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.