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.

Komets Pulverize Gems 5-2

The Fort Wayne Komets (47-21-1-3) followed up a 7-4 home trouncing of the IHL's lowliest team, the Dayton Gems (25-45-3-1) on Friday night with an additional 5-2 trouncing of the Gems in Dayton, OH on Saturday night in what was the final meeting between the two teams of the 2009-2010 season. Fort Wayne forward Sean O'Connor got the scoring started at 8:14 of the first period when he put a shot just under the crossbar for the 1-0 lead. Forward P.C. Drouin assisted on the play. At 15:30, forward Leo Thomas made the count 2-0 when he rifled a shot into the back of the net after a scramble for the puck. Assists went to Drouin and O'Connor. Then at 17:59, Thomas picked up a loose puck in front of the net on a Dayton turnover and poke-checked it past Gems goalie Derek MacIntyre for a 3-0 lead heading into the first intermission. It wasn't until 15:57 of the middle frame that Dayton finally broke through on the scoreboard after the Komets were caught playing around with the puck and Gems forward Corey Couturier capitalized by putting it past Fort Wayne goalie Nick Boucher, reducing the deficit to 3-1 in the process. Forward Tim Hartung and defenseman Russell Smith were credited with assists. The Komets' sloppy play continued after the tally. At 19:51, with the teams skating four aside, Dayton defenseman Nathan Oke came out of the penalty box upon the expiration of a holding call against him and grabbed the puck in full stride before passing it to Gems defenseman Matt Szypura for a breakaway goal that cut Fort Wayne's lead to 3-2 at the end of the second. The Komets finally got the message. At 4:28 of the final frame, there was a brief skirmish that resulted in 2 minute roughing penalties for both Smith and Fort Wayne forward Colin Chaulk. At 5:28, referee Craig Welker also sent Oke to the sin bin to give the Komets a 4-on-3 power play, and at 5:48, they cashed it in. O'Connor took a pass from defenseman Brandon Warner and one-timed it past MacIntyre, who never saw it coming, to extend the lead to 4-2. Then, with the Gems and Komets skating four aside, Thomas completed his hat trick by burying a hard shot from a good set-up by Drouin, capping the scoring at 5-2. Though there was no additional scoring, an incident did occur as the clock was running down that could potentially have repercussions for Fort Wayne. At 14:11 Oke was sent to the box with a 2-minute boarding penalty after leaving Komets forward Mitch Woods somewhat shaken up on a play. At 17:08, with Oke back on the ice, Woods apparently wanted some measure of payback for the hit and was caught spearing Oke. He received a 5-minute spearing penalty for his actions in addition to a 10 minute game misconduct, meaning the infraction may warrant further review by league officials for a possible suspension. Boucher stopped 32 of 34 shots for the win. MacIntyre made 25 saves on 30 shots in absorbing the loss. With the victory, Fort Wayne stretched its margin of victory in the season series with Dayton to 12-3.

Notes: Announced attendance was 1368. The Komets went 1 for 7 on the power play. The Gems went 0 for 7. Dayton outshot Fort Wayne 13-10 in the second, 12-9 in the third, and 34-30 overall. Scratches for Fort Wayne included defenseman Bobby Phillips (undisclosed upper body injury), goalie Tim Haun (concussion), and forward Brad MacMillan (shoulder). Dayton forward Matt Maccarone left the team the morning of the game. It was the Komets third win a row. Conversely, Dayton has lost 3 in a row. News broke that Fort Wayne forward Konstantin Shafranov would be playing his last game with the Komets the next day, Sunday, April 11. Shafranov was to leave Fort Wayne for the opportunity to represent his home country of Kazakhstan in the World Hockey Championships to be held in Germany in May, after which he will be retiring as a player.

Master Sgt. Steve Kingsley's "Fans in the Stands" Interview Now on YouTube

Wendy Bartle's "Fans in the Stands" interview with Master Sgt. Steve Kingsley can now be viewed on YouTube, the video sharing website.

In addition to being a longtime Komets fan, Kingsley has participated in all four years of the Komets Kare Package program, along with the News Sentinel's Komets beat writer Blake Sebring. The Komets Kare project allows fans to donate various items, from baby wipes and chapstick to DVDs and board games, to show their appreciation to members of the U.S. armed services currently serving their country overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. The broadcast was taped on Sunday, December 6, 2009, which was the last day to drop off donations for this year's Komets Kare Package, but Kingsley discusses the program and explains some of the changes to this year's project.

