Komets Repulse Generals 6-5

So far this season, the Fort Wayne Komets (33-16-1-2) have become famous for doing more with less when it comes to goals, while maintaining a strong defense. Saturday's game against the visiting Flint Generals (19-29-2-4) turned all that on its head. With a sellout crowd of 10,480 looking on, the Komets made their mark on the scoreboard first after Flint forward Dan Lapointe was sent to the box for holding at 7:42. On the resulting power play, Fort Wayne forward Justin Chwedoruk grabbed a loose puck and raced up the left wing before cutting to center to put it behind Generals goalie Sergei Zvyagin for the 1-0 lead at 9:34. Defenseman Danko Mironovic and forward Sean O'Connor picked up the assists. Flint broke through at 16:35 after Komets defenseman Kevin Bertram tried to clear the puck from behind the net. Generals forward Pascal Rheaume intercepted it along the right boards a few feet from the goal line and passed it to forward Nathan Ward in front of the net, who deflected it past Fort Wayne goalie Nick Boucher, tying the game at 1-1. At 17:47, Komets forward Leo Thomas was whistled for slashing, putting the Generals on the power play, but it was Fort Wayne that benefited from the situation. O'Connor intercepted a bobbled pass near the Komets blue line, but promptly ran over referee Jim Hawthorne along the left boards in his attempt to move the puck up the ice. Chwedoruk chased it down in the neutral zone, flying up the left boards on a breakaway to net his second goal of the night at 19:27 for the 2-1 lead. Hawthorne returned to his skates a bit slowly but was able to continue after taking a few moments to shake off the hit. At 3:41 of the middle frame, the Komets were called for too many men on the ice and defenseman Keith Rodger was sent to the box. This time, the Generals made it count. At 5:27 with just 14 second remaining on the man advantage, Rheaume tallied to knot the score at 2-2. Assists went to forward John Ronan and defenseman Brandon Gentile. At 6:10, Lapointe was sent off for kneeing Fort Wayne forward and leading goal scorer Leo Thomas. Thomas returned to play a shift later in the second, but opted to sit out the final frame. At 13:42, Flint forward John Mori found the net and the Generals pulled out to a 3-2 lead. Lapointe and forward Chris Kovalcik were awarded the assists. But the advantage was short-lived, as the Komets answered with 4 unanswered goals in a span of 3 minutes, 19 seconds. The barrage began after Flint defenseman Steve Silver was whistled for cross checking at 14:36. On the resulting power play just 21 seconds later at 14:57, Fort Wayne forward Matt Syroczynski's shot hit the twine to tie it up at 3-3. Komets defenseman Guy Dupuis and forward Colin Chaulk got the helpers. Then at 15:15, Syroczynski did it again, putting another shot past Zvyagin for a 4-3 lead. Bertram and defenseman Brandon Warner assisted. That was the end of the night for Zvyagin, who was playing in his first game with the team. He was replaced by Flint's regular goaltender, Rob Nolan, who promptly let in two more goals. The first came at 17:45 from Fort Wayne forward Konstantin Shafranov, bringing the count to 5-3. Syroczynski and Chaulk got the assists. The second was tallied at 18:16 on a breakaway by Fort Wayne forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock, giving the Komets a comfortable 6-3 lead to begin the third. Bertram picked up the assist. But the Generals weren't about to surrender, and against the odds, managed to claw their way back into the game. At 7:12 of the final frame, Ronan put the puck behind Boucher, cutting the deficit to 6-4. Forward Rick Smith got the assist. Rodger was sent to the box for cross checking at 12:47, giving Flint the man advantage, and Ronan cashed it in just 7 seconds later to pull the Generals within striking distance at 6-5. From there, the Komets simply held on. There was a brief skirmish at 13:07 in which Fort Wayne forward Mitch Woods and Flint forward Ben Boudreau picked up roughing penalties, but the Generals could draw no closer. As the final minute ticked down, Flint pulled Nolan in favor of the extra attacker, and while they managed to defend successfully against an empty net goal, the Komets 6-5 lead stood when the horn sounded. Boucher stopped 24 of 29 shots in the victory. Zvyagin made 25 saves on 29 shots, and Nolan stopped 8 of the 10 shots he faced in the loss.

Notes: Fort Wayne went 2 for 7 on the power play, while Flint was 2 for 6. The Komets outshot the Generals 15-7 in the first, 18-6 in the second, and 39-29 overall. Chwedoruk's 2 goals came after 41 games in which he had scored only 7. Fort Wayne now has a 4 game winning streak and moved into a tie with the idle Port Huron Icehawks for second place in the IHL standings. Conversely, Flint has lost 4 in row. The Komets lead the season series with the Generals 5-2 with 5 games remaining.

Komets Polish Off Gems 4-2

The Fort Wayne Komets (32-16-1-2) picked up another 2 much needed standings points on Friday night by defeating the struggling Dayton Gems (20-30-3-1) on a night in which the weather was an even bigger story than the game. As it was, the contest had to be delayed 15 minutes after the Komets bus arrived late due to the hazardous road conditions. But once the game was on, it was the Komets who arrived first, at least on the scoreboard. With Fort Wayne defenseman Guy Dupuis in the box for interference as of the 14:04 mark, forward Leo Thomas took a perfect pass from forward P.C. Drouin and put a shot past Dayton goalie Derek MacIntyre for a shorthanded goal at 15:21. Defenseman Danko Mironovic also picked up an assist. The Gems evened things up early in the middle frame. With the Dayton offense pressuring the Komets in their own end, the Gems took advantage of a missed pass, stealing the puck, and forward Mike Vaskivuo put it in the back of the net at 1:43. Assists went to forwards Tim Hartung and defenseman Joe Van Culin. But Fort Wayne took the lead again at 5:10 when forward Brad MacMillan, fresh from the penalty box where he had been serving a slashing penalty, put the puck on the net from the goal line. MacIntyre misplayed it, and it bounced off his back and into the goal for the 2-1 lead. Defenseman Brandon Warner was credited with an assist. Things were looking even brighter for the Komets at 7:26 when Vaskivuo was called for hooking, but this time it was the Gems who picked up a shorthanded goal to knot the game at 2-2. Dupuis fell down on the play, leading to a 2-on-1 rush up the ice, and forward John Snowden put the puck past Fort Wayne goalie Tim Haun. Hartung assisted. The latter half of the second period was highlighted by fisticuffs and penalty killing when a skirmish involving multiple players broke out at the 10:55 mark. Komets defenseman Bobby Phillips, who was playing in his first game since missing nine due to a groin injury, and Gems forward Justin McCutcheon picked up fighting majors. Dayton defenseman Russell Smith and Komets defenseman Danko Mironovic picked up roughing minors in the fracas, as did MacMillan, whose additional 2-minutes put the Gems on the power play. Then at 11:59, Komets defenseman Kevin Bertram was sent off for slashing, giving Dayton a 5-on-3 man advantage for 56 seconds. Fort Wayne successfully killed the penalties, however, and it was a brand new hockey game to begin the third. With Snowden in the box for hooking as of 3:49, puck luck was with the Komets as forward Colin Chaulk bounced the puck off MacIntyre's side for a power play goal at 5:10 and a 3-2 lead. At around the 11 minute mark, Warner fell down on a play just as Dupuis had earlier, but a diving save to knock the puck off the stick of a Gems player kept Fort Wayne 1 goal up. Such was the story of Dayton's night for the rest of the way. With the clock running down, they opted to pull MacIntyre for an extra attacker, but their hopes were dashed at 19:05 when Komets forward Matt Syroczynski got the empty net goal to cap the scoring at 4-2 and seal the victory. Chaulk assisted on the play. Haun made 31 saves on 33 shots for the victory. MacIntyre stopped 34 of 37 shots he faced in absorbing the loss.

