spotted forward Justin Hodgman cutting towards the front of the net from the left and passed him the puck when the alignment was such that Icehawks goalie Larry Sterling would not see. Hodgman then knocked the puck into the net at close range for the 1-0 lead. It was Hodgman's third goal in as many playoff games. Defenseman Brandon Warner picked up the other assist. At 12:29 Fort Wayne defenseman Kevin Bertram and Port Huron forward Kris Vernarsky were sent off with coincidental roughing minors, but while in possession of the puck, the Icehawks weren't displaying much "punch". Fortunately for them, Sterling was having another stellar night in goal. For the most part. He made great saves on Hodgman, Chaulk and forward Justin Chwedoruk, all around the 16:00 mark, but was finally beaten by Komets defenseman Guy Dupuis at 18:21. Icehawks forward Derek Patrosso had been sent to the box for holding by referee Craig Welker as of 17:20, giving Fort Wayne the man advantage. Hodgman set up the goal by working the puck free in the left corner and sending it to Dupuis at the top of the slot for a low slap shot that squeezed between Sterling and the post, extending the Komets lead to 2-0. Syroczynski was also credited with an assist. But early in the second period, Fort Wayne began to run into penalty trouble. At 1:07, Chwedoruk was whistled for hooking. At 1:38, Bertram joined him in the sin bin for tripping, giving Port Huron a 5-on-3 power play. At 2:18, they cashed it in when defenseman Jamie Lovell took a pass from forward Brandon Naurato, who was positioned to the right of the net. Lovell's shot from the edge of the left circle slipped past Komets goalie Tim Haun to cut the deficit to 2-1. Vernarsky was also awarded an assist. Then at 10:36, Lovell struck again to knot the game at 2-2. After patiently waiting for the ideal shot, Lovell sent a slap shot top-shelf from the point and into the twine. Assists went to defenseman Mike Gershon and forward Peter Flache. Alarmed to have lost their 2-goal advantage so quickly, the Komets answered just 29 seconds later at 11:05, hoping to put a damper on Port Huron's sudden momentum. On a 2-on-1 break, Hodgman carried the puck up the ice on the right before passing it to Syroczynski on his left for a shot from the edge of the left face-off circle that made the count 3-2. But Fort Wayne once again began to draw unnecessary penalties as the period came to a close. At 18:37, forward Leo Thomas was sent off with a 2 minute infraction for high sticking -- a penalty that wouldn't expire until 37 seconds into the final frame. Though the Komets successfully killed that penalty, it would later stand as the turning point in the game. At 2:58 of the third, Chaulk took a hooking call which led to power play goal by Icehawks forward Matt Auffrey. At 3:10, forward Mike Kinnie sent a crossing pass from the left circle to Auffrey, who was waiting at the right corner of the goal crease. Auffrey tucked it in behind Haun to draw Port Huron even again at 3-3. The Icehawks handed Fort Wayne a 5-on-3 power play after forward Brandon Kaleniecki and Hansen were sent to the box at 6:13 and 7:38 respectively, both for slashing. Hansen also drew a 10-minute misconduct for complaining about the call. Things were suddenly looking up for the Komets. Except that they failed to capitalize with the man advantage and were soon on the penalty kill again. Chwedoruk took a pair of penalties at 10:03 for tripping and 14:28 for interference. The second penalty was a questionable call, but it was the one that proved fatal. From in front of the net, Naurato batted in a rebound of a shot by Auffrey from the left point to give Port Huron its first lead in regulation of the series to date -- 4-3. After that, the Icehawks merely had to hold on. At 17:33, Komets forward Brad MacMillan and Gershon were whistled for roughing, but MacMillan picked up an additional 10 minute misconduct that ended his night. Chwedoruk was sent back to the box to serve MacMillan's roughing penalty since he was so well acquainted with it already. The final minutes of the game ticked away in a blur. With 1:14 remaining, Sterling made an impressive save on an attempt by Thomas, after which Komets coach Al Sims opted to pull Haun. With 27 seconds remaining, Chwedoruk was reportedly blocked from coming out of the box by Welker. Neither team was able to find the net. And then it was over. As the horn sounded, Sterling appeared to charge at Hodgman, who had directed a couple of postgame slashes at Port Huron forward Nick Lindberg, but he was quickly restrained by teammates who surrounded Sterling to congratulate him on the win. Sterling stopped 33 of 36 shots for the victory. Haun made 24 saves on 28 shots. The Icehawks now lead the IHL Turner Cup semifinals series 2-1 with game 4 scheduled to be played in Port Huron, MI on Wednesday night.