Master Sgt. Steve Kingsley on "Fans in the Stands"

Komets Pummel Gems 7-4

If the Fort Wayne Komets (46-21-1-3) were looking for a victory to make a statement as they head towards the playoffs, they couldn't have picked a better opponent than the Dayton Gems (25-44-3-1). The Komets played host to the hapless Gems, the IHL's last place team, on Friday night and wound up making it one for the record books. Fort Wayne forward Matt Syroczynski started the scoring at 9:13 of the opening frame. Defenseman Guy Dupuis faked a slap shot at Gems goalie Derek MacIntyre which landed neatly on the stick of the unguarded Syroczynski in the slot instead. Syroczynski then tucked it in the open net for the 1-0 lead. Forward Konstantin Shafranov also picked up an assist. Just under a minute later, Komets forward Leo Thomas spotted forward P.C. Drouin streaking towards the Dayton net and hit him with a pass. Upon reaching the net, Drouin was hauled down from behind by Gems defenseman Todd Spencer, prompting referee Brett Klosowski to award a penalty shot. MacIntyre came several feet out of his net to challenge Drouin as he skated in, but Drouin calmly held onto the puck, skated around MacIntyre, and put a shot into the open right side of the net behind him to stretch the advantage to 2-0. In making the shot, Drouin became the first Fort Wayne player to net a penalty shot goal since Mathieu Curadeau did it on February 2, 2008. Drouin also became the first Komets player to get a penalty shot goal on home ice since he did it on January 18, 2008. Dayton finally got on the scoreboard at 4:22 of the second period when forward Pierce Norton found the net, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Assists went to forward Mike Vaskivuo and the goalie MacIntyre on the play. Shortly thereafter, a scrum at the 5:07 mark resulted in 2-miute roughing calls on Komets forwards Mitch Woods and Justin Chwedoruk and Gems forward Jonathan Ornelas. Dayton defenseman Russell Smith picked up a 4-minute roughing call, giving the Komets a 2-minute power play which they failed to capitalize on, but when Gems defenseman Nathan Oke took a high sticking call at 7:30, the Komets made a point to cash it in. Fort Wayne forward Sean O'Connor was set up by a cross ice pass from Thomas to make the count 3-1. Defenseman Frankie DeAngelis was also credited with an assist. That was extended to 4-1 at 12:38 when Komets forward David Hukalo flipped a pass from near the Komets blue line to Chwedoruk at the Dayton blue line. The puck bounced off Chwedoruk's shoulder and landed on his stick as he skated in on MacIntyre and popped it into the net. But the real fireworks began in the third period. Fort Wayne scored 3 consecutive goals in a record-setting 39 seconds. It all started at 1:11 when DeAngelis ran a give-and-go play with Colin Chaulk, whose slap shot from 40 ft out just behind the left face-off circle hit the twine for a 5-1 lead. An assist also went to Hukalo. At 1:31. Dayton made the mistake of leaving Syroczynski undefended in front of the net again, and he potted one to extend the lead to 6-1. DeAngelis and Chaulk got the assists. Thomas capped the outburst at 1:50 with a rocketing wrist shot from the slot for an impressive 7-1 advantage. The play was assisted by Drouin and defenseman Bobby Phillips. The previous Fort Wayne record for fastest 3 goals scored was 45 seconds set on November 22, 1962 in an 8-6 victory over Sudbury. Furthermore, it was only the third time this season that the Komets had scored 7 or more goals in a game. At 2:26, Gems defenseman Todd Spencer, his head no doubt still spinning from the sudden onslaught, got into a fight with Komets forward Mitch Woods. It was later revealed that Spencer cracked a bone in the confrontation. Clearly, it wasn't going to be Dayton's night, but that's when things finally began to go their way. With the game well in hand, the Komets relaxed, allowing their defense to become porous and the Gems responded with 3 goals of their own, albeit not nearly as close together. At 4:13 Ornelas put the puck past Komets goalie Nick Boucher to cut the deficit to 7-2. An assist went to Vaskivuo. There was another fight at the 11:00 minute mark between Phillips and Dayton forward Corey Courtier in which Phillips apparently suffered what was later labeled "an upper body injury". Then the last-ditch Dayton barrage continued. At 18:12, forward Matt Smyth found the back of the net to make the count 7-3. Forward Tim Hartung and Couturier picked up the assists. Smyth tallied again at 19:43 to cap the scoring at 7-4 with just 17 seconds left in the contest, further raising the ire of the perturbed Boucher, who was understandably upset by his teammates' lack of support. As the horn sounded, Boucher bolted from his net and headed immediately to the locker room. Despite the lax defense at the end of the game, Boucher stopped 25 of 29 shots for the victory. MacIntyre made 34 saves on 41 shots in absorbing the loss.