Notes: Announced attendance was 897, in part due to the adverse weather conditions. The Komets were 1 for 6 on the power play. The Gems went 0 for 7. MacMillan's goal matched his career high for goals in a season with 7. As with previous games in Dayton, the official recorded times for certain goals were inexplicably off from what the arena scoreboard had shown. Fort Wayne has won 3 in a row, while the Gems have lost 4 in a row and 7 of the last 8. The Komets lead the season series with Dayton 6-3 with 5 games remaining.

Komets Maul Mallards 4-1

The Fort Wayne Komets (31-16-1-2) may have given up the first goal to the Quad City Mallards (18-24-4-6) on Wednesday night in Moline, IL, but they never looked back from there in what turned into a mostly defensive contest. Quad City forward Chris Lipsett put his team up 1-0 at the 4:32 mark of the first period when he took a pass off the left wall and found himself unguarded in front of the net. Forward Juris Stals got the assist. Fort Wayne tied the score at 1 when forward Leo Thomas grabbed a loose puck and took a shot through traffic from the right face-off circle. Assists went to forwards P.C. Drouin and Sean O'Connor. At 15:31, referee Curtis Marouelli called a questionable goalie interference penalty on Drouin -- Mallards goalie Jerad Kaufmann appeared to have actually done the interfering -- putting Quad City on the power play. But it was Fort Wayne that got the shorthanded go-ahead goal when O'Connor stick-handled the puck around Mallards defenseman Jason Goulet on a breakaway and found the net unassisted for a 2-1 lead. It was Marouelli and the Komets special teams that provided drama in the middle frame, as Fort Wayne was forced to battle through not one, but two 5-on-3s. First, forward Konstantin Shafranov was whistled for slashing at 9:39. Then defenseman Danko Mironovic joined him the box, also for slashing, at 10:29. Not long after the Komets had successfully killed off those penalties, Fort Wayne was slapped with another penalty. At 14:55, forward Brad MacMillan was sent off for holding. In response, Komets coach Al Sims had some choice words for Marouelli, resulting in a bench minor for unsportsman-like conduct which was served by defenseman Matt Woodard, giving Quad City a full 2 minutes of 5-on-3 time. But as before, Fort Wayne somehow managed to emerge unscathed. To end the second period, Marouelli called one more penalty -- a slashing call on MacMillan -- at the 20 minute mark, ensuring that the Komets would begin the final frame a man down as well. But once again, the Quad City power play went nowhere, thanks to a strong Fort Wayne defense and the play of Komets goalie Nick Boucher. Then it was the Komets turn. Mallards forward Justin White was whistled for interference at 4:54, and Fort Wayne forward Matt Syroczynski made it count when he redirected defenseman Guy Dupuis' slap shot from the blue line for a 3-1 lead. Drouin was credited with the other assist. At 8:34, Syroczynski struck again, this time hitting the twine with assistance from Shafranov and forward Colin Chaulk to put the Komets up 4-1. But Marouelli wasn't finished calling penalties, and at 10:34, he gave the Mallards one last chance to make a show of it when he called 4 minutes of infractions on Fort Wayne defenseman Kevin Bertram -- 2 minutes for high sticking and 2 minutes for unsportsman-like conduct. But by this time, the Komets knew the drill all too well. The score remained unchanged, and ironically, it was Quad City that had its chances for a miraculous comeback significantly reduced when forward Patrick Levesque was whistled for roughing at 17:07. Overall, the Mallards finished the night with 3 times fewer penalties and penalty minutes than the Komets. Kaufmann stopped 32 of 36 shots in absorbing the loss. Boucher made 26 saves on 27 shots for the victory.

Notes: Announced attendance was 3304. Fort Wayne went 1 for 3 on the power play. Quad City went 0 for 9. The Komets outshot the Mallards in each period except the second (13-13) and 36-27 overall. It was Fort Wayne's second win in a row after losing 2. Quad City has lost 2 in a row and 5 of the last 6. With the victory, the Komets closed to within 4 points of the Port Huron Icehawks and second place in the IHL standings. Fort Wayne leads the season series with Quad City 9-2 with 4 games remaining.

Blake Sebring to Appear on "Fans in the Stands"

Blake Sebring will be Wendy Bartle's guest for this week's edition of "Fans in the Stands" which can be seen during the first intermission of the Komets Game of the Week broadcast. Sebring has been a beat reporter covering the Komets for the Fort Wayne News Sentinel for two decades. He has also authored or co-authored several books, including three pertaining directly to the Komets, and is a board member for the Comcast Komet Hall of Fame. Sebring will discuss his favorite memories and experiences from his many years working with and writing about the Komets, as well as his thoughts on the current state of the IHL and the direction of this year's Komets team. He will also talk about the inspiration behind his latest book (and first novel), The Lake Effect, which is now available for purchase from select retailers. Remember to tune in to Comast channel 55 or Verizon Fios channel 25 on Wednesday, February 24 at 8 PM or Thursday, February 25 at 4 AM or 12 Noon to learn more about Sebring, his many successful writing ventures, and his insights regarding the Fort Wayne Komets.