Notes: Announced attendance was 6591. The Icehawks were 3 for 7 on the power play; the Komets went 1 for 6. Fort Wayne outshoot Port Huron 13-4 in the first period and 36-28 overall. Defenseman Keith Rodger was a healthy scratch for the Komets. Rodger suffered a broken nose after being hit by Hodgman's stick in practice on Thursday and was having breathing problems. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum's new jumbotron scoreboard was damaged during a Friday night "Rock and Worship" rock concert. The south facing side pointing towards the press box had a large white area where game statistics should have been. Statistics were provided to broadcasters by either moving them or via a special feed.

Two More "Fans in the Stands" Interviews Now On Youtube

Wendy Bartle's Komets Game of the Week "Fans in the Stands" interviews with Rachel Alexander (a.k.a. Five Minute Major) and Andy Rice are now posted on YouTube, the video sharing website. Rachel is a fixture at Komets games behind the visitors' bench, where her family has had season tickets for several years. The interview includes a discussion on the status of ice hockey in Australia. Rachel records Komets games for a friend who lives there. Andy Rice is a participant in the sport of roller hockey and discusses the differences between roller hockey and ice hockey. He also comments on some of the Komets-related people he has known through roller hockey, including P.A. Announcer Larry Schmidt and forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock. The interviews can be viewed via the links below.

Rachel Alexander "Five Minute Major" -- (12-4-09)

Andy Rice interview -- (12-9-09)

Additional links will be posted as they become available, so please, keep checking back!

Icehawks Tie Series 1-1 With 3-2 OT Win

Thanks to the Fort Wayne Komets seemingly annual 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 playoff game arrangement, the second game in the Port Huron Icehawks/Fort Wayne Komets semifinal series was played in Port Huron, MI on Saturday night. With the Komets up 1 game in the series already, the Icehawks were determined to use the advantageous schedule to tie the series up on home ice. Knowing this, Fort Wayne was equally determined to get on the scoreboard quickly. As it turned out, both teams got their wish. The Komets got on the scoreboard first at 4:27 of the opening frame. With Port Huron forward Pete Rouleau in the box as of 3:46 serving a too many men on the ice penalty, Komets forward Colin Chaulk sent a perfect pass to fellow forward Matt Syroczynski, who then batted it out of mid-air past Icehawks goalie Larry Sterling and into the top of the net, putting Fort Wayne up 1-0. Forward P.C. Drouin also picked up an assist. At 8:42, Komets forward Justin Hodgman was whistled for tripping. A brief scrum ensued which resulted in Chaulk and Port Huron defenseman Kevin Hansen being sent off with roughing minors. The Icehawks' subsequent power play came up empty, but at 10:54 -- just 12 seconds after it had expired -- Port Huron forward Kris Vernarsky tallied to make the count 1-1. Vernarsky fought his way by Fort Wayne's defense as he skated in with the puck on his forehand, then switched to his backhand and chipped the puck over Komets goalie Nick Boucher's outstretched glove. Assists went to forward Nick Lindberg and defenseman Jamie Lovell. At 13:56, the Komets reclaimed the lead at 2-1 after Hodgman let a shot fly glove-side from roughly the same position on the ice that Syroczynski had fired from. Syroczynski and defenseman Guy Dupuis were credited with the assists on the play. Another mini-brawl broke out at 17:40 when Port Huron forward Derek Patrosso was sent off for holding. Hansen picked up another roughing call, as did Drouin who had merely pulled Patrosso from a pile-up of players to keep him from reaching Komets defenseman Frankie DeAngelis. Fort Wayne was unable to cash in with the man advantage, however, and it remained a 1-goal game to start the second. But not for long. Just 2:45 in, Port Huron pulled even at 2-2. The Komets attempted to tie up the puck behind their own net, but the Icehawks worked it loose and passed it to Vernarsky in front of the net for his second goal of the evening. Forwards Brandon Naurato and Matt Auffrey were awarded the assists. That capped the scoring in regulation, as the game turned into a hard-fought defensive battle replete with near misses, big hits, and spectacular save after spectacular save. Referee T.J. Luxmore swallowed his whistle after a hooking call on Icehawks forward Peter Flache at 18:30 of the middle frame, letting the players play out the rest of the game uninhibited. The third period featured more of the same. Sterling made impressive saves at close range on Komets forwards Justin Chwedoruk, Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock, Chaulk, and Hodgman. Boucher was busy doing the same on his side of the ice, making an impressive stop on a shot by Port Huron defenseman Paul Cianfrini with 6:59 remaining before saving the Komets' skins again when Fort Wayne defenseman Danko Mironovic turned the puck over at the blue line with less than 10 seconds remaining. Both teams then retreated to their respective dressing rooms to prepare for a hard-fought overtime, but as it turned out, the extra frame lasted only 13 seconds. A weak pass from Komets captain Dupuis was picked off 20 feet in front of the net by Icehawks forward and IHL Rookie of the Year Mickael Bedard, who immediately slammed a shot high just under the crossbar on Boucher's glove-side to give the Icehawks the overtime victory 3-2. The teams next play in Fort Wayne, IN on Sunday. Boucher made 35 saves on 38 shots in the loss. Sterling stopped 33 of the 35 he faced.