Notes: Announced attendance was 7747. Fort Wayne was 1 for 3 on the power play; Dayton was 1 for 5. The Komets outshot the Gems 16-6 in the first, 15-10 in the third, and 41-29 overall. Not appearing for Fort Wayne were Brad MacMillan (shoulder) and Tim Haun (concussion). Boucher's emergency back-up was Matt Koenig. The Komets have won 3 games in a row and 4 of the last 5. Conversely, Dayton has lost 3 in a row, 5 of the last 6, and 8 of the last 10. It was the final meeting between the two teams in Fort Wayne, IN. The Komets and Gems were scheduled to play one final game in the 2009-2010 season the following night in Dayton, OH. With the win, Fort Wayne extended their margin of victory in the series to 11-3.

Air Dates for "Fans in the Stands"

Wendy Bartle's interview with Mike Reidt will be shown during the first intermission of the Komets Game of the Week broadcast that is scheduled to air on Saturday, April 10 at 8 PM and again on Sunday, April 11 at 8 AM. Her interview with Danielle Thompson will be aired during the broadcast that airs Wednesday, April 14 at 8 PM and again on Thursday, April 15 at 4 AM and Noon. All broadcasts can be viewed on Comcast channel 55 or Verizon Fios 25 within the Fort Wayne viewing area.

UPDATE: Once again, don't blame me if it seems like this is a Three Stooges Production sometimes. Tonight I was informed that the broadcast taped Saturday, April 3 that featured Danielle Thompson's interview was already aired this past Tuesday without notice of any kind. Assuming that information is correct -- and I can only assume that it is -- there will still be an encore presentation at some point. On the other hand, I am told that the broadcast featuring Mike Reidt's interview will air on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11 as previously outlined above. Knock on particle board.

UPDATE 2: Ai, Ai, Ai. Okay. The Game airing tonight (Saturday, April 10) is, in fact, the broadcast filmed on April 3 featuring Danielle Thompson's interview. It will be aired again on Sunday, April 11 at 8 AM. Mike Reidt's interview is apparently the one that already aired.

Komets Shut-Out Lumberjacks 3-0

In a game in which victory was all but mandatory to keep the Fort Wayne Komets (45-21-1-3) hopes of winning another regular season title alive, the team not only beat the first place Muskegon Lumberjacks (48-19-1-3), they made their trip to Fort Wayne a complete waste of time by preventing anyone wearing a Muskegon jersy from earning a single point in the loss. Granted, the Lumberjacks were wounded prey at best for the Komets. They were without their leading scorer, forward Robin Bouchard, who was still under league-suspension for his actions following a 4-3 overtime loss to Dayton on March 31. Forward Todd Robinson, who had already completed a 1-game suspension, was having a rough night right from the start. On the opening faceoff, Robinson took a right cross from Fort Wayne defenseman Guy Dupuis, which left him badly cut and staining the ice with blood. Referee Scott Hoberg, who apparently did not see the incident clearly, sent Komets forward Justin Chwedoruk to the penalty box with a 4-minute high sticking penalty at the 9 second mark, and to his credit, Chwedoruk did not make a show of protesting the call. Meanwhile, Robinson left the game to get stitched up. He later returned, but not before missing precious minutes that potentially could have given his team some momentum. As it was, it was Fort Wayne that got on the board first, and they never looked back from there. At 10:49, Chwedoruk won a face-off in the offensive zone, sending the puck in the general direction of forward David Hukalo, who had taken position at the top of the slot. Hukalo backhanded a shot at the net which ricocheted off the right post, then bounced off the back of Lumberjacks goalie Sebastien Centomo before weakly sliding across the goal line for the 1-0 lead. Centomo's luck wasn't much better than Robinson's. Early in the contest, he took a slap shot to his mask from Komets forward Colin Chaulk. Centomo did not return to the game after the first intermission for undisclosed reasons, and there was speculation that he might have been injured on the play. His replacement, Matt Lundin, quickly settled in for what would become a goaltenders duel in the middle frame. Fort Wayne briefly had a 5-on-3 power play after Lumberjacks forward Billy Collins was called for tripping at 8:36 and defenseman Mario Larocque was sent off for interference at 9:01, but the advantage was cut short when Hukalo was carelessly caught roughing at 9:28. At 15:41, Chaulk bowled Lundin over rather dramatically on a play and was sent to the box for goalie interference, but neither team could cash in on the resulting power plays, leaving the Komets to cling to their slender lead heading into the final frame. But it was in the third that Fort Wayne finally broke the game open against the punchless Lumberjacks. At 2:38 Komets forward P.C. Drouin scored a beautiful goal after picking up a pass from forward Leo Thomas to put Fort Wayne up 2-0. Defenseman Brandon Warner was also credited with an assist. Then at 16:10, Chaulk capped the scoring at 3-0 when he put a shot past Lundin on a well-executed play that featured crisp passes between Chaulk, Drouin, and forward Konstantin Shafranov. With the win, Fort Wayne also stayed ahead of the relentless third place Port Huron Icehawks, who had climbed within 2 points heading into the night's match-ups by defeating the Flint Generals the night before. Komets goalie Nick Boucher claimed the shut-out victory by stopping all 27 of the shots he faced. Centomo made 11 saves on 12 shots and Lundin stopped 18 of 20 in relief.

