Komets first in Midwest after 19 weeks

Fort Wayne, IN-- The Komets held the top spot in the Midwest Division after week 19 of 2015-16 after earning three points in three games and improving to 29-16-5 for 63 points at the 50-game mark of the season.Friday in Fort Wayne the Komets walloped the Walleye from Toledo 5-2 in the first of a home-and-home weekend series. Troy Bourke scored his first pro two-goal game with additional contributions from Jamie Schaafsma, Brock Montgomery and Mike Embach. Goaltender Pat Nagle snapped a three-game winless streak with his 21st win of the season making 27 saves on 29 shots. The Komets had a commanding 5-1 lead going into the third period to improve to 20-0-0 when leading after two periods.

Saturday the Komets fell 4-3 at Toledo on their last trip to the Huntington Center of the year. Schaafsma, Bourke and Cody Sol hit the net for Fort Wayne while netminder Spencer Martin suffered the loss on 27 saves in his first appearance with the Komets since Dec. 18. The Komets are 4-3-1 after eight meetings with one remaining when Toledo visits March 25.

Sunday the Komets capped the week by earning a point in a 5-4 overtime loss to the visiting Colorado Eagles. Sean Ringrose and Garrett Meurs became a part of ECHL history as Ringrose scored at 5:51 of the first period followed by a quick pair by Meurs. Meurs scored at 6:05 and 6:09 to set a new Fort Wayne team record of fastest two goals scored at four seconds, eclipsing the old record of five seconds. Also, a new ECHL record of fastest three goals by both teams was set at 18 seconds, breaking the old record of 26 seconds (more below). With Colorado up 3-2 Schaafsma scored his third goal in as many games to send the game into the third frame knotted at 3-3. Szydlowski started the third period with a marker at 1:05 before the Eagles tied it at 4-4 and forced overtime. Colorado's Jake Marto solved Komet goalie Nagle with 46 seconds remaining in the extra frame to give the Eagles their first win in four games. Nagle made 28 saves on 33 shots and continued unbeaten at home in regulation 12 straight games.

Komet leaders-- Embach leads with 23 goals (third in the ECHL) and 53 points (fourth in the ECHL).....Szydlowski leads with 33 assists....Sol leads with 151 penalty minutes (first among ECHL defensemen).....Jordon Southorn leads with +16.Streaking Komets-- Alex Belzile has a five-game point and assist streak (4a) and a nine-game home point and assist-scoring streak (3g, 11a).....Bourke has points in four straight games (4g, 1a).....Schaafsma has a three game goal streak (3g).....Trevor Cheek has a six-game home point streak (5g, 4a).....Nagle is unbeaten in regulation at home 12 straight games (10-0-2).....The Komets are unbeaten in regulation in 12 straight home games (10-0-2).

Milestones-- Southorn skated his 100th career game Saturday at Toledo.....Sol reached his career season-high of 11 assists with a helper Sunday against Colorado.

It's a new team record-- Garrett Meurs may have put his name in the Komet record book for a long time to come. Sunday he broke the Komet's record of the fastest two goals scored by one player when he beat Colorado goaltender Clark Saunders twice in four seconds. The old record of fastest two goals scored by an individual was set on Jan. 5, 1972 when Jim Boyd scored two goals in five seconds in a 5-3 win at Flint. The record of fastest two goals by the team is five seconds set on March 31, 1990 by Mike DeCarle and Brad Aitken in a 7-4 home win against Flint.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday and Friday, Missouri Mavericks (41-7-3, 85 points) at Komets-- The Komets will be tested against the best team in the ECHL twice this week when they host the Missouri Mavericks Wednesday at 7:30pm and Friday at 8pm. The Mavericks lead the league with 85 points, 14 points better than their closest rival Manchester. The Western Conference rival will be in town for the only two meetings of the season. Last year the Komets swept the season series 3-0-0 with all three wins on Fort Wayne ice. The Mavs had their winning streak snapped at six games with a 2-1 home loss to Evansville in their last outing Sunday. Missouri will visit Indy Tuesday before traveling to Fort Wayne for games Wednesday and Friday.

Saturday, Tulsa Oilers (28-18-5, 61 points) at Komets-- The Tulsa Oilers will visit Saturday at 7:30pm for the only meeting of the season. The last time the Komets tangled with Tulsa was in the CHL during the 2011-12 season. The Komets won the season series 2-1-0 after a 2-1 overtime win at Tulsa Feb. 21, 2012 in their last meeting. The last time the Oilers visited Fort Wayne was for a pair of games Jan. 20 and 21, 2012 when the Komets gained a split of the two-game set. Tulsa holds third place in the Central Division of the Western Conference and trails first-place Missouri by 24 points after 51 games. The Oilers enter the week riding a three-game win string and are 7-1-1 in their last nine games. Tulsa will host Idaho Tuesday and skate at Cincinnati Friday before arriving in Fort Wayne Saturday.

OmniSource Season Ticket Recycling Night Wednesday-- Wednesday night season ticket holders will have another chance to exchange unused season tickets from previous games of the season for tickets to see the Komets face the Missouri Mavericks at 7:30pm, compliments of OmniSource.Pink the Rink Weekend-- This weekend will feature the fifth annual "Pink the Rink" nights as the Komets and the Vera Bradley Foundation team to fight breast cancer and promote awareness for early detection and treatment. The Komets will wear special jerseys that will be sold during a silent auction during Friday's game against Missouri and Saturday's match against Tulsa. Net proceeds will be donated to the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer.4 for 55 Friday-- This Friday fans can take advantage of the Komets' "4-for-55" special Family 4-Pack Ticket Offer when the Komets host Missouri, courtesy MidWest America Federal Credit Union. Get four upper arena tickets, four hot dogs, four soft drinks and four chips for only $55! .

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 Toledo Walleye.

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.Deuces Wild Wednesday-- It's deuces wild this Wednesday when the Komets host the Mavericks. Tickets will be sold at 2 for $22 and fans can get $2 beers and $2 sodas all night.

Komets on the air-- Komet games are scheduled to be aired on WOWO AM 1190 and FM 107.5 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 Komet forward Garrett Meurs will be the guest.