Notes: Announced attendance was 1523, the second largest crowd of the year for the Icehwaks. Fort Wayne was 1 for 4 on the power play. Port Huron was 0 for 3. Shots on goal were close through all three periods, with the Icehawks' 14-11 edge over the Komets in the second being the widest margin. Fort Wayne's only scratch was defenseman Keith Rodger. During the regular season, the Komets lost their first 3 games against the Icehawks in Port Huron before winning their final two meetings there. Prior to this game, the Icehawks last home victory over Fort Wayne was a 6-1 drubbing on January 26, 2010. The Komets are 17-22 all time in playoff series that begin 1-1.

Komets Take Game 1, Beat Port Huron 4-2

Nearly 2 years before, the Port Huron Icehawks stunned the top-seeded Fort Wayne Komets in the opening game of their finals series, beating the lethargic home team 4-1. A couple of wins in Port Huron later, they were up 3 games to 1, and had the Komets on the verge of elimination. Not this time. On Thursday night the Komets came out hard, with a big hit by forward Leo Thomas right off the opening face-off. It was apparent from that moment on that Fort Wayne was out to send a message -- "If you want it, come and get it." In fact, Komets forward Mitch Woods presumably said something to that effect to Icehawks forward Brandon Naurato at 2:15 of the first when both were whistled by referee Scott Hoberg for unsportsman-like conduct. Fort Wayne then proceeded to get on the scoreboard first when forward Matt Syroczynski took a pass from forward Justin Hodgman and beat Port Huron goalie Larry Sterling glove-side with a low wrist shot from the left circle at 15:50 for the 1-0 lead. Defenseman Frankie DeAngelis also picked up an assist on the play. Though there were no actual fights, as there seldom are in playoff hockey, mutual hostility was in evidence throughout the night. At 17:48, Komets defenseman Brandon Warner was called for high sticking while his teammate, forward Colin Chaulk, got into a scuffle with Port Huron forward Kris Vernarsky that was deemed to be roughing. At 5:04 of the middle frame, it was Hoberg who decided to send a message when he sent all but 1 player from the Komets line that was on the ice to the box. Only defenseman Kevin Bertram escaped his wrath. Forwards Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock and Brad MacMillan and defenseman Danko Mironovic all received 10 minute misconducts while Woods was smacked with 2 minutes for roughing. For the Icehawks, forward Michael Bedard and defensemen Rob Cowan and Jamie Lovell all picked up 10 minute misconducts, putting Port Huron on the power play when all was said and done. At 6:43, they cashed it in, knotting the score at 1-1. With forward Derek Patrosso effectively screening Komets goalie Tim Haun, Naurato sent a high rising shot into the net from the right circle. Assists went to defensemen Mike Gershon and forward Nick Lindberg. Immediately after the goal, Haun high-sticked Patrosso -- the same Port Huron player he had swung his stick at in Port Huron in December, receiving a 7-game suspension for his actions. This time, Haun drew only a 2-minute penalty. At the 10:30 mark there was more ill-will as Bertram briefly joined his earlier linemates in the sin bin with a 2 minute roughing minor while Icehawks forward Peter Flache drew a double minor for the same. Shortly after that penalty had expired, Fort Wayne struck again. Hodgman picked up a drop pass from Chaulk, and backhanded it into the net to restore the Komets lead 2-1at 13:08. The Icehawks would be looking up at Fort Wayne the rest of the way. The period ended with more roughing calls being handed out at 19:28. Haun was pushed into his net by Port Huron defenseman Kevin Hansen, a move that appeared to be embellished a great deal by Haun to draw Hoberg's attention. Hodgman came to Haun's defense, and both he and Hansen were sent off. With the game still close, the third period looked to be another war. At 1:53, Fort Wayne forward Sean O'Connor began to stretch the Komets lead when he faked a wrap-around attempt behind the Icehawks net. At soon as he saw Sterling take off to cover the opposite side, O'Connor reversed directions and slipped the puck in the side from which he had started before Sterling could get back. Mironovic and Thomas were awarded the assists. With the teams skating 4 aside after Chaulk and Lindberg picked up matching slashing calls at 5:17, Port Huron was able to inch closer one more time. Komets forward Justin Chwedoruk lost a face-off and Icehawks defenseman Daniel Tetrault one-timed a slap shot from just inside the blue line low just inside the post, making the count 3-2 at 5:21. Lovell and forward Pete Rouleau got the assists. Port Huron would have one final golden opportunity to close the gap when Thomas was sent to the box for holding at 5:55, but the power play went nowhere. At 8:16, Fort Wayne underscored that fact for them when O'Connor tallied again with a wrist shot that hit the twine top shelf, glove-side to cap the scoring at 4-2. Assists went to DeAngelis and Thomas. At 14:08, it was rapidly becoming apparent that it wasn't going to be Port Huron's night when they had a goal waved off because the net had been knocked off its moorings moments before the puck crossed the line. Sterling was pulled with 1:46 remaining, but neither side was able to capitalize as time expired. Hoberg handed out one final pair of roughing penalties for good measure at 19:31 to Komets defenseman Guy Dupuis and Tetrault, though the outcome of the game was already a forgone conclusion. With the victory, Fort Wayne took an early 1-0 lead in their Turner Cup Semifinal series with the next contest to be played in Port Huron, MI on Saturday night. Haun finished the game with 25 saves on 27 shots. Sterling made 30 stops on 34 shots.