Komets Hold Off Gems 3-2

The Fort Wayne Komets (30-16-1-2) ended their week on a high note by defeating a team with goal-scoring problems of their own, the Dayton Gems (20-28-3-1), In Dayton, OH on Saturday night. In front of a crowd of 1849 that included a number of Fort Wayne fans, the Komets were primed for a fast start, and just 40 seconds into the opening frame, they had the 1-0 lead. Forward Colin Chaulk took advantage of a Dayton turnover and put the puck in the net thanks to a bounce off the back of Gems goalie Ryan Mior. An assist went to forward Konstantin Shafranov. Fort Wayne had a golden opportunity to extend its lead at the 6:43 mark when referee Brent Coulombe sent Dayton forward Pierce Norton to the box to serve a 4 minute high-sticking penalty for bloodying Komets forward P.C. Drouin, but Fort Wayne failed to convert. Ironically, a penalty on Drouin for slashing at 8:53 negated the final 1:50 of the man advantage. A fight broke out at 14:42 between Komets forward Sean O'Connor and Gems forward Mike Olynyk when O'Connor took exception to a hit from behind on his teammate, forward Leo Thomas. O'Connor lost the fight, but it was just one of two storylines that would be continued in the second period. At 1:35 of middle frame, Drouin got some measure of revenge when he tallied by going 5-hole on Mior, stretching the lead to 2-0. Thomas and O'Connor picked up the assists. Then at 2:58, Olynyk and Fort Wayne forward Mitch Woods dropped the gloves off a face-off, with Olynyk winding up on the losing end of the battle this time. At 14:33, O'Connor was sent to the box for high-sticking, and Dayton finally got on the board during the resulting power play. At 15:22, forward Tim Hartung netted a rebound goal to cut the deficit to 2-1. Forward A.J. MacLean and defenseman Greg Labenski were awarded the helpers. A third fight broke out at 19:07 involving Komets forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock and Labenski as both teams hoped for a spark going into the final frame. At 8:18 of the third, it was the Komets who found the net first. Chaulk picked up the puck as it rolled past the goal and backhanded the rebound past Mior for a 3-1 lead. Schrock and Shafranov were credited with the assists. Just 30 second later the Gems took advantage of a Fort Wayne defensive lapse to make it a 1 goal game again. At 8:48, Defenseman Russell Smith burst down the right wing and beat Komets goalie Tim Haun high to make the count 3-2. But Dayton was unable to get the tying goal in the remaining 11:12, and Fort Wayne held on for the victory, snapping a 2 game losing streak in the process. Haun made 33 saves on 35 shots. Mior stopped 25 of 28 in absorbing the loss.

Notes: The Komets were 0-3 on the power play while the Gems went 1-3. Dayton outshot Fort Wayne in each period and 35-28 overall. It was the Gems 2nd loss in a row and 5th out of their last 6 games. The Komets lead the season series with the Gems 5 games to 3. Fort Wayne radio announcer Bob Chase noted some inexplicable discrepancies between the officially recorded time of several goals and the time that was actually showing on Hara Arena's clock when the goals occurred.

Icehawks Ebarrass Komets 4-1

It wasn't a 9-1 beatdown, but it was still an embarrassment. The Fort Wayne Komets (29-16-1-2) were sent a message by the Port Huron Icehawks (31-16-0-3) on Friday night in Fort Wayne, IN in front of 9057 fans. That message? Keep practicing. Port Huron jumped out to an early lead just 1:33 into the first period when forward Nick Lindberg outraced the Komets down the ice and nailed a wrist shot from a tough angle for the 1-0 lead. Assists went to forwards Brandon Naurato and Mickael Bedard. Fort Wayne forward Brad MacMillan got into a fight with Port Huron defenseman Daniel Tetrault at 13:16, perhaps hoping it would wake up his team, but Fort Wayne was still looking for its game when the Icehawks stretched the lead to 2-0 just 44 seconds later. Forward Tab Lardner surprised Komets goalie Nick Boucher by faking a pass, then ripping a wrist shot from near the left sideboards at 14:00. The puck squeaked between Boucher and the post on the near side of the net for what Fort Wayne coach Al Sims later implied was a soft goal. Naurato and forward Brandon Kaleniecki picked up the assists. Another fight broke out at 19:04, this time between Fort Wayne forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock and Icehawks forward Jason Kostadine. But beyond the fisticuffs, the Komets didn't have much "fight" in them. For Boucher, it was the end of the night. He was replaced by Tim Haun to start the second. It wasn't until 16:45 of the middle frame that things looked up for Fort Wayne. Port Huron forward Kerry Bowan had been sent off for hooking at 14:45, and just as the penalty was expiring, Komets forward Justin Chwedoruk put the puck past Icehawks goalie Adam Russo when he redirected a shot by defenseman Frankie DeAngelis, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Forward Leo Thomas was also credited with an assist. But when the Komets should have been pressing to tie the game at the start of the third, it was Port Huron that was pressing instead. And just 50 seconds in, they were rewarded for it. Kaleniecki came out from behind the net and beat Haun with a backhander to restore the Icehawks 2 goal lead, 3-1. Just over 5 minutes later, Lardner drove another dagger into the hearts of the on-looking fans. With Komets forward Konstantin Shafranov serving a too many men penalty, Lardner stole the puck from Fort Wayne defenseman Danko Mironovic and hit the twine to cap the scoring at 4-1. Any hope the Komets could muster was all but crushed by referee Ryan Hutchison at 6:08, when he slapped MacMillan with 17 minutes worth of penalties after the forward pounded on a turtling Kostadine. MacMillan got 2 minutes for roughing, 5 minutes for roughing, and 10 minutes for being the aggressor. Kostadine and the rest of the Icehawks received no penalties from the altercation. Boucher stopped 10 of 12 shots in the first. Haun stopped 10 of 12 for the rest of the game. Russo made 34 saves on 35 shots for the victory. The loss denied the Komets the chance to move into a second place tie with the Icehawks, instead putting Port Huron 4 points up on Fort Wayne.

Notes: The Komets went 1 for 5 on the power play. The Icehawks were 0 for 3. The Fort Wayne outshot Port Huron 35-24 overall and 12-4 in the third, when the Icehawks scored 2 of their goals. It was Fort Wayne's second loss in a row. Port Huron has won 2 in a row after losing 7 of the previous 8. The Komets are 21-3-2 when scoring first, but 8-13-1 when the opposing team scores first. The Komets trail in the season series with the Icehawks 3 games to 5. Prior to his tally, Chwedoruk had gone 30 games without scoring a goal.

