Komets gain five points in Week 13

Fort Wayne, IN-- The Komets gained five points in three games for week 13 of 2016-17 and improved to 20-9-4 and 44 points after 33 games.The Komets began the week with a 6-2 win a Quad City Wednesday to remain unbeaten at Quad City this season after three visits. It was the eighth time this season Fort Wayne reached six goals in a game. Kyle Thomas and Mike Embach scored a pair of goals each. Mason Baptista and Brady Vail also found the twine. Thomas added an assist for his fifth three-point outing of the year. P.J. Musico made his debut in the Fort Wayne net stopping 29 of 31 shots for the win.-Gamesheet-Saturday the Quad City Mallards made the trip to Fort Wayne for the second meeting of the week. The Komets and Mallards were even 1-1 at the end of the first and second periods before Fort Wayne launched a four-goal attack in the third period to take the game 5-1 and their third straight win over the Mallards. The Komets also improved to 6-1-0 after seven meetings this season with Quad City. Thomas scored Fort Wayne's first goal before Curtis Leonard, Shawn Szydlowski, Embach and Taylor Crunk all chimed in for four unanswered markers in the final stanza. Thomas extended is team season-high point-scoring streak to 10 games (9g, 8a) and eclipsed his career year best of 40 points set last year with his 41st point of the season. Szydlowski reached 20 goals on the season for his third straight year. Garrett Bartus collected his eighth win of the season and improved to 8-2-1 making 28 saves on 29 shots.-Gamesheet-Sunday the Komets earned a point in a 4-3 overtime loss at Toledo and are unbeaten in regulation three straight games. Embach, Garrett Thompson and Szydlowski each scored for the Komets. Thomas had a chance to extend his point streak to 11 games on a penalty shot but Toledo goaltender Jake Paterson stopped Thomas' first pro free shot at 6:51 of the second period. Szydlowski now has points in eight of 10 games (8g, 12a). Musico started his second game with the Komets and suffered the overtime loss with 26 saves on 30 shots. -Gamesheet-

Komet leaders-- Shawn Szydlowski leads with 21 goals, three short-handed goals, 28 assists, 11 power play assists and 49 points.....Kyle Thomas leads with eight power play goals and four first goals.....Mike Cazzola leads with three game winners.....Curtis Leonard leads with +20....Cody Sol leads with 92 penalty minutes.-Teamstats-

Komet streaks-- Mike Embach has points in eight straight games (7g, 5a), a three-game goal-scoring streak (4g), a four-game road point streak (4g, 1a) and a three-game road goal-scoring streak (4g).....Jason Binkley has a three-game assist streak (3a).....Gabriel Desjardins has an assist in three straight road games (3a).

Milestones-- Shawn Szydlowski's first of four goals Tuesday was his 100th pro regular season goal.....Kyle Thomas reached a career season high of 16 goals in the Komets 3-1 loss to Toledo Saturday.How they stand-- The Komets remain in third place in the Central division at the start of week 14 trailing league-leader Toledo by nine points with 39 games remaining. Fort Wayne sits one point behind Tulsa (21-15-3, 45 points), but has six games in hand heading into the final week before the All-Star break.-ECHL Standings-The week ahead-- This week the Komets are paired up against Central division rivals. Friday the Komets host the Tulsa Oilers at 8pm, Saturday the Komets head back to Quad City for an 8:05pm ET start. The Komets finish the three-game weekend on Sweetwater Ice at the Memorial Coliseum against the Indy Fuel Sunday at 5pm.

Friday, Jan. 13, Tulsa Oilers at Komets-- The Komets meet the Oilers for the second of three games this season when Tulsa visits Friday for an 8pm faceoff in Fort Wayne. The Komets dropped a 4-3 affair in overtime at Tulsa in the first meeting of the season Nov. 9. The Komets are 3-1-1 all-time against the Oilers, going back to when Tulsa was a CHL foe. Heading into the week the Komets are only a point behind the second-place Oilers, but Tulsa will skate at Kalamazoo Wednesday before traveling to Fort Wayne Friday. The Oilers are 1-3-0 in their last four games after a 6-2 win at Greenville Sunday, their fourth game of an eight-game road tour.

Saturday, Jan. 14, Komets at Quad City-- The Mallards (18-13-2, 38 points) enter the week riding a four-game losing streak which includes two losses to Fort Wayne last week. The Komets have won the last three meetings to lead the season series 6-1-0. Five meetings remain. The trip Saturday will be Fort Wayne's third visit to Quad City in four road games. The Mallards will visit Cincinnati Wednesday and host Indy Friday before welcoming the Komets back to the iWireless Center (5,100) Saturday in Moline, Illinois.

Sunday, Jan. 15, Indy Fuel at Komets-- Intrastate rival Indy (9-22-3, 21 points) returns to the Coliseum Sunday where the Komets have won both meetings of the season. It will be the third of nine total meetings this year. After Sunday, the Komets will make the first of five trips to Indy on Feb. 4. The Komets scored a wild come-from-behind 8-6 victory in the last meeting Dec. 27 in Fort Wayne when the Fuel had mounted a 6-2 lead before the Komets scored six unanswered goals for the win. Indy is struggling to get out of the cellar of the Central division, trailing sixth place Wichita by five points after posting a 1-16-1 record in their last 18 games. The Fuel will skate at Wichita Tuesday, at Quad City Friday and are home to host Tulsa Saturday before making the trip north on I-69 to Fort Wayne Sunday.-Komets Schedule-

Save those valuable unused Komet tickets-- This Sunday the Komets host Indy on Season Ticket Recycling Night. Komet Season Ticket Holders will be able to exchange any unused Komet tickets from previously scheduled home games this year for tickets to the game Sunday against the Fuel. 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 participating Marathon locations. Save with your Marathon Fill-Up Card for the game this Friday.

Meijer Family Night Sunday-- The Komets present Meijer Family Night at every Sunday home game this season. Coupons for a Sunday 4-for-$36 ticket offer are available at all Meijer locations around the Fort Wayne area. Also, fans can bring their skates for a free open skate after each Sunday Meijer Family Night home game.Superhero Night Friday, Jan. 20-- Fans are welcomed to join the Komets and Hagerman in paying a well-deserved tribute to the real superheroes in our lives, the Fort Wayne Police, Fire and EMS on Friday, Jan. 20 when the Komets host Cincinnati at 8pm. The Komets will wear special Superhero jerseys to be auctioned off at the game to benefit local Police, Fire and EMS selected charities. Meet your favorite Superhero characters courtesy of TAG Art Company. And get to the game early for one of the special Komets Superhero capes to be given away to the first 1,000 kids entering the building.

Komets on the air-- Komet games are scheduled to air this season on WOWO AM 1190 and FM 107.5 with Shane Albahrani calling the play-by-play. All Komet radio broadcasts can also be heard worldwide as presented by Omni Source Radio Recycle at www.komets.com.

Single game and group tickets on sale-- Single game tickets for all Komet home games are on sale at the Coliseum Ticket Office, online at TicketMaster.com, or at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way. Also, Group Night packages are available for Family, Business or Civic Group outings. For more information visit Komets.com or call 260-483-0011.