Notes: Announced attendance was 5412. Port Huron was 1 for 5 on the power play; Fort Wayne was 0 for 6. The Komets outshot the Icehawks by a staggering 21-8 in the second period. Port Huron outshot Fort Wayne 14-7 in the third. Komets forward Brad MacMillan returned to action after missing one game due to a broken nose and facial cuts. He played wearing a cage. Port Huron had won 3 games in a row to end the regular season and were the victors in 5 of 6 and 7 of 9. Fort Wayne went into the contest having won 2 games in a row and riding an 8 game unbeaten (in regulation) streak.

Ruth Wiegmann to Appear on "Fans in the Stands"

Ruth Wiegmann will be Wendy Bartle's guest on the next edition of "Fans in the Stands" which can be seen during the first intermission of the Komets Game of the Week broadcast. Ruth is a longtime supporter of the Komets and was mentioned in Blake Sebring's book about the franchise and its storied history, Tales of the Komets. In the mid-1980s Ruth and her family began housing members of the Fort Wayne Komets during the season. She had already opened her home to countless foster children as well as members of a professional indoor soccer team that played in the city at that time. Ruth still keeps in touch with a large number of these players and their families, and will share at least one story not previously mentioned in Sebring's book, though the names of the players involved are omitted for their own protection! Ruth's family also sponsors the "True Komet" award that is handed out as part of the team awards at the end of each regular season. Tune in to Comcast channel 55 or Verizon Fios channel 25 on Wednesday, April 21 at 8 PM or Thursday, April 22 at 4 AM or Noon to learn more about Ruth and her irreplaceable presence within the Komets organization.

Komets Foil Flint 2-1

On Sunday evening, the Fort Wayne Komets (50-21-1-4) had nothing tangible for which to play, while the Flint Generals (33-36-3-4) had only the possibility that the Bloomington Prairie Thunder might suddenly halt an inexplicable slide from playoff contention to keep them from falling asleep on their skates. By the end of the game, both teams knew they were in the playoffs, so little details like who won and who lost no longer appeared to matter to them. For the second night in a row, Fort Wayne fans were treated to a mostly aphetic match-up which was mercifully resolved in regulation this time around. The Komets chose to start goalie Nick Boucher, who made some good saves in the first period. Unfortunately, Boucher suffered what was described as a minor rotary cuff/shoulder injury about 5 minutes into the contest when his arm was pinned against a goal post. He didn't leave the game immediately but was replaced by back-up Tim Haun to start the second. At 5:21 of the middle frame, referee T.J. Luxmore sent Fort Wayne forward Justin Chwedoruk to the box with a 4-minute spearing penalty that would set the stage for the majority of the game's scoring. At 5:49, Komets defenseman Guy Dupuis netted a fluky shorthanded goal with a bouncing shot from near center ice. Flint goalie Rob Nolan was on his knees in front of his net as the puck hopped past him. Defenseman Bobby Phillips was credited with an assist. The Generals got that one back, however, with a power play goal by forward Pascal Rheaume at 6:29 that tied the game 1-1. Assists went to forward Bryan Smolinski and defenseman Tyler Howells. It wasn't until 7:04 of the final frame that Komets forward Colin Chaulk netted the game winner after he stripped the puck from a couple of Flint players in their zone and beat Nolan on a breakaway, capping the scoring at 2-1. There were no fights and few skirmishes, though at 12:43 of the third, Komets defenseman Kevin Bertram picked up a roughing call while Flint forward Matt Moffat was whistled for holding. Both teams celebrated as they left the ice, as it was already known that Bloomington had capitulated, handing the fourth and final playoff spot to Flint regardless of their loss. Boucher stopped all 13 shots he faced. Haun made 15 saves on 16 shots. Nolan stopped 35 of 37. Since it was not only the last game of the regular season, but also the Komets last home game, team awards were handed out in a postgame ceremony. Chaulk picked up 3 -- "Team MVP", "Defensive Forward" (for which he had already won the IHL award), and the "+/-" award (for finishing with a team best +/- 34). Forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock received the "Mr. Hustle" award as well as "Rookie of the Year". Dupuis bagged 2 for "Defenseman of the Year" and the "True Komet" award. "Most Improved" went to defenseman Frankie DeAngelis, the "Unsung Hero" award was split by forwards Brad MacMillan and Leo Thomas, and an award for community service was split by Chwedoruk and Haun.