Komets Bested by Prairie Thunder 4-3 in OT

The Fort Wayne Komets (29-15-1-2) gave their fans more reason to wonder which version of the team will show up on any given night when they put forth a mostly lackluster effort, falling behind early and ultimately losing to the Bloomington Prairie Thunder (22-20-2-5) in overtime on Wednesday night in Fort Wayne, IN. Bloomington got on the board at 11:52 of the first period, when forward Jon Booras took advantage of a turnover near center ice by Komets defenseman Keith Rodger, netting an unassisted goal for the 1-0 lead. Exactly 3 minutes later at 14:52, Prairie Thunder defenseman Nick Elligsen took advantage of another Fort Wayne turnover, this time by forward Sean O'Connor along the boards. Elligsen's shot from the left circle made it past Komets goalie Nick Boucher's outstretched glove and into the far side of the net to make it 2-0. The Komets, who looked sluggish from the moment they stepped on the ice, had few quality chances to even things up, but they generally weren't doing the things necessary to create such chances, like going hard to the net and hustling for loose pucks. The middle frame brought more of the same from Fort Wayne, much to the chagrin of the crowd of 5584 whose only consolation was that Bloomington was also unable to extend their lead any further in the period. Things finally heated up in the third thanks to a couple of Prairie Thunder penalties, and the suddenly energized Komets broke through with 3 consecutive goals. The barrage started after Prairie Thunder forward Matt McIlvane was sent to the box at 3:23 for tripping. On the power play, P.C. Drouin tallied with a shot from 40 feet out, cutting the Prairie Thunder's lead to 2-1 at 4:38. Assists went to forwards Konstantin Shafranov and Colin Chaulk. Komets forward Leo Thomas then tied the game 2-2 with his wrist shot from the slot at 6:17. Forward Sean O'Connor and defenseman Frankie DeAngelis were awarded the assists. At 8:34, Bloomington defenseman Justin Sawyer was sent off for tripping, giving Fort Wayne another man advantage, and at 8:57, Shafranov made it count when he found the twine after a pass from Chaulk through the slot to give the Komets their first lead of the game, 3-2. But the Prairie Thunder remained undaunted, and at 12:27, they knotted things up again at 3-3 when forward Zac Pearson weaved through the Fort Wayne defense to lift a backhander past Boucher. Defensemen Cole Ruwe and Matthew Spiller picked up the assists. Both teams continued to press as regulation drew to a close, sending the game in to overtime. Though the Komets seemed to be getting the better chances in the extra frame, it was the Prairie Thunder that broke through to claim the 2 standings points. Pearson netted his second goal of the night after a set up by Booras from the left dasher boards. Sawyer was credited with the other assist. Fort Wayne received 1 standings point for their efforts, bringing them within 2 points of the second place Port Huron Ice Hawks, whom they are scheduled to play on Friday. Boucher stopped 28 of 32 shots in the loss. Bloomington goalie Sebastian Dahm made 42 saves on 45 shots for the victory.

Notes: The Komets, who not long ago were struggling with the man advantage, went 2 for 4. The Prairie Thunder were 0 for 4. The Komets outshot Bloomington 11-6 in the second period, 19-7 in the third, and 45-32 overall. There were no fights, but 3 of Fort Wayne's 4 penalties were roughing calls -- Drouin at 16:30 of the first, forward Mitch Woods at 2:38 of the second, and forward Brad MacMillan at 14:14 of the second. Komets defenseman Guy Dupuis had the best +/- ranking of the game for his team at +1. Meanwhile, fellow defenseman Danko Mironovic had a rough night with a -3. Fort Wayne had a 3 game winning streak snapped, but still leads the season series with the Prairie Thunder 7 games to 3.

Komets Make It Three in a Row with 5-2 Win Over Prairie Thunder

There were no fights, but no love lost either, as The Fort Wayne Komets (29-15-0-2) completed a sweep of the week's games on Valentine's Day by toppling the Bloomington Prairie Thunder (21-20-2-5) for the second time in 5 days, this time in Bloomington, IL. For the Komets, it was yet another boost to the team's confidence. For the Prairie Thunder it was a night of missed opportunities and frustration. The game got off to an inauspicious start for the Komets. With the game still in a scoreless tie halfway through the opening frame, referee Brett Klosowski gave Bloomington a 5-on-3 power play for 1:36 after whistling Komets forward Sean O'Connor for slashing at 10:46 and defenseman Kevin Bertram for holding at 11:10, respectively. But Bloomington failed to convert on the chance and was soon on the shallow side of the scoreboard as a result. At 14:03 Fort Wayne forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock got his team off and running with a high shot over the glove side corner for the 1-0 lead. Assists went to forwards P.C. Drouin and defenseman Frankie DeAngelis. Komets forward Brad MacMillan doubled that to 2-0 at 17:54 after Bloomington goalie Kevin Armstrong went down to make the stop, but MacMillan's shot snuck through underneath him. Forward Justin Chwedoruk picked up the assist. In the second period, Fort Wayne forward Colin Chaulk stretched that to 3-0 at the 2:33 mark. With Prairie Thunder defenseman Jason Lepine in the box for hooking since 1:21, Chaulk was the third man to take a whack at the puck in front of the Bloomington net, and it proved to be the charm, as he tucked it home. Chwedoruk and forward Matt Syroczynski were awarded the helpers on the play. There was a scary moment at the 3:12 mark, when it was discovered that Prairie Thunder forward Mike Liambas, who had wound up at the bottom of a goalmouth body pile, had sustained a severely lacerated wrist from contact with someone's skate. Liambas was immediately taken to the hospital, and no further word on his condition was available. At 5:49, it seemed as if the Komets might extend their lead even further when Bloomington defenseman Matthew Spiller was called for holding, but this time, the Prairie Thunder turned the tables. With Fort Wayne's defensemen pinching deep into the offensive zone, Bloomington forward Zac Pearson skated wide left on a breakaway and shot the puck past Komets goalie Tim Haun for a shorthanded goal that cut the Komets lead to 3-1. Defenseman Matt Frick assisted. It worked so well, in fact, that they decided to try it again. At 9:47 Prairie Thunder forward Rick Varone was in the box for interference, and just 9 seconds into the resulting Fort Wayne power play, Bloomington forward Bill Bagron found the net on another shorthanded breakaway to make it a 1 goal game at 3-2. Spiller and forward Matt McIlvane had the assists. Clearly, it was time for a change of tactics. The remainder of the second period was a tense, back-and-forth affair as the Komets adjusted their game plan, but in the third, they were pressing their advantage once again. Just 20 seconds into the final frame, Syroczynski managed to get the tip of his stick on the puck and stick-handled it through Bloomington's defense to make the count 4-2. Defenseman Kevin Bertram picked up an assist. Then at 4:03 Fort Wayne defenseman Guy Dupuis capped the scoring at 5-2 when he put a backhander just inside the post. Drouin and O'Connor were credited with the helpers. The Prairie Thunder ended the game as they began -- with a 5-on-3 power play -- this time for 35 seconds, as Drouin was sent off for tripping at 18:16 and Komets defenseman Brandon Warner was called for hooking at 19:25. But as before, it went nowhere, and Fort Wayne was soon on the way home with 2 more standings points in hand. Haun made 35 saves on 37 shots for the victory. Armstrong stopped 35 of 40 in absorbing the loss.