Notes: Announced attendance was 6009 for what could potentially be the Muskegon Lumberjacks final appearance in Fort Wayne. Muskegon has announced that they will be leaving the IHL to field a junior level non-professional hockey team next season. The Komets were 0 for 5 on the power play. The Lumberjacks were 0 for 6. Fort Wayne led Muskegon in shots 12-6 in the first and 32-27 overall. Prior to this loss, the Lumberjacks had won 2 games in a row and 8 of the previous 10. The Komets have now won 2 in a row and are unbeaten in regulation in 5 of the last 6. Fort Wayne lost the season series with Muskegon 6-5.

Mike Reidt and Danielle Thompson to Appear on "Fans in the Stands"

Mike Reidt will be Wendy Bartle's guest for the next edition of "Fans in the Stands" to be aired during the first intermission of the Komets Game of the Week broadcast that was filmed on Thursday, April 1, 2010 (air date and time to be announced). Reidt, who recently became engaged, went to school with and is a close friend of Komets forward and fan favorite Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock.

Then, on a special Easter weekend edition of "Fans in the Stands", Wendy will be joined by 7-year-old Danielle Thompson. Thompson is a big fan of former Komet Olivier Legault, who befriended her last season and gave her a jersey with his name on it. This season, she has come to admire Komets defenseman Frankie DeAngelis, whom she asked to score a goal for her on her birthday. DeAngelis wound up scoring not 1, but 2 goals that night. Not only did he remember Danielle's request, he later gave her the puck from the first goal as a present. (As above, air date and time to be announced)