Notes: A sellout crowd of 10,480 was announced. The Generals were 1 for 6 on the power play; the Komets were 0 for 4. Fort Wayne outshot Flint 18-9 in the second period and 37-29 overall. MacMillan did not play due to the broken nose and cuts he had suffered in a fight with Quad City forward Marc Rechlicz the night before. During the postgame awards ceremony, several of the players young children accompanied them onto the ice. P.C. Drouin's toddler son seemed especially fascinated by the goal, and at one point, had to be collected by the elder daughter of Colin Chaulk. The Komets finished the regular season with 50 wins and 105 points after winning 2 games in a row, 7 of their last 8, and 8 of 10 in April. The season series between the Komets and Generals ended in a 6-6 tie.

Komets Tame Mallards 2-1 in SO

One night after boldly downing the Fort Wayne Komets (49-21-1-4) in Moline, IL, the Quad City Mallards (29-35-4-8) played their last game of the 2009-2010 season against the Komets in Fort Wayne, IN, and both teams appeared far from motivated in what was, for all intents and purposes, a meaningless contest. The first period was mostly uneventful with the possible exception of a high sticking penalty call on Mallards forward Chris Lipsett that was shown repeatedly on the Jumbotron in playback. And even that was only a 2-minute penalty that apparently looked much worse than it really was. In the second period things not so much "heated up" as went from cold to lukewarm. There was a fight between Fort Wayne forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock and Mallards defenseman Jason Goulet just 43 seconds into the frame. For the most part, the 6'5" Goulet got the better of the 5'11" Schrock, yet the announced crowd of 8380 still applauded the bout. At 7:37, Komets defenseman Brandon Warner gave them even more for which to cheer. Fort Wayne forward Justin Hodgman, playing in his first home game of 2010, won a face-off in the left circle of the offensive zone and the puck was knocked in Warner's general direction. Warner then put a slap shot on net from just above the left circle to put the Komets up 1-0. The lead was short-lived, however, as at 16:45 the Komets committed a turnover when Hodgman was under pressure from Quad City left wing Obi Aduba along the left boards in the Fort Wayne zone. Hodgman knocked the puck toward center ice, but there were no Komets players in the vicinity to receive it. Mallards forward Joel Gasper skated in to claim it instead and beat Fort Wayne goalie Tim Haun to tie the game 1-1. At 17:25 there was another fight, this time between Komets forward Brad MacMillan and Mallards forward Marc Rechlicz. MacMillan got the best of his opponent, ultimately throwing him to the ice, but it was later revealed that MacMillan suffered a broken nose in the confrontation. The third period came and went much the same as the first had -- with few highlights and no goals scored. This set the stage for overtime, but the only point of interest in the extra frame was a couple of penalties that referee Andy Thackaberry called on the Komets that nearly gave the game away. First Fort Wayne forward P.C. Drouin was sent off for hooking at 2:48. He looked miserable as he made his way to the box, so just over a minute later at 3:52, defenseman Kevin Bertram decided to join him when he committed a slashing infraction. The crowd booed heartily at both calls, which put the teams in the unusual situation of skating 5-on-3. Regular season overtimes ordinarily feature 4 skaters aside, but Quad City was permitted an extra man without pulling goalie Kyle Jones due to the second penalty. But the Komets successfully held off the Mallards until time had expired once again, ushering in the shootout for the second night in a row. Quad City's first shooter was forward Patrick Levesque who had scored the winning goal the previous night. Levesque tried the same move that had worked on goalie Nick Boucher, but Haun dove from his goal crease to aggressively poke check it away before Levesque knew what had happened. The Mallards next two shooters -- forwards Brandon Marino and Juris Stals -- both came up empty as well. Fort Wayne selected forward Sean O'Connor, defenseman Guy Dupuis, and Schrock. Of the three, only Dupuis succeeded, wristing a shot past Jones for the 2-1 victory. Haun stopped 29 of 30 shots plus all 3 shootout attempts. Jones made 47 saves on 48 shots in addition to stopping 2 of 3 shootout attempts.