Notes: Announced attendance was 3374. Armstrong was signed by Bloomington on February 10 to fill in for regular goalie Andrew Martin, who was placed on 30 day IR with a hip ailment. The Komets were 1 for 6 on the power play. The Prairie Thunder went 0 for 8 despite netting 2 shorthanded goals. It was Fort Wayne's third straight win and 4th in their last 5. Bloomington has lost 6 games out of the last 8 after a stretch of 5 wins in 6. The two teams will next meet in Fort Wayne, IN on Wednesday night. The Komets currently lead the season series with the Prairie Thunder 7-2.

Bob Brown to Appear on "Fans in the Stands"

Bob Brown will be Wendy Bartle's guest for this week's addition of "Fans in the Stands" during the first intermission of the Komets Game of the Week broadcast. Brown is a longtime fan of the Komets, a brother-in-law through marriage to Komets great Colin Chin, and President of the Northeast Indiana Convertible Club. The NICC holds car shows throughout the year to benefit local charities under the sponsorship of the Komets. Brown will share images of some of the cars involved in the shows and will discuss the Komets involvement, which last fall also included a special appearance by Komets forward P.C. Drouin, who was also respresenting Three Rivers Insurance Group. Remember to tune in to Comcast channel 55 or Verizon Fios channel 25 on Wednesday, February 17 at 8 PM or Thursday, February 18 at 4 AM or 12 Noon to learn more about Brown, the Northeast Indiana Covertible Club, upcoming shows, and their charity work in association with the Fort Wayne Komets.

O'Connor, Komets Roast Mallards 5-0

Nearly a week ago, the Fort Wayne Komets (28-15-0-2) were struggling to score against the Quad City Mallards (17-22-4-4) in Moline, IL. What a difference a week can make. This time, the Komets took to the road loaded for duck. Defenseman Frankie DeAngelis started the barrage at 14:36 while teammate and fellow defenseman Danko Mironovic was in the box serving a 2 minute minor for interference. Forward Colin Chaulk assisted on the shorthanded goal as Fort Wayne took a 1-0 lead. At 1:19 of the middle frame, Quad City defenseman Terry Harrison was whistled for double-minor high sticking penalty, and shortly before it had expired, the Komets struck again. Forward Sean O'Connor put the puck past Mallards goalie Kyle Jones on the power play at 5:03 to stretch the lead to 2-0. Forwards Mitch Woods and P.C. Drouin assisted on the play. Just a few minutes later at 9:07, Woods was sent off himself for fighting with Quad City forward Patrick Levesque. Woods, who had started the fracas in response to some questionable hits on teammates, was also accessed a 2 minute minor for roughing by referee Brett Klosowski. But the Mallards were unable to convert on the resulting power play and wound up handing Fort Wayne another golden opportunity to score soon after. At 12:37 Quad City forward Marc Rechlicz and defenseman Jason Goulet were both sent to the box for roughing and delay of game, respectively. On the resulting 5-on-3 power play, Komets forward Konstantin Shafranov tallied from the corner of the net to make the score 3-0. Chaulk and defenseman Guy Dupuis were awarded the assists. If the Mallards were hoping the Komets would attempt to sit on their lead in the third, they were soon disappointed. At 6:11 of the final frame, O'Connor broke through for his second goal of the evening, driving the puck through Jones for a count of 4-0. Forward Leo Thomas picked up the assist. Then at 14:08, Thomas netted a goal of his own, to cap the scoring at 5-0 on what no doubt felt like a very long night for Quad City. Assists went to Drouin and O'Connor. Fort Wayne goalie Nick Boucher had his first shutout of the season, stopping a perfect 19 of 19 shots. Jones finished with 39 saves on 44 shots in the loss. The win brought the Komets within 3 points of the second place Port Huron Icehawks, who lost their game versus the Flint Generals by a final score of 3-1. The Komets have 3 games in hand on the slumping Icehawks who have lost 4 in a row.

Notes: Announced attendance was 4649. The Komets were 2 for 4 on the power play while the Mallards went 0 for 7. Fort Wayne outshot Quad City 26 to 3 in the second period and 44 to 19 overall. The win brought the Komets road record to 12-11-1. They are 5-3-1 in their last 9 away games. The Mallards have lost 2 straight games while the Fort Wayne has won 2 straight and 3 of the last 4. The Komets have outscored their opponents 21 to 6 in that stretch. Fort Wayne leads the season series with Quad City 8-2. Komets defenseman Bobby Phillips missed his fourth game in a row due to a groin injury. Also scratched was forward David Hukalo (back).

