Komets to face Mallards in Round 1

Fort Wayne, IN-- The Komets will face the Quad City Mallards in the first round of the 2017 ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs starting in Fort Wayne Friday, April 14. The Komets have clinched second seed in the Central division of the Western Conference and home-ice advantage for the first round while the Mallards have locked up third seed setting the stage for the first ECHL post-season meeting between Fort Wayne and Quad City.

The Komets and Mallards are not strangers in post-season play. The two teams have met three times before in the United Hockey League (UHL). Quad City won a best-of-seven series 4-1 in the 2000 UHL playoffs and took a best-of-five series 3-0 in 2001. The Komets captured the 2003 UHL Colonial Cup championship by besting Quad City in a best-of-seven finals series 4-1.

The Komets-Mallards Central division semifinals best-of-seven series opens Friday, April 14 on Sweetwater Ice at the Memorial Coliseum at 8pm. Game two is slated for Saturday, April 15 at 7:30pm in Fort Wayne before the series switches to Quad City for games 3, 4, and if necessary, 5. If needed, games 6 and 7 will be held in Fort Wayne. Tickets for the first two Komet home playoff games are on sale at the Coliseum Ticket Office and online at www.ticketmaster.com.2017 ECHL KELLY CUP CENTRAL DIVISION SEMIFINALSFORT WAYNE KOMETS VS QUAD CITY MALLARDSBest-of-seven seriesGame 1- Friday, April 14............... Quad City at Fort Wayne, 8pm ETGame 2- Saturday, April 15...........Quad City at Fort Wayne, 7:30pm ETGame 3- Wednesday, April 19......Fort Wayne at Quad City, 7:35pm ETGame 4- Friday, April 21............... Fort Wayne at Quad City, 8:05pm ET*Game 5- Saturday, April 22.........Fort Wayne at Quad City, 8:05pm ET*Game 6- Monday, April 24...........Quad City at Fort Wayne, 7:30pm ET*Game 7- Wednesday, April 26....Quad City at Fort Wayne, 7:30pm ET*If necessary.

The Komets locked up second place in the Central division with a 5-4 shootout win Saturday night at Indy while the Mallards secured third place with a 4-2 win over Alaska. The Komets will cap week 25 with a 5:15pm faceoff today at Toledo before returning home for the final week of the regular season. Wednesday the Komets will host the Central division champion Walleye at 7:30pm.A preview of the first round of the playoffs will be next weekend when the Komets and Mallards tangle in the final two games of the regular season. The Komets will skate at Quad City Friday at 8:05pm ET before the season finale in Fort Wayne Saturday against the Mallards at 7:30pm.