Komets collect six points for week 20

Fort Wayne, IN-- The Komets turned week 20 into a six-point gain taking three out of four games and improving to 26-21-8 and 60 points after 55 games.  The Komets leapfrogged Indy into third place in the Central division of the Western Conference and trail second-place Toledo by seven points and first-place Cincinnati by 14 points with 17 games remaining in 2019-20.

ECHL Central Division Standings

Last weeks results:Tuesday, Feb. 18, Fort Wayne 5 at Indy 4Wednesday, Feb. 19, at Fort Wayne 5 Kalamazoo 4Friday, Feb. 21, Toledo 5 at Fort Wayne 1Saturday, Feb. 22, at Fort Wayne 2 Indy 1Week 20 in review-- The Komets clipped the Fuel 5-4 Tuesday morning at Indy snapping a four-game road winless streak and moving into third place.  The Komets improved their morning games record to 5-3-1 with their second straight morning game win. Wednesday the Komets returned home to stop the Kalamazoo Wings 5-4 for a three-game home winning streak.  The streak was snapped Friday as the Komets fell 5-1 to the visiting Toledo Walleye.  Saturday the Komets capped the week with a 2-1 victory in a rematch against Indy on Sweetwater Ice at the Memorial Coliseum.

For the week-- Brady Shaw led with three goals and four points and has points in five of the last seven games.  A.J. Jenks passed four assists and Shawn Szydlowski, Brett McKenzie, Brad Morrison and Max Gottlieb each had three-point weeks (1g, 2a).  Olivier Galipeau dished three assists and Drake Rymsha contributed a pair of markers. Also earning a goal apiece were Matthew Boudens, Mason Bergh, Alan Lyszczarczyk and Anthony Petruzzelli. Goaltender Cole Kehler backstopped the Komets to Tuesday's win at Indy making 22 saves on 26 shots.  Dylan Ferguson earned Wednesday's win over Kalamazoo allowing four goals on 34 shots before suffering Friday's loss making 14 saves on 18 shots.  Patrick Munson collected Saturday's 2-1 win over Indy on 30 saves.

Special K's-- The Komets have scored at least one power play goal in four straight games and were 5/13 for the week for the best power play in the ECHL at 25.2% (56/222). Fort Wayne also owns the best road power play record at 26.9% (32/119) and ranks second at home with the man advantage with a 23.3% rating (24/103).

Komet streaks-- Morrison finished with a four-game point-scoring streak (3g, 3a) and has had points in 12 of 15 games played.  Szydlowski had his five-game point streak and three-game home point streak stopped Saturday, but extended his road point-scoring streak to an ECHL high 10 games (3g, 10a) with a goal in Tuesday's 5-4 win at Indy.  Shaw's five-game point streak (4g, 4a) was stopped Friday but he pushed his road point streak to three games with a goal Tuesday at Indy.  Brett McKenzie's four-game streak (3g, 3a) was stopped Friday.

Komet leaders-- Shaw leads with 52 points, +10 and 160 shots.....Shaw and McKenzie lead with 20 goals....Szydlowski leads with 36 assists and is tied for first in the league with 17 power play assists.....Jenks leads with nine power play goals (tied for first in the ECHL).....Lyszczarczyk has appeared in the most games at 51 and ranks fourth among ECHL rookies with 42 points.....Gottlieb ranks first among league rookies and is tied for third among defensemen with 14 power play assists and 17 power play points.

Icing the puck-- The Komets are 8-4-3 when tied at the end of the second period after Wednesday's game against Kalamazoo, but are 15-0-3 when leading after two periods after Saturday's win against Indy.  The Komets have directed at least 25 shots on net in 50 games (23-19-8) and have made less than 25 shots in five games (3-2-0). Fort Wayne is tied with Allen for most goals in the first period at 67.  The Komets are 14-0-2 when reaching at least five goals in a game.

On the road for three this weekTuesday, Komets at Kalamazoo, 7pm-- This week the Komets skate three divisional road games beginning with a trip to Kalamazoo's Wings Event Center (5,113) Tuesday. Kalamazoo (20-25-8, 48 points) is struggling to get out of the cellar of the Central division and trail fourth-place Indy by nine points in the race for a playoff spot. Tuesday night's tilt is the 13th of 14 meetings this season and the Komets lead the season series 8-3-1 after last Wednesday's 5-4 win in Fort Wayne. The series concludes when the Wings visit March 7. Kalamazoo is coming off a 3-2 home win over Wheeling Saturday and is 1-3-1 in its last five games.

Friday and Saturday at Toledo, 7:15pm each night-- The Komets visit the Walleye for back-to-back games at the Huntington Center (7,431) this weekend.  Toledo (31-15-5, 67 points) is 8-0-0 after eight meetings with the Komets this season with five meetings remaining and enters the week with a two-game win streak and a 6-2-1 record over their last nine outings. The Walleye trail first-place Cincinnati by seven points and have five games in hand with 21 games remaining. Toledo skates at Brampton Wednesday morning before hosting the Komets for a pair of games this weekend.

Komets on ice:Tuesday, Feb. 25.....Practice at the Icehouse, 10am-11am; Game at Kalamazoo, 7pmWednesday, Feb. 26.....Practice at the Icehouse, 10:30am-11:30amThursday, Feb. 27.....Practice at the Icehouse, 10am-11:30amFriday, Feb. 28..... Practice at the Icehouse, 10am-11am; Game at Toledo, 7:15pmSaturday, Feb. 29.....Game at Toledo, 7:15pmMonday, March 2..... Practice at the Icehouse, 10am-11:30amTuesday, March 3..... Practice at the Icehouse, 10am-11:30amSee Komets Schedule

Next Komet home game Wednesday, March 4th-- The Komets will return to action on Sweetwater Ice Wednesday, March 4th against the Wheeling Nailers at 7:35pm. It will be another Season Ticket Recycling Night.  Season Ticket Holders will be able to exchange any unused Komet tickets from previously scheduled home games this year for tickets to the game March 4th.  It will also be another Deuces Wild Wednesday night. Pepsi Zone tickets are two for $22 and fans can get $2 beers and $2 sodas all night.

Hall of Fame expands Saturday, March 7th-- The Komets will induct NBC National Hockey League broadcaster Mike "Doc" Emrick and former Komet winger Kaleigh Schrock into the Komets Hall of Fame Class of 2020 Saturday, March 7th when the Komets host the Kalamazoo Wings at 7:35pm.  The induction ceremony will be held prior to opening faceoff.  The Komets Hall of Fame was first introduced in 1988. The addition of Emrick, an icon of pro hockey and professionalism in broadcasting, and Schrock, who skated 439 career games with the Komets, will bring the Hall of Fame to a total of 53 members.

Komet hockey on WOWO-- Fans can follow the action with Shane Albahrani broadcasting play-by-play on WOWO AM 1190 and FM 107.5. Game broadcasts are also streamed live at Komets.com. 

Get Komet Tickets-- Single game tickets are on sale at the Coliseum Ticket Office.  Discounted group ticket packages are also available at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way in Fort Wayne.  Flex Tickets are also on sale which can be redeemed for tickets to any regular season game.  For more information call 260-483-0011 or visit Komets.com.