Komets Torpedo Icehawks 4-3

The Fort Wayne Komets (44-21-1-3) faced off against the Port Huron Icehawks (42-24-0-4) on Saturday night in Fort Wayne, IN knowing full well that holding on to second place in the IHL standings and home ice advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs could be on the line. The only catch was that Port Huron realized this as well and wasn't content to go quietly into the night. Down just 2 points in the standings to the Komets while having played 1 game more than Fort Wayne, the Icehawks knew it was now or never to make a move. So it was no big surprise when both teams spent most of the opening period locked in a scoreless tie. Komets goalie Nick Boucher and his Port Huron counterpart Adam Russo saw plenty of action as the two teams felt each other out, watching for mistakes to capitalize on. At 16:09, Icehawks forward Nick Lindberg was sent off for elbowing by referee T.J. Luxmore, giving Fort Wayne the man advantage, and the Komets cashed it in just 12 second later at 16:21, on a play that began with forward Colin Chaulk sending a pass from the right wall to defenseman Guy Dupuis positioned in the center of the ice just inside the blue line. Dupuis' drive from well above the slot was redirected past Russo by forward Matt Syroczynski for the 1-0 lead. As time expired in the opening frame, there was a brief scrum that resulted in Fort Wayne defenseman Kevin Bertram and Port Huron forward Matt Auffrey being sent to their respective boxes for roughing at the 20:00 mark. The second period would bring more of the same. The first half of the frame was a defensive stalemate. At 8:23, the Komets received another golden opportunity when Icehawks defenseman Kevin Hansen was whistled for roughing, but before they could capitalize, two Fort Wayne players -- Dupuis at 8:57 and forward Leo Thomas at 9:50 --took hooking penalties to nullify the advantage and hand Port Huron a 34 second 4-on-3 power play instead. Fort Wayne successfully killed the 4-on-3, but just 9 seconds before the remaining 5-on-4 expired, Icehawks forward Kris Vernarsky got the puck past Boucher to tie the game 1-1. It didn't stay that way for long. At 12:09, Port Huron forward was sent to the box for boarding, and this time, the Komets wasted no time in making the most of it. Just 5 seconds later at 12:14, Dupuis restored Fort Wayne's lead with a slapper from 50 feet out for the 2-1 count. Assists went to forwards Konstantin Shafranov and P.C. Drouin. With Lindberg off for kneeing as of 15:40, Drouin extended that lead to 3-1 with another long-range shot from the point. Dupuis and Syroczynski were awarded the assists, with Dupuis' being his 500th career point as a Komets defenseman. The Icehawks inched closer once again at 18:19 on a shot by Vernarsky that was set up with a pass by Auffrey from behind the net, pulling Port Huron within 1 at 3-2. But at 19:04, Fort Wayne anwered with a tally by forward Sean O'Connor that made the score 4-2. Drouin and defenseman Frankie DeAngelis were credited with the assists. That ended the night for Russo, who was yanked in favor of the goaltender Komets fans love to hate, Larry Sterling, to start the third. As calls of "Laaaaaaa-rrrrrry" rose up in unison from the assembled crowd of 7033 and unflattering "celebrity look-alike" images flashed across the jumbotron, Sterling was obviously relishing his role as potential spoiler, and indeed, no pucks made it past him in the final frame. The period began with another show of ill will, this time between Fort Wayne forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock, who picked up an unsportsman-like penalty, and Hansen, who was sent to the box for roughing, both at 2:07. Skating 4 players aside, Port Huron split the Komets defense, allowing Icehawks forward Michael Bedard to surprise even himself by scoring with a backhand shot from the right circle to pare Fort Wayne's lead to 4-3. But despite being awarded a late power play at 16:52 when Komets defenseman Bobby Phillips was whistled for holding and later pulling Sterling for an extra attacker with 31 seconds remaining in the contest, Port Huron could draw no closer. When the horn sounded, they had lost to the Komets by a count of 4-3 for the second time in a row. Boucher stopped 26 of 29 shots in the win. Russo made 24 saves on 28 shots, and Sterling was a perfect 9 for 9 in the loss.

Notes: Fort Wayne went 3 for 5 on the power play after a number of games in which they had struggled with the man advantage. Port Huron went 1 for 5. The Komets outshot the Icehawks in all three periods and 37-29 overall. Scratches for Fort Wayne were Brad MacMillan (shoulder), Mitch Woods (leg contusion), and Tim Haun (concussion). Port Huron had a 2 game winning streak snapped. They also lost 4-3 to to Fort Wayne in their meeting on March 17, 2010 in Port Huron, MI. This was the last regular season meeting between the Icehawks and Komets. With the victory, Fort Wayne won the season series with Port Huron 6-5

