Komets clinch home ice for first round

Fort Wayne, IN-- The Komets (42-15-6, 90 points) earned six points during week 23 by winning three of four games played and improved to 41-15-6 and 90 points with three weeks remaining in the 2014-15 regular season schedule.The week started with a 4-1 victory at Indy Wednesday. Brett Perlini scored the first and fourth Fort Wayne goals of the match with tallies by Mike Embach and Eric Faille sandwiched in between. The game featured Faille's return from a two-month call-up to the AHL's Texas Stars. Goaltender Roman Will collected the win making 26 saves on 27 shots.

Friday the Komets were clipped 4-3 at Kalamazoo, snapping a brief two-game win string. Faille notched a pair of goals for a second time this season. Perlini added a marker and Will stopped 24 of 28 shots in his third straight start and had his unbeaten streak snapped at nine games (7-0-2).Saturday the Komets opened a home double-header against Missouri with a 6-4 win. Szydlowski tied the ECHL's record of three short-handed goals in a game by a player and tied Fort Wayne's all-time record of five goals in a game while posting his first pro hat trick. It was the 27th time in the history of the ECHL that a player has scored five goals in a single game. It was Szydlowski's fifth-multi-goal game of the season and seventh three-plus-point night. Faille also starred in the game with five assists, assisting on each of Szydlowski's goals. Christian Ouellet also hit the net for the Komets while Pat Nagle kicked out 31 of 35 shots to earn the win in his first Fort Wayne appearance since his call-up to the AHL's Utica Comets Feb. 23. The Komets completed a sweep of the home series and the season series against Missouri (3-0-0) with a 4-1 win in front of a Sunday crowd of 8,513. Matt Lowry, Embach, Faille and Matthew Pistilli found markers for the Komets. Nagle earned his 22nd win, one short of his career season high, allowing one goal on 32shots. It was the last of six Sunday home games this season (4-1-1).The week ahead-- The Komets will bus East for three games in four nights this week. Wednesday the Komets face the Elmira Jackals (31-25-7, 69 points) at First Arena (3,784) at 7:05pm. The Komets were clipped 2-1 by the visiting Jackals in the only previous meeting of the season Jan. 30. Elmira is fighting for playoff position in the East Division, trailing fourth-place Orlando by four points with nine games remaining. The Jackals are 3-1-1 in their last five games after splitting a weekend home double-header against Wheeling.Friday the Komets head for Wheeling (30-29-2, 62 points) to battle the Nailers at WesBanco Arena (5,344) at 7:35pm. It's the second and final trip of the season to Wheeling where the Komets split a pair of games Jan. 23 and 24. The Komets are 1-1-1 after three meetings with Wheeling and Friday's game will complete the season series. The Nailers are 3-2-1 in the last six games and will host Toledo Wednesday before hosting the Komets Friday. Wheeling currently holds the fourth and final playoff spot in the North Division, leading fifth-place Indy and Cincinnati by a point with three weeks remaining.Saturday the Komets complete their road trip with a 7:35pm affair at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati. It's the first of three meetings remaining against the division rival Cyclones (27-28-7, 61 points). The Komets hold a 3-1-0 edge in the series after a 3-2 home win against Cincy March 15. The Cyclones will welcome South Carolina Wednesday and Evansville Friday before the Komets visit Saturday.KIDS SEAT FREE April 1 and 3-- The Komets will return next week for home games Wednesday, April 1 against the Evansville Icemen at 7:30pm and Friday, April 3 against Elmira at 8pm. Both games are Kids Seat Free Nights, courtesy Aunt Millie's and Parkview Health. Any child under the age of 12 can see the games for free with a full-priced adult ticket purchase.Home ice advantage-- The Komets have clinched home-ice advantage for the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Komets are currently 22-5-5 after 32 home games. The last time Fort Wayne reached 20 wins at home was 2009-10 when they finished with a home record of 29-7-2. The playoffs begin the week of April 13 and all series will be best-of-seven.

20/20-- The Komets have reached 20 wins both at home and on the road for the first time since 2009-10 and for the 17th time since they recorded 28 home wins and 22 road wins in 1959-60.3+ club-- Eight players added at least three points to their season totals during week 23. Szydlowski bagged five goals and added five assists for 10 points while posting a +10, Faille scored four goals and five assists for a nine-point week and registered +9, Lowry dished four assists and added a marker for five points, Embach contributed two goals, both game winners, and two assists for four points and recorded a +5, and James Martin gained four assists. Adding three points each were Perlini (3g), Pistilli (1g, 2a) and Ouellet (1g, 2a).