Notes: It was a fruitless night for the power play, as Fort Wayne was 0 for 7 and Quad City was 0 for 6. The Komets outshot the Mallards 13-10 in the first, 18-8 in the second, and 15-9 in the third, but were edged in shots by Quad City 3-2 in overtime. Haun was playing in his first game after a 12 game absence. Komets forward Mitch Woods returned to the line-up after a 1-game suspension for spearing Dayton defenseman Nathan Oke a week earlier. Prior to the beginning of the game, there was a presentation of IHL awards that the Komets had been selected to receive -- "Goalie of the Year" to Tim Haun, "Defensive Forward of the Year" to Colin Chaulk, "Broadcaster of the Year" to radio announcer Bob Chase, and "GM of the Year" to David Franke. The Komets have won 6 of their last 7 games and 7 of their last 9. Fort Wayne won the season series with Quad City 12-3.

Komets Shot Down By Mallards 4-3

In their previous meeting less than a week before, The Fort Wayne Komets (48-21-1-4) knocked the Quad City Mallards (29-35-4-7) out of playoff contention, so perhaps it was only fitting that it was the Mallards who were there to witness the Komets faint hopes of finishing first in the IHL standings die. Playing in the i wireless Center in Moline, IL for their last home game of the 2009-10 season, Quad City had little to motivate them beyond the 5635 enthusiastic fans on hand for "Fan Appreciation Night" and, of course, revenge. But it was the Komets newly signed forward Justin Hodgman's turn to shine first. Hodgman, who joined the Komets just in time for the playoffs in both 2008 and 2009, returned to the team on Monday, April 12 to much celebration and fanfare. In his first game of 2010 with Fort Wayne, he got to his own rebound, wristing the puck past Mallards goalie Jared Kaufmann at 4:30 of the first period for a 1-0 lead. The tally was assisted by forward Matt Syroczynski and came on the power play after referee Craig Welker had sent Quad City defenseman Shane Lovdahl to the box for holding at 2:50. Just 10 seconds after Lovdahl's penalty, Welker had slapped Mallards forward Chris Lipsett with a 10 minute misconduct for abuse of an official when Lipsett argued the call. Fort Wayne extended its lead to 2-0 after Quad City took another penalty at 8:40. Defenseman Jason Goulet was whistled for interference to give the Komets the man advantage, and at the 9:55 mark, forward Justin Chwedoruk picked off a pass from forward Leo Thomas and fired the puck past Kaufmann from the right circle. Forward P.C. Drouin was also credited with an assist. The Mallards finally struck back at 12:18, cutting the lead to 2-1 after Fort Wayne was called for a penalty of its own -- a bench minor for too many men on the ice at 10:36. The Komets were unable to clear the puck from their zone, allowing Quad City forward Juris Stals to find the twine with assists going to forward Justin White and defenseman Tyler Kindle. But Fort Wayne countered with a statement goal at 12:35 to silence the crowd. After a dazzling display of perfect passing, forward Colin Chaulk skated in from the east just as Kaufmann was moving to the west to make the count 3-1. Hodgman and Syroczynski picked up the assists. As strong as Fort Wayne looked in the opening frame and as crisp as their passing was, their scoring for the evening was done. At 6:33 of the second period, Mallards forward Joel Gasper netted a shot from a bad angle to cut the deficit to 3-2. Forward Obi Aduba and Kindle were awarded the assists on the play. Beginning at the 7:54 mark, Fort Wayne players began a parade to the penalty box. First Welker called defenseman Frankie DeAngelis for hooking at 7:54 in addition to hitting the Komets with another too many men infraction, giving the Mallards a 5-on-3 for a full 2 minutes. When Quad City failed to cash that in, Welker sent Chwedoruk off for hooking at 11:53. Once again, nothing became of it. At 18:24, Chaulk was called for high sticking, but the Mallards could not capitalize before one of their own was sent off for interference just as the period expired. They did, however, pepper Fort Wayne goalie Nick Boucher with shots, outshooting the Komets 16-6 for the frame. The momentum of the game had definitely shifted. At 4:20 of the third, Quad City got the equalizer, knotting the game 3-3 when Stals got his second goal of the evening, picking up a drop pass in front of the Fort Wayne net and knocking it home. Assists went to Kindle and forward Addison DeBoer. At 5:04, Welker made another show of not taking any flack for his calls when he whistled Lovedahl for hooking before adding a 10 minute misconduct for abuse of an official. When Lovdahl continued to protest, Welker tossed him from the game with a 10 minute game misconduct. At 12:05, with both teams hoping for a spark, Komets forward Brad MacMillan -- playing in his first game after missing a month with a shoulder injury -- got into a fight with Mallards forward Marc Rechlicz. But beyond the fisticuffs, Fort Wayne was not making an effort to command the game physically, allowing Quad City the chance to keep pressing, and more importantly, keep hoping. The clock ran down on regulation without a resolution, setting the stage for overtime, and the fans just cheered all the louder. Chants of "Let's go Mallards" rang from the rafters, though as it turned out, Quad City was unable to register a single shot on goal in the extra frame. The Komets came close to ending things when Drouin fed a pass to Chaulk on a breakaway, but Chaulk somehow managed to miss the net completely on the play. And so the game proceeded into a shootout. First up for Fort Wayne, Hodgman's made a big sweep at the puck, but his shot missed. For the Mallards, Brandon Marino tallied by shooting the puck up high just under the crossbar. For the Komets, Drouin was unable to get the puck where he wanted it and wound up shooting it right into Kaufmann. For Quad City, Oduba's shot was stopped by Boucher. For Fort Wayne, defenseman Guy Dupuis fired the puck from 10 feet out and scored to even things up. For the Mallards, Stals shot was knocked aside by Boucher, sending the shootout into extra rounds. For the Komets, Chaulk's shot was stopped when it went low instead of high. For the Mallards, Lipsett's shot hit the post. For Fort Wayne, forward David Hukalo initially lost the puck, then regained control only to have it poke checked away by Kaufmann. Quad City finally sealed the victory by sending out forward Patrick Levesque who skated towards the left boards before attacking the net, tucking the puck between his legs, then bringing it back out and sneaking a shot between Boucher and the right post. Boucher finished with 27 saves on 30 shots and facing down 3 of 5 attempts in the shootout. Kaufmann claimed the win by stopping 30 of 33 shots and standing tall for 4 of 5 shootout attempts. The teams were scheduled to meet only once more the following day, Saturday, April 17 in Fort Wayne, IN.