Syroczynski Get Hat Trick as Komets Silence Prairie Thunder 6-2

Coach Al Sims' displeasure over his team's poor performances against lower ranked rivals apparently sunk in, and the Fort Wayne Komets (27-15-0-2) came out with fire and determination Wednesday night against the fourth place Bloomington Prairie Thunder (20-19-2-5). A meager crowd of 5531 was on hand to watch the game, in part due to hazardous winter weather conditions in the area. Those who did make it to the game didn't have to wait long for the Komets to get on the scoreboard. Just 2:44 into the opening frame, Forward Matt Syroczynski took a pass from forward Konstantin Shafranov and put the puck past Prairie Thunder goalie Sebastian Dahm on a breakaway for the 1-0 lead. Defenseman Brandon Warner was also credited with an assist. Bloomington had 44 seconds of 5-on-3 time when Warner and Komets defensemen Guy Dupuis were both whistled for hooking at 5:48 and 7:04, respectively, but the Prairie Thunder failed to convert. Fort Wayne forward Leo Thomas then made it 2-0 at 14:00 after grabbing a puck that forward Brad MacMillan had ricocheted off the boards in the Bloomington zone. Deking Dahm to the ice, Thomas tucked the puck inside the post for his team-leading 20th goal of the season. But the Prairie Thunder weren't ready to surrender just yet, and when Fort Wayne forward Justin Chwedoruk was sent off for hooking 19 seconds into the second period, they pounced on the opportunity. Forward Bill Bagron netted a power play goal to cut the deficit to 2-1 at 0:56. An assist went to defenseman Jason Lepine. But at 9:15, Syroczynski restored the Komets 2-goal cushion after receiving a goalmouth pass from forward Colin Chaulk. Defenseman Danko Mironovic also assisted on the play. At 17:48, newly re-signed Fort Wayne forward Mitch Woods gave Bloomington another reason to be hopeful when he let his emotions get the best of him following a slashing penalty that referee Ian Croft called on him at 17:48. Woods complained bitterly over the penalty, earning an additional 2 minutes that would extend into the third period for unsportsmanlike conduct. But once again, the Komets successfully killed the penalty. It wasn't until 12:41 of the final frame that the Prairie Thunder were again able to inch closer when a shot by defenseman Nick Elligsen eluded Komets goaltender Tim Haun, managing just enough momentum to trickle over the goal line, bringing the score to 3-2. Forward Robin Gomez was awarded was awarded an assist. It could have been the start of yet another blown lead. Not this time. The Komets quickly nipped any chance of that in the bud by scoring an impressive 3 goals in less than 2 minutes. Shafranov started the barrage at 14:24, bringing the score to 4-2. Assists went to Warner and defenseman Frankie DeAngelis. Then with Bloomington defenseman Matthew Spiller off for hooking, Syroczynski stretched that lead to 5-2 when he found the net with his third goal of the evening and the first hat trick by any Komets player this season. The smattering of billed caps that hit the ice in response had scarcely been removed when forward Brad MacMillan put a figurative cap on the scoring. His tally at 16:07 gave Fort Wayne a 4-point, 6-2 lead that silenced the Prairie Thunder once and for all. DeAngelis and forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock picked up the helpers. Haun made 20 saves on 22 shots for the victory. Dahm stopped 39 of 45 in absorbing the loss.

Notes: The Komets went 1 for 5 on the power play. The Prairie Thunder were 1 for 8. Fort Wayne heavily outshot Bloomington in every period and 45-22 overall. It was the Prairie Thunder's third consecutive loss after losing a pair of back to back games in Muskegon, MI the previous weekend. Referee Ian Croft wore no number on the back of his jersey. Scratches for the Komets were defenseman Bobby Phillips (groin) and forward David Hukalo (back). The game marked the return of recently-released Komets forward Rick Varone in a Bloomington sweater. Varone had no shots on goal, and was a -2 for the evening.

Chuck Itt to Appear on "Fans in the Stands"

Chuck Itt will be Wendy Bartle's guest for this week's edition of "Fans in the Stands" during the first intermission of the Komets Game of the Week broadcast. Chuck is a devoted fan of the Komets who, last fall, refused to let cancer break his yearly tradition of attending every Komets home opener for the past 38 years. Among other things, Chuck will discuss his memories of the Komets "magical season" of 1972-1973 and his friendships with Komets players from that era. On January 29th, Chuck was privileged to receive the Colin Lister Award from the Northeast Indiana Baseball Association for his involvement with youth baseball in the area. The award honors Mr. Colin Lister, former owner of the Komets, who shared Chuck's interest in the summer pastime. Chuck is also an avid collector of John Wayne memorabilia, and owns a copy of the actor's little-known 1937 hockey movie "Idol of the Crowds". Tune in to Comcast channel 55 or Verizon Fios channel 25 on Wednesday, February 10 at 8 PM or Thursday, February 11 at 4 AM or 12 Noon to learn more about this dedicated sports fan, youth role-model, and loyal Komets supporter.

Mallards Slip by Komets 3-1

As if Komets fans weren't confused enough this season. Just one night after a commanding 9-1 victory over the second place Port Huron Icehawks, The Fort Wayne Komets (26-15-0-2) fell to the sixth place Quad City Mallards (16-20-4-4) in Moline, IL, scoring only 1 goal on 39 shots in the process. Quad City got the early jump on scoring when forward Chris Lipsett tallied off a rebound in front of the net during a goalmouth scramble for the 1-0 lead. Defenseman Ryan Palmer and forward Patrick Levesque picked up the assists. The Komets broke through to tie the game 1-1 at the 10:37 mark. Forward Justin Chwedoruk dug the puck out from behind the net and sent it to the stick of P.C. Drouin, who performed a beautifully executed twist around the net to backhand it in. Defenseman Kevin Bertram also assisted. The next 40 minutes of the game were a relatively uneventful, back-and-forth affair, though the second period did yield 2 of the game's 3 penalties -- a cross-checking call on Palmer at 11:34 and a roughing penalty on Fort Wayne forward Mitch Woods at 19:22. Quad City eventually got the go-ahead goal at 13:25 of the third period when Komets goalie Tim Haun got a piece of forward Justin White's shot, but couldn't keep the puck out. Forwards Brandon Marino and Obi Aduba were awarded the assists on the play. Trailing 2-1 and apparently unable to close the meager gap, the Komets opted to pull Haun in the final moments of the game. But the ploy backfired after a Komets giveaway led to an empty net goal by Mallards forward Mike Zbriger for a final score of 3-1. Forward Chris Lipsett was credited with an assist on the play. A brief skirmish on the ice broke out following the end of the end of the game. No penalties were issued, but a linesman reportedly had to encourage Woods to return to his team's locker room. Haun stopped 18 of the 20 shots he faced in absorbing the loss. Quad City goalie Kyle Jones made 38 saves on 39 shots for the victory.

Notes: Announced attendance was 4544. The Komets outshot the Mallards 16 to 5 in the third period and 39 to 21 overall. Fort Wayne went 0 for 2 on the power play while Quad City was 0 for 1. The Komets have lost 3 of their last 4 road games, but still lead the season series with the Mallards 7 games to 2. Quad City's only other victory over Fort Wayne was a 3-2 shootout victory in Fort Wayne, IN on December 4.