Streaking Komets-- Szydlowski, Faille, Embach and Lowry all had at least a point in each of the four games during the week. Faille pushed his point-streak to eight games (8g, 7a) and has a three-game road point streak (3g, 1a).....Szydlowski finished riding a five-game point streak (6g, 5a) and a six-game home point streak (11g, 5a).....Embach has points in five consecutive games (2g, 3a).....Lowry has a four-game point and assist streak (1g, 4a).....Ouellet has a three-game point streak (1g, 2a).....Nagle extended his unbeaten streak to four games (3-0-1 and is unbeaten in regulation at home six straight games (5-0-1).....The Komets have points in 14 straight home games (11-0-3) and are enjoying a five-game home winning streak. Oh What a Night-- As mentioned earlier about Saturday night's 6-4 home win against Missouri, Szydlowski netted five goals and Faille had an assist on each one. Szydlowski becomes the fifth to share the team record of most goals by a player in a game. Eddie Long, Norm Waslawski, Rod Willard and Ron Leef also accomplished the feat. Leef was the last to score five in a game on Dec. 4, 1982 vs. Kalamazoo in an 8-5 Fort Wayne win. There have been three players to score six assists in a game, the team's record, including Art Stone, Len Thornson and Reggie Primeau. But the last time a player reached five assists in a game before Faille's achievement Saturday was Mark Versteeg-Lytwyn on Jan. 24, 2009 at Muskegon in a 10-3 Fort Wayne win. The last time Komet fans witnessed five assists by a Komet player on Coliseum ice was Dec. 17, 2004 when Colin Chaulk dished five helpers in a 9-4 win over Richmond.Milestones-- Lowry scored his 100th point Friday at Kalamazoo (assist).....J.M. Rizk skated his 200th pro game Sunday vs. Missouri.....The Komets reached 90 points for the first time since 2009-10 when they earned 105 points during the regular season and went on to take the IHL Turner Cup Championship. It's the 27th time Fort Wayne has reached the 90-point plateau in its 63-year history.

Komet leaders-- Szydlowski leads with 31 goals, seven power play goals and 62 points....Embach leads with 39 assists.....Drew Daniels leads the ECHL with +42.....Sol leads with 136 penalty minutes.....Nagle leads with 22 wins, 2.36 goals-against average.

More shots-- The Komets have out-shot their opponents in 15 straight games (9-3-3, .700). For the season the Komets are 30-10-4 when clocking the most shots in a game. Embach leads with 193 shots followed by Szydlowski with 175 and Pistilli with 160.Special Komet Jerseys auctioned for prostate cancer awareness-- The Komets donned special 80's throwback jerseys for a special Prostate Cancer Awareness Weekend when the Missouri Mavericks visited for games Saturday and Sunday. The jersey auction, sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, earned net proceeds of $10,265 which will be donated to the Blue Ball Open Golf Tournament for prostate cancer awareness. Szydlowski's #27 sweater garnished the most at $1,428. Kaleigh Schrock's #79 collected $1,005 and Cody Sol's #44 added a third-highest $900 to the funds collected. The Komets and Fifth Third Bank are proud to sponsor such a worthy cause within the community.

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. 2015-16 Season Tickets are on sale at the Komet office. For ticket information call 260-483-0011 or visit www.komets.com.

Komet Hockey on WOWO Radio and OmniSource Radio Recycle on the web-- Follow the Komets on WOWO Radio AM 1190 and FM 92.3. Shane Albahrani will be radio-rinkside filling in for Bob Chase as the Komets head East for games at Elmira, Wheeling and Cincinnati. All Komet radio broadcasts can also 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 serve as co-hosts with 21Alive's Tommy Schoegler. Tonight, Monday, March 23, defenseman Cody Sol will be Tommy's guest. All Komet fans are welcome to attend.

KOMETS WEEKLY PLANNERWednesday, March 25.. Komets at Elmira Jackals, 7:05pm ET, WOWO AM 1190 and FM 92.3Friday, March 27...........Komets at Wheeling Nailers, 7:35pm ET, WOWO AM 1190 and FM 92.3Saturday, March 28......Komets at Cincinnati Cyclones, 7:35pm ET, WOWO AM 1190 and FM 92.3; MyTVKomet practice schedule (next week)Monday, March 30........ Practice 10am-11:30am at SportONE/Parkview IcehouseTuesday, March 31....... Practice 10am-11:30am at SportONE/Parkview IcehouseWednesday, April 1.......Practice 10am-10:45am at the ColiseumThursday, April 2...........Practice 10:30am-11:30am at the ColiseumFriday, April 3................Practice 10am-10:45am at the Coliseum