Notes: The Komets were 2 for 4 on the power play; the Mallards were 1 for 8. Fort Wayne outshot Quad City 11-9 in the first, 13-5 in the third, and 3-0 in overtime. Komets defenseman Danko Mironovic was reportedly sporting an orange mohawk in preparation for the playoffs. Returning to the Fort Wayne line-up were defenseman Bobby Phillips, goalie Tim Haun (who acted as Boucher's back-up), and MacMillan. Komets forward Mitch Woods missed the game due to a 1-game suspension for a spearing incident that took place in the third period of Fort Wayne's game vs. the Dayton Gems the previous Saturday. The loss snapped the Komets 5-game winning streak, and their run of regular season championships ended at 3. The Mallards have won 4 of their last 5 games. Fort Wayne won the season series with Quad City, leading 11-3 with 1 game remaining.

Ken Roehrs to Appear on "Fans in the Stands"

Ken Roehrs will be Wendy Bartle's guest on the next edition of "Fans in the Stands", which will air during the first intermission of the Komets Game of the Week broadcast this weekend. Ken is the Komets official timekeeper, and as such, watches games from the official's table located between the penalty boxes. But don't let that fool you. While completely impartial as an official, he is also a Komets fan through and through. Ken will discuss what is involved in timekeeping, some of the other events he has worked as well as his experiences working with the Komets over the years. The broadcast is scheduled air on Saturday, April 17 at 8 PM and again on Sunday, April 18 at 8 AM on Comast channel 55 and Verizon Fios channel 25.

Janice Shepler To Appear on "Fans in the Stands"

Janice Shepler will be Wendy Bartle's guest for the the next edition of "Fans in the Stands", which can be seen during the first intermission of the Komets Game of the Week broadcast. Janice is best known to Fort Wayne Komets fans as the woman who creates the team's playoff banner, enscribed with a new and inspirational phrase each post-season. She will discuss how she got started making the banners and what goes into creating them as well as her own Komets fandom which spans 20+ years. Remember to tune in to Comcast channel 55 or Verizon Fios channel 25 on Wednesday, April 14 at 8 PM or on Thursday, April 15 at 4 AM or Noon to learn more about Janice and her efforts to help the Komets get their playoff hopes off on the right foot year after year.

