Komets pad North Division lead

Fort Wayne, IN-- The Komets took two out of three games for week 17 to earn four points and improve to 31-11-3 and 65 points after 45 games. Fort Wayne finishes the week holding first place in the ECHL's North Division of the Eastern Conference and leading second-place Toledo by four points.Friday the Komets stumbled 6-3 at Kalamazoo. Brett Perlini, Paul Crowder and Drew Daniels each scored for Fort Wayne. Goaltender Roman Will started in the Komet net and suffered the loss stopping 22 of 26 shots in the first two periods before Pat Nagle entered in relief for the third frame making seven stops on eight shots. It was Nagle's first appearance in the Fort Wayne net since missing seven games during his call up to Grand Rapids of the AHL Jan. 12.-Gamesheet-Saturday the Komets rebounded with a 4-2 home win over Kalamazoo in the back-end of a home-and-home weekend series and snapped a three-game winless skid against the Wings. Crowder netted a pair of goals while Perlini and Mike Embach added tallies. Crowder added an assist for his first three-point game of the season. Matthew Pistilli dished three helpers for his third three-point night of the year. Nagle posted the win allowing two goals on 26 shots in his first start since Jan. 11. The Komets improved to 7-4-0 in the season series against the Wings with four meetings remaining.-Gamesheet-Sunday the Komets upended the visiting Evansville IceMen 6-2. Kyle Thomas scored his first two ECHL career goals and added an assist for a three-point outing in his ninth Fort Wayne game. Pistilli scored his second straight game winning goal while Perlini, Crowder and C.J. Severyn also contributed markers. Nagle earned his 19th win on 20 saves in his third appearance of the week. The Komets are unbeaten (4-0-0) at home against Evansville this season and improved to 6-1-0 in the season series against Evansville with two meetings remaining, both at Fort Wayne. -Gamesheet- Komet leaders-- Embach leads with 28 assists and 46 points....Shawn Szydlowski leads with 21 goals.....Daniels leads the ECHL with +32 and ranks third among league defensemen with 25 assists.....Cody Sol leads with 88 penalty minutes.....Nagle ranks seventh in the league with a 2.40 goals-against average and third with 19 wins.....The Komets lead the league with 17 road wins and 35 road points.....The Komet rank third in the ECHL with 26 first goals and are 20-4-1 when scoring first. -Komets Teamstats-Komet streaks-- Pistilli has a four-game point streak (3g, 5a)....Perlini has goals and points in four straight games (4g, 3a).....Crowder has a three-game goal and point streak (4g, 2a).....Reid Petryk has assists in his last three games (3a).....Szydlowski has a three-game road point streak (2g, 4a).....Nagle pushed his win streak to five games.....the Komets are riding a three-game home winning streak.

Milestones-- Daniels skated his 100th ECHL career game Friday at Kalamazoo.....Crowder scored his 200th ECHL career point (goal) Sunday against Evansville.

The week ahead-- The Komets head south this week for three games in the Sunshine State.

Wednesday the Komets face the Florida Everblades (29-9-6, 64 points) at Germain Arena (7,186) in Estero, Florida, near Fort Myers at 7:30pm. It's the only meeting of the season. The Komets won the overall season series last year 4-3-0 including a 2-1-0 record in three games at Florida. The last time the Komets visited the Everblades they split a two-game series Feb. 21 and 22, 2014. Florida trails first-place Reading in the East Division by two points and joins the Komets, Toledo, and the Royals in a four-way battle for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Everblades are winless in their last four games (0-2-2) following a four-game win streak.

The Komets travel to Orlando (23-16-3, 49 points) for a pair of back-to-back games Friday (7:30pm) and Saturday (7pm) at the Amway Center (9,555). The trip will complete the three-game season series. The Komets upended the Solar Bears 6-4 in the last meeting Nov. 29 in Fort Wayne. Orlando resides in fifth place in the East Division, trailing fourth-place Greenville and a playoff spot by four points. The Solar Bears will host Kalamazoo Thursday before facing the Komets Friday and Saturday.Next at home-- The Komets return home next week to host three games in four nights. Division rival Toledo visits Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 7:30pm. The Gwinnett Gladiators be in town for back-to-back games Friday, Feb. 20, at 8pm and Saturday, Feb. 21, at 7:30pm. -Komets Schedule/Results-OmniSource Season Ticket Recycling Night Wednesday, Feb. 18-- Season ticket holders have a chance to exchange their unused season tickets from previous games of the season for tickets to see the Komets face the Toledo Walleye Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 7:30pm, compliments of OmniSource.Friday night Marathon Nights-- Fans can earn a buy-one-get-one-free ticket offer with the purchase of three fill-ups at any participating Marathon location. Save with your Marathon Fill-Up Card at the game Friday, Feb. 20 when the Komets host Gwinnett at 8pm.PHP Report Card Night coming Saturday, Feb. 21-- PHP Report Card Night is Saturday, Feb. 21, when the Komets host Gwinnett at 7:30pm. All area students who receive at least one “A” on their report card are rewarded with a free ticket to the game courtesy of PHP. Students may present a copy of their report card with an “A” or “A equivalent” or a letter from their teacher or school administrator indicating an acceptable level of academic success at the Coliseum Ticket Office in order to get their ticket. Students in attendance on Feb. 21 may also register to win $1,000 towards their future educational goals. Tickets can be claimed anytime in advance of the game.

Komets Ticket information-- Komets tickets may be purchased at the Coliseum Ticket Office or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Discounted Group Tickets are also on sale for all Komet home games at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way. For more information on Komet single game tickets and group tickets, call 260-483-0011 or visit www.komets.com or call 260-483-0011.

Komet Hockey on WOWO Radio and OmniSource Radio Recycle on the web-- Follow the Komets on WOWO Radio AM 1190 and FM 92.3 with Bob Chase radio-rinkside. Shane Albahrani will be filling in for Chase when the Komets visit the Florida Everblades Wednesday and the Orlando Solar Bears Friday and Saturday. All Komet radio broadcasts can also be heard worldwide on the web at Komets.com presented by OmniSource Radio Recycle (Listen Live).

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, Feb. 9, defenseman Mikael Tam will be Tommy's guest. All Komet fans are welcome to attend. KOMETS WEEKLY PLANNERWednesday, Feb. 11.....Komets at Florida Everblades, 7:30pm ET, WOWO AM 1190 and FM 92.3Friday, Feb. 13..............Komets at Orlando Solar Bears, 7:30pm ET, WOWO AM 1190 and FM 92.3Saturday, Feb. 14......... Komets at Orlando Solar Bears, 7pm ET, WOWO AM 1190 and FM 92.33

Komet practice scheduleMonday, Feb. 16...........Practice 10am-11am at SportONE/Parkview IcehouseTuesday, Feb. 17..........Practice 10am-11am at SportONE/Parkview IcehouseWednesday, Feb. 18.....Practice 10am-10:45am at the ColiseumThursday, Feb. 19.........Practice 10:30am-11:30am at the ColiseumFriday, Feb. 20..............Practice 10am-10:45am at the ColiseumSaturday, Feb. 21..........Practice 10am-10:45am at the ColiseumMonday, Feb. 23...........Practice 10am-11:30am at the Coliseum