The Komets upended the visiting Indy Fuel Saturday night 5-2 in front of 7,193 at the Memorial Coliseum and clinched their first ECHL division championship. Fort Wayne improves to 39-21-8 and 86 points with four games remaining in the 2015-16 regular season.
By snagging the Midwest Division title the Komets are guaranteed home-ice advantage in the first round of the 2016 Kelly Cup playoffs. The first round, a best-of-seven series, will open in Fort Wayne with games 1 and 2 next Friday, April 15 at 8pm and Saturday, April 16 at 7:30pm. Fort Wayne's opponent is yet to be determined.
Saturday night the Komets spotted the Fuel a goal before Garrett Meurs solved Indy goaltender Terry Shafer on a break away to finish the first period with the Komets and Fuel knotted at 1-1. The Komets came out in the second frame and notched a pair by Kyle Thomas and Leo Thomas to send the game into the second intermission with a 3-1 lead. Then the Komets opened the third stanza with two more goals by Shawn Szydlowski and Paul Crowder before Indy answered with their second of the game at 17:34 to complete the scoring with the Komets taking the victory 5-2.
Spencer Martin earned the win in the Fort Wayne net stopping 29 of 31 shots and improved to 9-8-1 in his 17th Fort Wayne start of the year. Shafer suffered the loss in his first pro start making 29 saves on 34 shots.
The Komets will host the Evansville IceMen Sunday at 5pm and will cap the regular season slate with a home game next Wednesday against Quad City at 7:30pmn before traveling to Indy Friday, April 8 for a 7:35pm start. The Komets will host their season finale Saturday, April 9 when the Indy Fuel return for a 7:30pm faceoff.
Tickets for remaining Komet home regular season games and the first two playoff games are on sale at the Coliseum Ticket Office and online at TicketMaster.com.
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