Photo by: Otto Boschet

Komets Best Mallards 8-4

The Fort Wayne Komets (48-21-1-3) celebrated an old favorite -- forward Konstantin Shafranov -- by shooting down one of the IHL's new teams, the Quad City Mallards (28-35-4-7), on Sunday night. News broke on Saturday night that Sunday would be Shafranov's last game as a Komet, because he would be leaving the following week to prepare for the World Hockey Championships to be held in Germany in May, where he would be representing his native country, Kazakhstan. After the championships, the 41-year-old Shafranov, who played with the Komets for 7 seasons starting in 1995-1996 when he was named "IHL Rookie of the Year", will retire. Though a relatively small crowd of 6118 was on hand for the game, Shafranov was given a standing ovation that lasted the entirety of the pre-game tribute announcement that was made in his honor, frequently drowning it out. The ordinarily low-key Shafranov seemed taken aback by the outpouring of affection, saluting the crowd as he took his place in the opening line-up. The emotion of the night seemed to energize Fort Wayne's players throughout the first period, and just 13 seconds after the puck was dropped, Shafranov had his first assist of the evening. He earned it by carrying the puck up the right wing before backhanding a pass through traffic onto the stick of forward Matt Syroczynski, who one-timed it into the top of the net for the 1-0 lead. Forward Colin Chaulk was also awarded an assist. At 11:43, forward Sean O'Connor stretched the advantage to 2-0 when he got a shot past Mallards goalie Jared Kaufmann. Assists went to forwards P.C. Drouin and Leo Thomas. Quad City finally struck back 13 seconds later at 11:56 when forward Aaron Spotts cut the deficit to 2-1 on a breakaway. But the Komets got that one back just over a minute later at 12:58 when Syroczynski scored his second goal of the night to make the tally 3-1 Shafranov and Chaulk both picked up their second assists of the evening. At the 16:38 mark, Fort Wayne forward David Hukalo found the net to make the count 4-1. Forward Justin Chwedoruk and defenseman Frankie DeAngelis picked up the assists on the play. Then at 17:01, Spotts was sent to the box by referee Curtis Marouelli for tripping, and the Komets cashed in on that opportunity as well. Syroczynski complete his hat trick at 17:46 of the opening period to extend the lead to 5-1. A smattering of hats hit the ice in response, as many fans had only just found their way to their seats at that point. Chaulk and defenseman Guy Dupuis were credited with the assists. That ended the night for the beleaguered Kaufmann, who left the game with 8 saves on 13 shots. He was relieved by Kyle Jones the rest of the way. The middle frame settled down into a defensive battle. At 9:45, DeAngelis was whistled for hooking, putting the Mallards on the power play. At 10:29 they made the most of it when a shot by defenseman Jacques Perreault hit the twine to cut the lead to 5-2. Defenseman Shane Lovdahl and forward Addison DeBoer got the assists. Things began to heat up again in the third period as Fort Wayne's defense grew a bit lax. At the 2:37 mark, Mallards forward Chris Lipsett got a breakaway that pulled Quad City to within striking distance at 5-3. The play was assisted by defenseman Tyler Kindle. Suddenly, the healthy lead the Komets had built up in the first period no longer seemed all that healthy. At 6:27, Drouin found the net to make the tally 6-3. Dupuis and Thomas picked up the helpers. But the Mallards countered again at 7:59, cutting the advantage to 6-4 when forward Juris Stals tallied on another breakaway off a set up by forward Patrick Levesque. Finally getting the message, Fort Wayne clamped down defensively for the rest of the way, and Quad City could draw no closer. At 16:59 Komets forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock scored on a breakaway of his own after taking a pass from Hakalo to give Fort Wayne a 7-4 edge. With a couple of minutes remaining, the Mallards pulled Jones for an additional attacker in a last ditch effort to keep their hopes of making the playoffs alive, but the attempt was in vain. The Komets, eager to send Shafranov off with a goal, got the puck to him for an anticipated empty net goal. But Shafranov's shot went high, flying well over the cross bar. At the same moment, Fort Wayne defenseman Kevin Bertram was sent off for hooking, giving the Mallards a 6-4 advantage with the extra attacker. Sentimentality would have to wait. At 18:59, Dupuis accomplished what Shafranov had been unable to do. He intercepted the puck and flipped a shot from near center ice towards the empty goal. The puck landed and neatly slid into the open net, capping the scoring at 8-4. As time expired, Shafranov was named the third "star" of the game, and in a change of tradition, all three "stars" were given a brief on-ice interview, beginning with Shafranov. The crowd offered heartfelt applause yet again as Shafranov skated around the ice one last time to salute the fans. Finally, the players retreated to the locker room, where the celebration no doubt continued. During the free family skate after the game, Shafranov was spotted taking turns around the rink with his adult daughter, looking decidedly museful. Boucher stopped 33 of 37 shots for the victory. Jones finished with 15 saves on the 17 shots he faced in relief.

Notes: Fort Wayne went 1 for 2 on the power play. Quad City was 1 for 4. The Mallards outshot the Komets 11-6 in the second, 16-12 in the third, and 37-31 overall. Fort Wayne extended its winning streak to 5 games while clinching home ice advantage through the first round of the Turner Cup playoffs, though their hopes of catching the first place Muskegon Lumberjacks dimmed as Muskegon notched another victory of their own over the Flint Generals 7-4. The loss snapped the Mallards' 3-game winning streak. Fort Wayne won the season series with Quad City, currently leading 11 games to 2 with 2 games remaining. The teams next meet on Friday, April 16 in Moline, IL. Missing the game for the Komets were forward Brad MacMillan (shoulder), goalie Tim Haun (concussion), and defenseman Bobby Phillips (undisclosed upper body injury). During the second intermission, Ashrie Onion won a car -- a Monte Carlo SS -- from Instant Auto Finance in the Kroger/Scotts "Chuck-A-Puck" promotion.