Szydlowski named ECHL Player of the Month

Fort Wayne, IN-- The ECHL announced Wednesday that Fort Wayne forward Shawn Szydlowski has been named CCM/ECHL Player of the Month for December. It's his second career monthly honor. Szydlowski also was named Player of the Month last season for the month of March.Szydlowski scored 11 goals, added 17 assists for 28 points and posted a +7, leading the Komets in all categories for the month. The right winger had nine multi-point games, reached at least three points a game on five occasions and logged at least one point in 10 of 14 games played. Szydlowski scored two goals, including a penalty shot marker, and added a pair of assists for a four-point game in a 4-2 home win over Utah Dec. 4.The St. Clair Shores, Michigan native also recorded his third Fort Wayne career hat trick scoring four goals and adding a helper for five points in an 8-6 home win against intrastate rival Indy Dec. 27. During the month, the Komets were 6-0-1 in games Szydlowski scored. Szydlowski leads the Komets and is tied for second in the league with 26 assists and 45 points. The sixth-year pro is skating his fourth season with Fort Wayne and has been the Komets' scoring leader the past two consecutive seasons. Szydlowski was also named to the 2017 ECHL All-Star Team and will represent the Komets as a starter in the All-Star Classic to be held on Jan. 18 in Glens Falls, N.Y.

Mallards visit Saturday-- This week the Komets will open the 2017 portion of the schedule with three games starting with a 7:35pm ET faceoff at Quad City tonight. Saturday the Komets return home to face the Mallards at 7:30pm. Sunday the Komets cap the week with a trip to Toledo for a 5:15pm faceoff.

McDougall's #19 to be retired Saturday-- The Komets will retire the number 19 in honor of Fort Wayne legend Terry McDougall in a ceremony to be held Saturday when the Komets host the Quad City Mallards at 7:30pm. The forward skated seven seasons with the Komets from 1975 to 1982 setting many regular season and playoff records, including most points in a season, tied with Len Thornson, at 139 set in 1978-79 for the IHL's scoring championship. McDougall totaled 576 Fort Wayne career games and is expected to be present for his number retirement ceremony.

Kids Seat Free Saturday-- Once again this season the Komets feature Kids Seat Free Nights. The next Kids Seat Free Night is this Saturday when Quad City visits, courtesy Aunt Millie's, Parkview Health and the Komets. Any child under the age of 12 can see the game for free with a full-priced adult ticket purchase.

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.