Komets to host Indy for three this weekend

Fort Wayne, IN – The Komets concluded their six-game road trip with three losses at South Carolina. The team went 3-3 over the six games and remains on top of the Western Conference with a record of 10-4-2-1 and a winning percentage of .676.  The Komets return home this weekend for a three games series versus the Indy Fuel at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.   

Last week’s results 

Fri 3/19 @ South Carolina  FW 1 – SC 2 L

Sat 3/20 @ South Carolina  FW 1 – SC 5 L

Sun 3/21 @ South Carolina FW 2 – SC 5 L

About last week-- Friday, the Komets traveled to South Carolina for the first time since March of 2014. Zach Pochiro would get the only Komets tally at 19:28 of the first period in the 2-1 loss. Justin Vaive and Stephen Harper would get assists, while Jeremy Helvig made 23 saves on 25 shots, taking the loss in his Komets debut.

Saturday night, the Komets and Stingrays would play game two of the three game set.  The Stingrays would get on the board early in the first period and would not relinquish the lead.  South Carolina would build a 4-0 lead in the third period before Brandon Hawkins would get Komets on the board at the 2:06 mark.  The Stingrays would add another goal to make the final score 5-1.  Louis-Phillip Guindon started in goal, but would not finish, giving up four goals on 13 shots before being relieved. Jeremy Helvig would enter the game at 19:24 of the third period and gave up one goal on six shots.

The series concluded Sunday with a 5-2 Komets loss. South Carolina would score three power plays and a shorthanded goal on the way to the win.  Brandon Hawkins and Morgan Adams-Moisan would score goals, with both tallies being assist by Jason Cotton and Randy Gazzola.  Jeremey Helvig would get the loss with 18 saves on 23 shots.

For the week-- Brandon Hawkins scored two goals, while Jason Cotton and Randy Gazzola were each credited with two assists. Zach Pochiro and Morgan Adams-Moisan also posted goals.  Stephen Harper, Blake Siebenaler and Matt Boudens would also register assists last week. Jeremy Helvig would see action in all three games last week, stopping 46 shots while giving up eight goals.  Rookie Louis-Phillip Guindon would give up four goals on 13 shots during his only start of the weekend.

Special K's--The Komets entered the weekend having killed off 11 straight penalties.  The streak would be extended to 14 after the club held South Carolina to 0-3 on the power play Friday night. The team would give up five power plays goals over the next two games including a season high of three in one game on Sunday afternoon.  The Komets did snap a four- game power play goal drought on Sunday going 2 for 4 and still ranked number one in the ECHL scoring 17 power play goals on 69 advantages. 

Komet streaks-- The Komets will return home this weekend on a five-game home win streak.

Komet leaders-- Anthony Petruzzelli, Matt Boudens, Justin Vaive, Olivier Galipeau and Blake Siebenaler have appeared in all 17 games this season.  Petruzzelli leads the team with 15 points (5g, 10a).  Olivier Galipeau is tied with Petruzzelli for the team lead with 10 assists.  Zach Pochiro has nine goals and leads the team with a +10 rating.  Morgan Adams-Moisan leads the team with 38 penalty minutes.  Stefanos Lekkas has six wins with a GAA of 1.96 before being loaned to Rochester of the AHL.

Icing the puck-- The last time the Komets lost three consecutive games in regulation was February 7th- Feb 9th 2020.  The Komets outshot South Carolina 110-67 last weekend, but was outscored 12-4. The team’s road record now sits at 5-4-2-1. The Komets are 7-0-1 when registering the first goal and have outscored their opponents 21-14 in first periods this season.  The club is also limiting teams to 23.35 shot per game.

Purinton passes— The Komets family mourns the loss of Komets legend Cal Purinton who passed away March 20th after a long bout with cancer at the age of 78.  The Regina, Saskatchewan native starred on the Komets blueline for nine seasons playing in a total of 465 regular season games, accumulating 1,223 penalty minutes, the third most in franchise history.  A two-time Turner Cup champion (’64-’65, ’72-’73) with the Komets, Purinton was inducted into the Komets Hall of Fame in 2002.

This week, the Komets will return home to host the Indy Fuel for the first time this season Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Coliseum.  The Komets are 3-1-1 versus Indy this this season