Komets Dominate Icehawks 9-1

If the Fort Wayne Komets' (26-14-0-2) 4-2 victory over the Port Huron Icehawks (29-13-0-3) on January 31st was payback, Friday night's 9-1 result in Fort Wayne, IN was full retribution. Two nights after playing what many deemed to be their worst game of the season, the Komets came roaring back to life, leaving the shell-shocked Icehawks in their snowy wake. Their newfound vitality was no doubt stoked even further by the sellout crowd of 10,480 who braved harsh wintery weather to attend the game on "Report Card Night", a yearly promotion that grants free admission to any child who received an "A" on their report card. The scoring barrage began at 7:54 of the opening period. Komets forward Konstantin Shafranov tallied on a breakaway to give Fort Wayne the 1-0 lead. Forward Matt Syroczynski was credited with an assist. At 15:02, Komets defenseman Frankie DeAngelis netted what would prove to be the game winner. As the trailer on a give-and-go play, he deked Icehawks goalie Larry Sterling to the ice, and tucked a backhand shot inside the post to make the count 2-0. Assists went to forwards P.C. Drouin and Leo Thomas. Komets Forward Brad MacMillan drove the knife a little deeper when he got a rebound goal at 16:11 to bring the score to 3-0. Defenseman Matt Woodard got the helper. Drouin was whistled for slashing at 17:54, but on the resulting power play, it was once again Fort Wayne that found the net. DeAngelis beat everyone down the ice for his second goal of the night, this time short-handed, for a 4-0 lead to end the period. Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock was awarded an assist. Any hope that Port Huron had of turning their luck around in the middle frame was quickly dashed. Just 4:30 in, a shot by Drouin extended the scoring gap to 5-0. DeAngelis and Schrock assisted. At 6:36, the beat down turned from metaphorical to literal, when recently returned Komets forward Mitch Woods decided to drop the gloves for the first time this season. Taking on Port Huron forward Tab Lardner, Woods soon had his opponent on the ice, and the crowd roaring its approval. After the bout, the beat went on. At 7:18, Thomas got yet another puck past Sterling, bringing the score to 6-0. Assists went to forward Sean O'Connor and defenseman Danko Mironovic. It wasn't until 10:18 of the second period that the Icehawks got on the board to avoid the total humiliation of a shutout. With Drouin in the box for hooking, Port Huron defenseman Daniel Tetrault got his team's lone tally past Komets goalie Tim Haun on the power play. Forwards Brandon Naurato and Brandon Kaleniecki picked up the assists. But the Komets response was immediate and unequivocal. At 10:31 -- just 13 seconds later -- Shafranov restored Fort Wayne's 6 point lead with a tally that chased Sterling from the game. DeAngelis and forward Colin Chaulk assisted. Port Huron brought in back-up Adam Russo to stand guard in front of their team's twine, but the damage, for the most part, had already been done. Another fight broke out at 11:27, this time between MacMillan and Icehawks defenseman Rob Cowan, with MacMillan getting the decisive victory. At 13:05, Port Huron forward Kris Vernarsky was sent off for slashing, giving Fort Wayne the man advantage, and at 14:18, Syroczynski made the most of it by extending the Komets lead to 8-1. Assists went to Chaulk and Shafranov. Another Port Huron penalty at 17:27, this time on forward Derek Patrosso for tripping, put Fort Wayne on the power play again, and the result was much the same. Just 16 seconds later, the Komets were on top 9-1 thanks to a shot by forward Sean O'Connor. Thomas and forward Justin Chwedoruk were awarded the helpers on the play. As the period drew to a close, there was one additional show of fisticuffs as Schrock took on Cowan in Cowan's second altercation of the evening. Cowan faired a bit better this time, though a dazed Schrock refused to go down for the count before the linesmen broke things up. The final frame was relatively uneventful, with only 3 penalties being handed out, 2 of which were coincidental roughing calls on Chaulk and Icehawks forward Mickael Bedard at 8:19. Haun made 33 saves on 34 shots for the win. Sterling stopped 21 of the 28 shots he faced. Russo stopped 14 of 16 in relief.

Notes: The Komets outshot the Icehawks 20 to 6 in the first period and 44 to 34 overall. Fort Wayne was 2 for 3 on the power play. Port Huron was 1 for 4. The Komets are 3-0 this season when playing in front of crowds of 10,000 or more and 24-1-3 since the Allen County Memorial Coliseum was renovated in 2002 to provide additional seating. Port Huron has lost 2 in a row to the Fort Wayne since their 6-1 victory over the Komets on January 26, 2010 and 4 of their last 5 overall. The Icehawks still lead the season series, however, 4 games to 3. Komets defenseman Bobby Phillips was scratched after tweaking his groin in practice.

Gems Outshine Lifeless Komets 2-1

After playing one of their best games of the season in Port Huron, MI on Sunday, the Fort Wayne Komets (25-14-0-2) gave what many are calling their worst performance on Wednesday night at home against the fifth place Dayton Gems (18-22-3-1). Perhaps it was for the best that a meager crowd of only 5258 was on hand to watch the lackluster affair. From the game's very beginning, even Fort Wayne's star players were missing gift-wrapped chances to score over and over again. Considering that it was February 3, it might as well have been a sequel to the Bill Murray comedy Groundhog Day. The game itself got off to a peculiar start when at 4:13 Komets forward Colin Chaulk was whistled for the contest's first penalty -- a slashing call -- after a Dayton player's stick was sent soaring nearly to the rafters before inevitably succumbing to gravity's pull. The Gems did not receive a penalty until the 15:08 mark when defenseman Nathan Oke was sent to box for holding. The resulting power play was one of the few things to go right for Fort Wayne all night. Komets forward Konstantin Shafranov tipped in a rebound goal for the 1-0 lead. Forwards Matt Syroczynski and Colin Chaulk picked up the assists. After a dreary middle frame and uneventful beginning of the third, Fort Wayne forward Brad MacMillan took exception to what appeared to be a slash to the face, getting into a fight with Dayton forward Justin McCutcheon. In addition to a fighting major, McCutcheon received a 2-minute minor penalty for holding from referee Dan Rankin. MacMillan left the ice with a large gash on his right temple which required 4 stitches to close. But Dayton successfully killed the penalty and came to life in it's wake. At 11:59, just 1:02 after the Gems returned to full strength, Dayton forward Jonathan Ornelas beat Komets goalie Nick Boucher with a wrist shot from 30 feet out, high between the circles to knot the score at 1-1. Defenseman Cody Hamilton and forward Mike Olynyk were awarded the assists. Then at 13:33, Gems forward Mike Vaskivuo got the go-ahead goal with a wrist shot on a 2-on-1 breakaway after a shot by Fort Wayne defenseman Bobby Phillips was blocked at the red line. Finding themselves suddenly down 2-1, the sleep-skating Komets made some effort to even the score, but found themselves thwarted by more of the same bad luck and execution issues that had huanted them throughout the game. By the final 15 seconds, with Boucher pulled for the extra attacker, any semblance of hope had long since turned to frustration on the Komets bench. At 19:45, Fort Wayne Forward Matt Syroczynski took that frustraion out on Dayton defenseman Gred Labenski in what was at-best a message-sending fight and at worst, a lack of discipline. Just 4 seconds later, Komets forward Mitch Woods followed that bout with a brief altercation of his own versus Gems defenseman Preston Briggs that was ultimately labeled roughing. Boucher stopped 26 of 28 shots in the loss. Dayton goalie Derek MacIntyre made 40 saves on 41 shots for the victory.

