Komets gear up for the holidays

Fort Wayne, IN-- The Komets begin a busy stretch of 11 games in 23 nights, including eight December home games in 21 nights. The hustle and bustle of the holiday season begins on Coliseum ice this Friday when the intrastate rival Indy Fuel visits for an 8pm faceoff. It will be the first game of a home-and-home set with Indy. Saturday both teams head for Indianapolis and a 7:35pm start before the Komets cap a triple-header weekend Sunday when the Evansville Icemen make their season debut in Fort Wayne at 5pm.

About last week-- The Komets made the best of their only game of the week defeating the Icemen at Evansville Friday night 7-5. The Komets gained two points for the week to improve to 10-8-0 and 20 points after 18 games and eight weeks of play.In the first meeting of the season, and Fort Wayne's first visit to Ford Center since last December, the Komets extended their winning streak against Evansville to 6-0-0. Nikita Kashirsky and Jamie Schaafsma each netted their first two goals of the season. Also contributing were Cory Corbett, Brett Perlini and Garrett Thompson. Domenic Alberga dished assists on each of Kashirsky's markers for a two-point night. Mike Embach extended his point-streak to three games (1g, 2a) with a helper on Thompson's game winner. Goaltender Spencer Martin earned his fifth win of the year making 27 saves on 32 shots in his fourth straight start and second straight win, improving to 5-3-0.

Komet leaders-- Embach leads with seven goals and 16 points.....Drew Daniels leads with 10 assists.....Jordon Southorn leads with +10.....Cody Sol leads with 41 penalty minutes....Embach and Corbett each have three power play markers while Thompson has six power play assists....Perlini leads with 75 shots and Corbett.....Kyle Thomas and Alex Belzile each have a pair of game winners.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Indy Fuel (9-10-2, 20 points) at Komets (10-8-0, 20 points) Friday, 8pm-- 120 miles of Indiana highway 69 separate the Komets from the Fuel. The Komets will be skating their 170th game against an Indianapolis team since their very first meeting Oct. 18, 1955 in Fort Wayne, a 3-2 overtime win over the Indianapolis Chiefs in the International Hockey League (IHL). Since then the Komets have mounted an all-time record of 171-82-20-5 in 278 regular season games against Indy. The Komets are 2-1-0 against the Fuel after three meetings this season. Friday's home game against the Fuel will mark the 279th all-time meeting. Indy is riding an eight-game winless skid (0-7-1) after losing all three games last week. The Fuel will host Wheeling Thursday before visiting the Komets Friday. The Komets and division rival Fuel are tied for third place in the Midwest Division of the Western Conference heading into week nine of 2015-16, trailing first-place Quad City by nine points.Komets at Indy Fuel Saturday, 7:35pm-- It will be the second of five visits to the Indiana Farmers Coliseum (6,488) this season. The Komets dropped a 4-2 decision to the Fuel at Indy Oct. 30 the last time the two teams met. The Komets are 4-5-0 on the road after nine games while Indy is 6-3-0 at home after nine games but are on a three-game home losing skid.

Evansville Icemen (6-12-1, 13 points) at Komets Sunday, 5pm-- Former Komet head coach Al Sims returns to Fort Wayne for the first time this season with his Icemen. Last year the Komets were a perfect 6-0-0 against Evansville on Coliseum ice. The Icemen are coming off an 0-2-1 week, earning a point last week in a 6-5 overtime loss to Quad City at Evansville Sunday. The Icemen skate at Toledo Wednesday and face Cincinnati in a home-and-home series starting at Evansville Friday before traveling to Fort Wayne Sunday.

STAR WARS NIGHT FRIDAY-- The Komets and Preferred Automotive Group present Star Wars Night this Friday when the Indy Fuel visit. Fans are invited to celebrate the upcoming release of the film Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens at the game. The Komets will wear special Star Wars jerseys which will be auctioned off to benefit Camp Whatcha Wanna Do. Fans can also meet their favorite Star Wars characters and free lightsabers will be given away to the first 1,000 fans. Friday night Marathon Nights-- Again this year Komet fans can save on their Friday night tickets with Marathon. 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 this Friday when the Komets host the Indy Fuel at 8:00.

Wendy's Family Night Sunday-- The Komets present Wendy's Family Night at every Sunday home game this season. Coupons for a Sundays 4-for-$32 ticket offer are available at Wendy's locations around the Fort Wayne area. Also, fans can bring their skates for a free open skate after each Sunday Family Night home game.

Komets play to win for the American Kidney Fund-- Komet forward Mike Embach is looking for CauseMates to help those afflicted with kidney disease. In December the Komets host eight home games and will be accepting pledges for every home game the Komets win during the month. Embach's mother Cindy is affected with stage five kidney disease and the Komets ask for the support of all fans in the fight against kidney disease. Please visit http://www.causemates.com/MikeEmbach and help the Komets win for Cindy Embach and all those affected with kidney disease.Get your tickets early-- Tickets for Komet home games are on sale at the Coliseum Ticket Office and online at TicketMaster.com. Discounted Group tickets are also on sale for all Komet home games at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way. Call the 260-483-0011 or visit komets.com for more information.

Komets on the air-- Komet games are scheduled to be aired on WOWO AM 1190 and FM 92.3 with Bob Chase calling the action radio-rinkside in his 63rd consecutive season. All Komet radio broadcasts can also be heard worldwide as presented by Omni Source Radio Recycle at www.komets.com.

Soundoff With The Komets continues this year on 21Alive in Fort Wayne. The 30-minute live telecast is hosted by Tommy Schoegler from SportOne/Parkview IceHouse each Monday night at 7:30 throughout the season. Tonight's guest will be forward Shawn Szydlowski.