Komets Left Flummoxed by Flint Again, This Time 3-1

In the Fort Wayne Komets (43-21-1-3) quest for their third consecutive Turner Cup, the resurgent Flint Generals (29-31-3-4) are eagerly playing the part of the proverbial "thorn in the side" as they continue their own steady march towards the fourth and final IHL playoff position. They were the spoilers yet again in Flint, MI on Friday night, leaving the reeling Komets clinging to a slender 2-point lead in the standings over the third place Port Huron Icehawks and even farther from their goal of overtaking the first place Muskegon Lumberjacks before the regular season ends. The first period came and went with few highlights of note. There were some close calls and power plays for both sides, but no goals. After using the intermission to refocus, Flint was the first to get on the board at 4:37 of the second. Forward Pascal Rheaume scored from long range at an angle that wasn't unusually severe, putting the puck 5-hole on Komets goalie Nick Boucher, who seemed less than pleased with himself afterwards. Assists went to defenseman Jake Pence and forward John Ronan. At 5:05, Generals forward Ben Boudreau was whistled for interference, giving Fort Wayne a golden opportunity to even things up, but the Komets twice missed a wide open net to squander the chance. Less than a minute later at 7:53 they made up for it, as forward Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock tied things up at 1-1 off a scramble in front of the net. Defenseman Kevin Bertram was credited with an assist on the play. But at 13:14, Flint pulled ahead to stay with a goal that might have been scored a few seconds earlier had it not been for an inspired save by Boucher after the Generals split the Fort Wayne defense in a drive to the net. In the wake of the stop, the Komets were unable to gain control of the puck, which rattled around before being put into an almost empty net by forward Dan Lapointe for the 2-1 lead. Assists were awarded to forwards Matt Moffat and Jamie Schaafsma. At the 14:39 mark, tensions began to show as Fort Wayne forward P.C. Drouin and Ronan were sent off with roughing penalties. At 16:19, Lapointe was also called for roughing, giving the Komets a 4-on-3 for 20 seconds, which they failed to cash in on. For the period, there were 8 minor penalties dealt out, with Flint getting the lion's share at 5, but Fort Wayne was repeatedly unable to capitalize. Meanwhile, Coach Al Sims mixed and matched his lines, trying in vain to find some semblance of a spark. In the final frame, the Generals came out hard, knocking the hapless Komets all over the ice. At 4:03, Schaafsma scored an insurance goal right up the middle, making the count 3-1. Forward Bryan Smolinski and defenseman Brandon Gentile got the assists. A fight broke out between Schrock -- the Komets only healthy brawler -- and Flint forward Mike Olnyk at 4:44, but it did nothing to change the momentum of the game. At 11:04 Olnyk took on Fort Wayne defenseman Danko Mironovic in a "battle royale" that involved multiple players, though only one other -- Komets forward Sean O'Connor -- received a roughing penalty for his actions. In addition to their fighting majors, both Olnyk and Mironovic picked up roughing penalties -- Olnyk for 4 minutes, Mironovic for 2. As the incident settled down on the ice, things heated up in the stands, as fans were seen challenging Fort Wayne players. A fight appeared to break out between a few fans, which was quickly dealt with by ushers. The Komets had one final chance to break through at 15:26 when Pence was sent to the box for holding, but the man advantage was short-lived. At 16:16, there was one last show of ill will between Schrock and Generals defenseman Steve Silver. Both received roughing calls, but Schrock picked up an additional 2 minutes for tripping, leaving the teams to skate 3 aside as the clock wound down. Down 2 goals, the Komets seemed resigned to their fate, opting not to pull Boucher as time expired. He stopped 45 of 48 shots in the loss. Flint goalie Rob Nolan made 35 saves on 36 shots for the win. The teams will have one final meeting in Fort Wayne, IN on April 18, the last day of the IHL's regular season.

Notes: Announced attendance was 1630. The Komets went 0-7 on the power play; the Generals were 0-4. Flint outshot Fort Wayne 16-5 in the third period and 18-36 overall. The Generals have won 3 in a row and 5 of the last 6. Flint reportedly let go several members of their office staff on Thursday, April 1st, as rumors continued to swirl about their future in the IHL and reports that they may field a junior level team next season. Missing from the Komets line-up were Brad MacMillan (shoulder), Mitch Woods (leg contusion), and goalie Tim Haun (concussion). Boucher's emergency back-up was the recently signed Matt Koenig. Flint now leads the season series with Fort Wayne 6-5 with 1 game remaining.

