Komets sweep Bears at Orlando

Fort Wayne, IN-- The Komets squeezed four points out of a three-game road trip to the Sunshine State for week 18 and improved to 33-12-3 and 69 points after 48 games. The Komets enter week 19 leading the ECHL North Division by a six-point margin over second-place Toledo with eight weeks remaining in 2014-15.

The week began Wednesday night in Fort Myers, Florida where the Everblades nipped the Komets 3-2 in the only meeting of the season. Dylan Quaille scored his first goal as a Komet. C.J. Severyn also marked while goaltender Pat Nagle (19-5-1) suffered his fifth setback of the season, snapping a five-game win string in his fourth straight appearance.-Gamesheet-Friday the Komets rebounded in Orlando with a 3-1 win, snapping a brief two-game road winless skid. Shawn Szydlowski returned from a call-up to the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters to lead Fort Wayne with a goal and an assist. Severyn scored the game winner and Brett Perlini notched his 10th goal since joining the Komets. Netminder Roman Will earned the win stopping 44 of 45 shots plus a penalty shot. -Gamesheet-Saturday the Komets swept the two-game visit to Orlando and the three-game season series against the Solar Bears with a 4-2 victory. Mike Embach started the scoring for the Komets with his team-leading sixth first goal of the year. Perlini netted his second tally of the week, Matt Lowry made his first goal as a Komet count as the game winner while Christian Ouellet also contributed a power play goal. Will (7-6-2) made 46 saves on 48 shots, new records for most saves and most shots faced by a Komet goaltender this season. -Gamesheet- The week ahead-- The Komets will skate three home games in four nights this week beginning Wednesday when North Division rival Toledo visits for a 7:30pm faceoff. The second-place Walleye are looking to chip away at the Komets' six-point lead in the North. The Komets have won the last two meetings and are even with Toledo in the season series at 2-2-1 with two meetings remaining, both at Fort Wayne. The Walleye are 1-4-0 in their last five games and are coming off a 3-2 loss Sunday at Cincinnati. The Gwinnett Gladiators make their only visit of the season to Fort Wayne for games Friday at 8pm and Saturday at 7:30pm. The Komets clipped the Gladiators 4-3 at Gwinnett Jan. 11 in the only previous meeting of the season. This weekend's games will cap the season series. Gwinnett holds seventh place in the East Division, trailing fourth-place Elmira and a playoff spot by 22 points. The Gladiators are riding a five game losing streak and skate at Kalamazoo Wednesday before visiting Fort Wayne for a weekend double-header at the Coliseum.Komet leaders-- Embach leads with 30 assists, 49 points and 150 shots....Szydlowski leads with 22 goals.....Drew Daniels leads the ECHL with +32.....Cody Sol leads with 88 penalty minutes.Komet streaks-- Embach has a four-game point streak (2g, 3a).....Szydlowski extended his assist and point streak to four games (1g, 4a).....Quaille has points in five straight games (1g, 4a).....The Komets have won two consecutive games and have not allowed a power play goal in 17 straight penalty kills.Holy Moly-- Komet goalie Roman Will faced a total of 93 shots in the two games he won at Orlando Friday and Saturday. Will allowed only one goal (with only 22 seconds remaining in the game) Friday on 45 shots and surrendered only two goals Saturday on 46 shots, including a penalty shot, for totals of 90 saves, a 1.50 goals-against average and .968 save percentage. Will threw in nine straight successful penalty kills for good measure. The last time a Komet goaltender faced 48 or more shots in a game was March 29, 2013 when Jeff Deslauriers stopped 48 of 50 shots in a 3-2 loss at Kalamazoo. Milestones-- Severyn skated his 200th pro game Saturday at Orlando. Embach has appeared in 98 Fort Wayne career games and Lowry has skated 198 pro games. First goal-- The Komets scored the first goal of each game of the week and are 22-5-2 when scoring first.

Penalty shots-- The Komets faced two penalty shots during the week. Nagle turned back Jeff Silengo in the second period Wednesday at Florida and Will stopped Brady Vail in the third period Friday at Orlando. The Komets have not allowed a penalty shot goal in three attempts this season.Komet goaltender Ben Meisner stopped the only penalty shot of the season last year and netminder Kenny Reiter stopped the only penalty shot of the season in 2012-13. Gerry Festa was successful on the only penalty shot awarded against the Komets in 2011-12. The last penalty shot goal scored against the Komets came during 2010-11 after Komet goalies had successfully faced four free shots. Nick Boucher allowed the last penalty shot goal against the Komets on Feb. 4, 2011 when Jesse Bennefield scored in the second period of a 5-4 shootout win over the visiting Wichita Thunder. The last time the Komets allowed a penalty shot goal on the road was on March 1, 2008 at Bloomington when Jon Booras beat Boucher in the second period during a Fort Wayne 3-2 win.OmniSource Season Ticket Recycling Night Wednesday-- 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 Saturday-- 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. 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 serve as co-hosts with 21Alive's Tommy Schoegler. Tonight, Monday, Feb. 16, defenseman Ian Barteaux will be Tommy's guest. All Komet fans are welcome to attend.

KOMETS WEEKLY PLANNERWednesday, Feb. 18.....Toledo Walleye at Komets, 7:30pm ET, WOWO AM 1190 and FM 92.3Friday, Feb. 20..............Gwinnett Gladiators at Komets, 8pm ET, WOWO AM 1190 and FM 92.3Saturday, Feb. 21.........Gwinnett Gladiators at Komets, 7:30pm ET, WOWO AM 1190 and FM 92.3-Komets Schedule-

Komet practice scheduleTuesday, 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