Komets return home Wednesday

Fort Wayne, IN – After 41 games, the club returns home Wednesday, February 9, versus Indy at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, with record of 21-15-4-1, 47 points and a winning percentage of .573 and are in third place in the Central Division. 

Last week’s results 

Wed. 2/2 at Adirondack FW 3 – ADK 4 SOL

Fri. 2/4 at Adirondack FW 7 – ADK 3 W

Sat. 2/5 at Adirondack FW 3 – FW 4 L

About last week – Wednesday night, the Komets participated in their first shootout of the season and fell to the Adirondack Thunder 4-3.  Connor Corcoran got the scoring going at 5:33 of the first period with a power play goal.  The Thunder would quickly tie the game with a strike at 9:51.  In the second period, the Komets would retake the lead at 2-1 when rookie Shawn Boudrias scored his 10th goal of the season at 2:11.  Sacha Roy was credited with his first pro point with an assist as Shawn Szydlowski would get the other helper.  The Thunder’s Shane Harper knotted the game once again at 3:33. Corcoran would get his third point of the night with an assist on Zach Pochiro’s go-ahead power play goal at 7:33. With the Komets clinging to a one goal lead in the third period, a melee at the Komets bench would result in defenseman Zach Tolkien being given a match penalty and was removed the game.  In the ensuing chaos, the Thunder where given a power play and Jake Ryczek scored the game tying goal at 15:38.  The game would go to overtime where both teams where unable to break the deadlock, sending the contest to a shootout.  The Komets skated shorthanded for most of the extra time, as they were assessed three minor penalties.  In the shootout, Adirondack would score on the team’s first try and that’s all the Thunder would need as goaltender Alex Sakellaropoulos stopped all three Komet shooters cementing the win.  Jiri Patera would get the loss, facing 45 shots and making 43 saves.  The Komets were penalized for 32 minutes, while the Thunder received a total of 12 minutes. 

The Komets’ offense erupted for seven goals Friday night, giving the club a 7-3 victory.  A slow started resulted in the Thunder gaining a two goal lead after the first period.  Connor Corcoran would score the only goal of the first period for the Komets, making the total 3-1 after the first.  In the second, Corcoran and Kellen Jones would score to tie the game after two periods.  Shawn Szydlowski would start the scoring in the third period, followed by markers from Zach Pochiro, Lynden McCallum and concluding with Shawn Boudrias’ goal at 19:44. Three of the Komets seven goals were scored on the power play, while Jiri Patera stopped 24 shots getting the win.

In the finale of the three-game set with the Thunder, the Komets would once again would take the loss. The team would fall behind 3-0 in first period.  Shawn Szydlowski scored at 9:18 of the second period to get the Komets on the board.  Will Graber and Oliver Cooper would assist on Anthony Petruzzelli’s 13th of the season to pull the Komets within one at 11:49.  Adirondack would add another goal to their total 13:49 to push their total up to four.  In the third, Petruzzelli would score his second of the game at 13:49 to make it a one goal game.  Despite out shooting the Thunder 44-27 in the contest, the Komets were unable to push another puck across the goal line in the third to make the final score 4-3.  Sam Harvey returned to the Komets lineup after his call-up to San Jose of the AHL making 23 saves for just his second regulation loss of the season.

Komet streaks— Shawn Szydlowski has points in six straight games (4g, 4a) and has a three-game home point streak (2g, 2a).

For the week — 

                                                                GP       PT         G           A           +/-

            Will Graber                               3          5          0          5          1

            Shawn Szydlowski                    3          4          2          2          2

            Connor Corcoran                      3          4          3          1          -3

            Shawn Boudrias                        3          4          2          2          0

            Zach Pochiro                            3          3          2          1          -1

            Lynden McCallum                     3          3          1          2          2

            Oliver Cooper                           3          3          0          3          0

            Kellen Jones                             3          2          1          1          1

            Anthony Petruzzelli                   3          2          2          0          -3

             Sacha Roy                                3          1          0          1          2

            Marcus McIvor                          3          1          0          1          0

             Darien Kielb                              3          1          0          1          -3

Goaltenders

                                    GAA     MIN      SA        GA       SV        W         L          T          OTL      SOL     SV%     SO

            Jiri Patera         2.84      127      72        6          66        1          0          0          0          1          0.917    0

             Samuel Harvey 4.11      58        27        4          23        0          1          0          0          0          0.852    0          

Special K's— For the week, the Komets scored on 50 percent of their power play opportunities, going seven for 14.  On the penalty kill, the Komets killed 16 power plays, only allowing three goals. The Komets are now ranked ninth in league in power play efficiency and seventh in on the penalty kill. 

Komet leaders — 

POINTS:  Will Graber  39

GOALS:   Matt Alvaro 15

ASSISTS:  Will Graber 27

PP GOALS: Matt Alvaro  5

Anthony Petruzzelli  5

SH GOALS: Kellen Jones  2

GW GOALS:  Six tied at 2

SHOTS:  Connor Corcoran 97

PIM:  Zach Tolkinen 62

+/- :  Will Graber 19

Icing the puck —  The Komets participated in a shootout for the first time this season on Wednesday. 32 penalty minutes Wednesday was the most in one game this season and Sacha Roy picked up his first point in the loss.  The Komets scored six unanswered goals on Friday, marking the fourth time this season the team has scored five or more unanswered goals this season.  The last time the Komets scored six unanswered was December 23, 2017 in a 7-0 win over Quad City. The team has scored three power plays goals in a game three times this season.  Saturday, Shawn Boudrias had a seven-game point streak snapped, along with a six game goal scoring streak and a five game road goal scoring streak stopped. All three streaks were the longest by a Komet this season and the six game goal streak tied Boudrias for the longest in the ECHL this season. Shawn Szydlowski’s goal Saturday was his 175th as a Komet, making him 13th all-time in Komet history, passing Wally Schreiber.  Szydlowski is also one assist away from tying P.C. Drouin for 11th all-time.  The Komets are outscoring the opposition 58-35 in the third period. The team is also averaging 4.2 goals per game over the last 10 contests.  Over the six-game road trip, Will Graber had 12 assists, Zach Pochiro registered 11 points (5g, 6a), and Boudrias scored five goals and five assists. Graber is tops in the league in points among defenseman with 39.  He is also tied for the top spot in the league with 28 assists.                                                          

This week—The Komets host Indy on Wednesday, Cincinnati on Friday and travel to Wheeling on Saturday.

Player of the week nominations

Will Graber                               3gp      5pt       0g        5a        +1

Upcoming Promotions

BONUS Season Ticket Exchange Night, Wednesday, February 9th  -- All season ticket holders can exchange their unused season tickets for extra tickets.  Exchange your tickets at the Coliseum ticket office. 

PHP Report Card Night, Friday, February 18th -- Take your report card or a letter from a teacher showing an “A” or an “A Equivalent” to the Coliseum Ticket Office any time between now and game night. Get your tickets early!