Notes: The Komets 6 game home win streak was snapped, while the Gems snapped a 3 game losing streak. Fort Wayne went 1 for 3 on the power play while Dayton went 0 for 3. The Komets badly outshot the Gems 41 to 28. Before the game, it was announced that Fort Wayne forward David Hukalo, who had been out due to a concussion, would miss at least 3 more weeks with back problems. Komets defenseman Keith Rodger returned to the line-up wearing a cage after missing 4 game with an eye injury. Before the game there was a moment of silence for Dick Zimmerman who passed away earlier in the week. Zimmerman had spent the better part of 6 decades as a member of the Komets organization and had many close friends therein.

Cathy Marquardt to Appear on "Fans in the Stands"

Cathy Marquardt, a.k.a. "Blueline Baby" and "Cat Eyes" on the Komets blogs, will appear with Wendy Bartle for a "Fans in the Stands" interview on the next broadcast of the Komets Game of the Week. Cathy first began watching Komets games in the 1990s when enforcer Steve Fletcher was a fan favorite. She has been a diehard Komets fan since the 2007-08 season. She is also the proud hockey mom of Wendy's previous guest, Jason Marquardt. In addition to her own interest in hockey, Cathy will discuss her son's participation in the sport and her appreciation for the Komets players who volunteer their time to help young players learn the fundamentals. She will also shine a spotlight on "Hockey Weekend Across America", a celebration intended to increase awareness of the sport of hockey on a national level. Remember to tune in to Comcast channel 55 or Veriozon Fios 55 on Wednesday, February 3 at 8 PM or Thursday, February 4 at 4 AM or 12 Noon to learn more about Cathy and her son's progress in pursuit of his hockey dreams.

Komets Avenge Loss, Best Icehawks 4-2

The Fort Wayne Komets (25-13-0-2) were out to send a message to the IHL's second place team, the Port Huron Icehawks (28-12-0-3) on Sunday night in Port Huron, MI, and that message was received loud and clear. Komets coach Al Sims put together an opening line-up that included forwards Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock, Brad MacMillan, and the recently returned Mitch Woods. Needless to say, a fight broke out just 0:02 into the game when Schrock found a taker in Port Huron forward Jason Kostadine. Kostadine proceeded to get a preview of what awaited the rest of his team, with Fort Wayne jumping out to an early two goal lead once play had resumed. At 6:31 of the opening frame, Icehawks forward Nick Lindberg was sent off for hooking to put the Komets on a power play, which they made count at 7:03. Forward Leo Thomas got a rebound goal following a scramble in front of the net. Forward Justin Chwedoruk and defenseman Frankie DeAngelis picked up the assists. At the 8 minute mark, Woods was whistled for his first penalty of the season -- an interference call -- but instead of Port Huron, it was Fort Wayne that was rewarded. This time Thomas took a pass from forward P.C. Drouin at the blueline and shot the puck past Icehawks goalie Adam Russo on the short-handed breakaway to make the tally 2-0. Not long after, Komets defenseman Guy Dupuis, in his enthusiasm to clear the puck from his zone, nearly put it into his own team's net. Fortunately, Fort Wayne goalie Nick Boucher was in top form and was able to make the unexpected stop to preserve the 2 goal margin. If Port Huron wanted to score, they'd have to do it themselves on this night. And score, they would. At 9:07 of the second period, MacMillan was sent to the box for hooking, giving Port Huron the man advantage, and at 9:31 they finally got on the board. Forward Brandon Naurato put the puck past Boucher following a perfectly executed goalmouth play to cut the deficit to 2-1. Forwards Mike Kinnie and Tab Lardner were awarded the assists. Then at 17:19 of the third, just when it had begun to seem like Fort Wayne's 1 goal lead might be enough, the constant pressure the Icehawks were applying paid off. With the Komets unable to clear the puck from their own zone, a shot from Lardner found the net to tie the score at 2-2. But the Komets were undaunted, and their response came fast and furious. Schrock's determined digging in front of the net resulted in the go-ahead goal just 5 seconds later at 17:24, putting Fort Wayne up 3-2. Chwedoruk and Dupuis got the assists. And at 18:45, Fort Wayne forward Matt Syroczynski broke out of his goal-scoring slump with a hard angle shot that hooked just inside the post to cap the scoring at 4-2. Schrock picked up an assist on the goal, giving him his second "Gordie Howe Hat-Trick" (a goal, an assist, and a fight) of the season. Boucher made 37 saves on 39 shots in the victory. Russo stopped 30 of 34. Fort Wayne trails Port Huron in the season series 2 games to 4. The two teams will meet again in Fort Wayne, IN this Friday night.

Notes: Announced attendance was 1657. The Komets were 1-4 on the power play while the Icehawks went 1-5. Port Huron outshot Fort Wayne 20 to 13 in the third period and 39 to 34 overall. According to the offical game report, Schrock's goal came at 17:24, but Komets radio announcer Bob Chase tagged it at 17:44. Since the broadcast had gone to a commercial when the tally occurred, it is unclear which is correct. Fort Wayne Defenseman Keith Rodger missed a fourth straight game with an eye injury.