Komets split weekend home series with Kalamazoo

Fort Wayne, IN-- The Komets split a weekend home series with the visiting Kalamazoo Wings to earn two points and improve to 6-1-0 after the third week of 2014-15. The Komets maintained first place in the Eastern Conference with 12 points, sharing the ECHL lead with Idaho.

Friday the Wings spoiled a Halloween affair with the Komets, handing the locals their first defeat of the season 3-1 and stopping Fort Wayne's season opening win streak at an ECHL high five games. Forward Mitchell Heard scored the lone Komet goal while netminder Pat Nagle suffered his first loss of the season in five appearances making 24 saves on 26 shots.Saturday the Komets recovered by clipping the Wings 5-4 in front of the largest ECHL crowd of the week at the Memorial Coliseum. 6,934 witnessed the Komets gain a split of the weekend series and improve to 2-1-0 against Kalamazoo after three meetings on the season. A dozen meetings remain against the North Division rivals. Heard scored a pair of tallies in the match. Shawn Szydlowski (RW), Eric Faille (RW) and C.J. Severyn (LW) also contributed markers. Goaltender Sami Aittokallilo earned his first ECHL win in his first appearance with Fort Wayne stopping 25 of 29 shots.Looking ahead-- This week the Komets begin a road tour of a total of six games before returning home November 21 to face the Wings again. Friday and Saturday the Komets skate a two-game weekend series at Reading (3-3-0). Friday's tilt at Santander Arena (7,160) begins at 7:30pm. Saturday's game against the Royals starts at 7pm. After six games Reading is tied for fourth place with Gwinnett and South Carolina in the East Division of the Eastern Conference with six points. The Royals finished week three with a 3-2 setback at Wheeling Saturday night. Reading is idle this week until it welcomes the Komets Friday.

Next Komet home game-- The Komets will be back home on Friday, November 21 to host the Kalamazoo Wings at 8pm on Teddy Bear Toss Night. Saturday, November 22 the Greenville Road Warriors make their only appearance of the season on PHP Report Card Night at 7:30pm. REPORT CARD NIGHT #1 Nov. 22-- The Komets will have two PHP Report Card Nights this year. Students with an "A" or "A Equivalent" on their most recent report card earn a free ticket and have a chance to win one of two $1,000 U.S. Savings Bonds for future education on Report Card nights Saturday, Nov. 22 and Saturday, Feb. 21 courtesy PHP and the Komets.

Komet Leaders-- Right wing Matthew Pistilli leads the Komets with nine points....Pistilli, Mike Embach (RW) and James Martin (D) lead with five assists each.....forward Mitchell Heard leads with five goals.....Drew Daniels (D) leads with +6.....Cody Sol (D) leads with 14 penalty minutes.-Komets Teamstats-Pistilli ranks fourth in the ECHL with nine points (4g, 5a).....Pat Nagle ranks second among goaltenders with four wins and has served a fifth-highest 309 minutes in five appearances.....forward Eric Faille ranks sixth among rookies with six points (2g, 4a).....James Martin ranks third among defensemen with five assists and six points.....Cody Sol ranks third among defensemen with 21 shots.Komet streaker-- Mitchell Heard is riding a four-game point-scoring streak (4g, 1a) and a league-best four-game home goal-scoring streak (5g).10 for in the first...and 10 against in the third-- The Komets rank fourth in the ECHL with an average of four goals per game. Of 28 total goals scored in seven games, 10 have been scored in the first period. The Komets are the sixth stingiest when allowing goals at 18 for an average of 2.57 against per game. 10 have been surrendered in the third period.First goal's charm-- The Komets have scored five first goals in seven games and are 4-1-0 when scoring first. The K's are 4-0-0 when leading after the first period and 4-1-0 when leading after the second.

Penalty shots are us-- The Komets were awarded their second penalty shot of the season Saturday night at home against Kalamazoo. Rookie Reid Petryk was given the free shot in the third period but was stopped by Wings goaltender Peter Mannino. Five penalty shots have been awarded to teams in the ECHL this season to date. The Komets were also handed a penalty shot Oct. 24 at Kalamazoo. Matthew Pistilli was turned back by goaltender Joel Martin in the second period of a game that ended with a Fort Wayne 3-2 overtime victory.Special K's-- The Komets had their penalty kill success streak stopped at 21 Saturday against Kalamazoo. The K's rank 12th in the ECHL with a PK rating of 83.3% (30/36) but are a sixth-best 86.4% at home (19/22) and are an fifth-best 21.1% on the power play when playing at home (4/19).

Tickets on sale-- Komet hockey single game tickets and season tickets for 2014-15 are on sale now. Single game tickets can be purchased at the Coliseum Ticket Office and online at www.ticketmaster.com. Season Tickets are on sale at the Komet office, 1010 Memorial Way, in Fort Wayne. For information visit www.komets.com or call 260-483-0011.Komet Hockey on WOWO Radio and OmniSource Radio Recycle on the web-- Bob Chase is celebrating his 62nd season behind the Komet microphone for most Komet games this year. However, this weekend's pair of games at Reading Friday and Saturday will be handled by Shane Albahrani. Komet games are broadcast on WOWO Radio AM 1190 and FM 92.3 and can be heard worldwide on the web at Komets.com presented by OmniSource Radio Recycle.

Sound Off with the Komets on 21Alive Monday nights-- The Komets, 21Alive and SportONE/Parkview Icehouse present Sound Off with the Komets, a live weekly telecast each Monday night at 7:30. The show airs on WPTA TV 21Alive from the SportONE/Parkview Icehouse, 3869 Ice Way in Fort Wayne, featuring highlights, interviews and call-ins. Komet players and personnel will serve as co-hosts with 21Alive's Tommy Schoegler. Tonight, Monday, Nov. 3, center Paul Crowder will be Tommy's guest. All Komet fans are welcome to attend.

KOMETS WEEKLY PLANNERKomet games this weekFriday, Nov. 7................Komets at Reading Royals, 7:30pm ET, WOWO AM 1190 and 92.3 FMSaturday, Nov. 8...........Komets at Reading Royals, 7pm ET, WOWO AM 1190 and 92.3 FM-Komets Schedule-

Komet practice scheduleTuesday, Nov. 4.............Practice 10am-11:30am at SportONE/Parkview IcehouseWednesday, Nov. 5...... Practice 10am-11:30am at SportONE/Parkview IcehouseMonday, Nov. 10...........Practice 10am-11:30am at SportONE/Parkview IcehouseTuesday, Nov. 11..........Practice 10am-11:30am at SportONE/Parkview Icehouse