Komets Crush Gems 6-2

Coming off another tough loss, this time in Flint, MI, the Fort Wayne Komets (43-20-1-3) must have been more than happy to welcome their favorite whipping boys, the Dayton Gems (25-42-3-1) to the Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, IN on an unusually balmy Thursday night. The Komets did not allow the beautiful weather and high of 82 degrees to be a foolish distraction for their April Fool's Day match-up. They took the Gems seriously all the same. That was a good thing, especially in the opening frame when their sluggish play could have put them in the hole early had it not been for the hard work of Fort Wayne goalie Nick Boucher, who made several good saves to keep the contest scoreless. Both teams seemed to spend most of the first period just getting their legs under them, but things heated up quickly in the second. Just 47 seconds into the middle frame, referee Dan Rankin called his first and only Dayton penalty, sending defenseman Nathan Oke off for hooking. During the resulting power play, Komets forward Sean O'Connor, who was positioned along the right boards, sent the puck back to forward David Hukalo just inside the blue line. Hukalo put a shot on goal that was stopped by Gems goalie Derek MacIntyre, but the puck bounced directly to forward Leo Thomas at the left corner of the crease, and he quickly put it into the open left side of the net for the 1-0 lead at 2:29. At 2:43 -- just 14 seconds later -- Fort Wayne extended the lead to 2-0 after defenseman Frankie DeAngelis went for the puck behind the Dayton goal. After beating Gems defenseman Matt Szypura, DeAngelis sent a centering pass out front to forward Justin Chwedoruk, who was crashing the net. Chwedoruk shoveled it in just before the net was dislodged by Dayton defenseman Greg Labenski, but the goal counted. A second assist on the play went to defenseman Brandon Warner. At 11:18 the Gems were able to cut the deficit in half by taking advantage of the Komets apparent inability to clear the puck from their own zone. Forward Greg McCauley deflected the puck past Boucher to for a 2-1 count. Defensemen Todd Spencer and Russell Smith picked up the assists. But at 14:10, Fort Wayne forward P.C. Drouin was battling with Dayton defenseman Todd Spencer in the back left corner behind the net when Spencer briefly fell down. Drouin took advantage of his delay by skating the puck back up the boards a few feet and threading a centering pass to O'Connor at the top of the crease. O'Connor's shot was blocked, but the puck bounced out front where it was pounced on by Hukalo. Hukalo then stuffed the rebound into the open left side of the net from roughly 5 feet out to make the score 3-1 heading into the second intermission. Only two penalties were called in the third period, and both were on Komets team captain Guy Dupuis. He took a high sticking penalty at the 56 second mark and a hooking call at 7:00. But Fort Wayne was playing with determination and confidence and managed to turned the latter situation into a positive. At 8:48 Thomas set up Drouin for a short-handed breakaway, and Drouin skated in alone, beating MacIntyre to extend the Komets lead to 4-1. Soon after, during the mid-period TV time-out, the "kiss cam" settled on Drouin and O'Connor as they sat on the Komets bench as an April Fool's joke. The two players good-naturedly pretended to go in for a kiss to a multitude of laughs and cheers from the crowd. The replay was briefly played on a loop soon after to even more cheers. Fort Wayne nearly took advantage of the good spirits, almost scoring again at approximately 13:20. O'Connor rang a shot loudly off the crossbar and it appeared from some angles to bounce into the net afterwards. Still, the hard-working Gems never gave up and were able to regain some semblance of hope when Smith hit the twine at 15:12 to cut Fort Wayne's lead to 4-2. McCauley was credited with an assist. It proved to be too little too late, though, as it was all Komets from there. At 17:40, Warner crushed whatever hope Dayton still had by potting one for a 5-2 advantage. Assists went to DeAngelis and Thomas. And at 19:21 Matt Syroczynski put the exclamation mark on the victory with a tally that extended the Komets lead to 6-2, capping the scoring for the night. Boucher made 29 saves on 31 shots to claim the win. MacIntyre stopped 28 of the 34 shots he faced in absorbing the loss.

Notes: Announced attendance was 6967 the night before Good Friday. Dayton went 0-4 on the power play; Fort Wayne was 1-1. The Komets outshot the Gems 13-11 in the first, 13-10 in the second, and 34-31 overall. It was the birthday of Komets co-equipment manager Shawn Dundon. Thomas returned to the Fort Wayne line-up after missing 4 games due to a mild concussion suffered in the March 20 4-3 home loss to Muskegon, but goalie Tim Haun was scratched due to concussion-like symptoms after hitting his head on the ice in the same game. He will be out until at least next week. Former NHL goalie Parris Duffus was signed for the game as an emergency back-up. There was some concern after reports emerged that Boucher had hit a fan with his stick during the Komets 5-4 loss in Flint, MI on March 28, but no punishment was handed down in the incident that had few actual witnesses. Also out for Fort Wayne were Brad MacMillan (shoulder) and Mitch Woods (leg contusion). MacMillan was placed on the 30-day IR, and won't be eligible to play until the final weekend of the regular season. Dayton has lost 3 of their last 4 games and 6 of their last 8. The Komets won the season series with the Gems. They currently lead 10-3 with 2 games remaining.