Komets ready for two big games versus Toledo

Fort Wayne, IN – The Komets earned two points last weekend and they enter the week tied with Iowa for second place in the Central division. The team will face Toledo twice next weekend: Friday at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum starting at 7:35 p.m. and Saturday at the Huntington Center. The Komets have played three fewer games than Toledo, and the Walleye holds the season series lead at three games to two.

ECHL STANDINGS

Last week’s results 

Fri. 1/31 @ Toledo FW 3 – TOL 4 L

Sat. 2/1 vs Wheeling FW 5 – WHL 3 W

Sun. 2/2 vs Indy FW 1 – IND 3 L

About last week – 

On Friday, the Komets traveled to Toledo for the third time this season. Toledo's Tyler Spezia started the scoring with a goal at 3:58 of the first period. The Walleye held the lead until Brannon McManus scored his eighth of the season with assists from Harrison Rees and Noah Ganske at 17:47. The Komets quickly followed with a power-play goal from Jack Dugan to make the score 2-1 after one period of play. 

In the second, former Komet Brandon Hawkins scored a power-play goal to tie the score at 6:18. Hawkins's goal was quickly followed by a C.J. Hayes strike at 11:01 to give the lead back to Toledo. Hawkins scored his second power-play goal in the final frame at 6:30 to push the Walleye lead to 4-2. Brad Morrison got the Komets back within striking distance with a power-play goal with assists from Dugan and Alex Aleardi at 15:28, but the rally fell short as the Komets fell 4-3. Brett Brochu took the loss, making 30 saves.

GAME SHEET

The Wheeling Nailers returned to the Coliseum for the second time on Saturday. Brannon McManus started the scoring with his ninth of the season at 4:08 of the first period with assists from Anthony Petruzzelli and Darren Brady. The Nailers knotted the game with a Matt Koopman tally at 9:09. Ethan Keppen returned the lead to the Komets with a power-play goal at 11:42 from Kyle Mayhew and Jack Dugan. At the end of the period, Keppen received a match penalty for an illegal check to the head, giving the Nailers a five-minute power-play.

In the second period, the Komets killed Keppen's penalty and added to their lead with an even-strength goal from rookie Michael Gildon at 8:24, followed by Jack Gorniak's power-play goal at 15:07 to give the Komets a three-goal lead. With the Komets skating on the penalty kill late in the period, the Nailers cut into the Komets lead with a goal at 17:21 to make the game 4-2 at the end of two periods. 

In the third period, Wheeling's Matt Quercia cut the lead to one, but with goaltender Jaxson Castor pulled for the extra skater, Gorniak scored his second of the game into the empty net to give the Komets a 5-3 win. Connor Unger finished the game with 24 saves for his 13th victory.

GAME SHEET

On Sunday, the Indy Fuel came to town and left with a 3-1 win over the Komets. After a scoreless first period, the deadlock was broken by a Jack Gorniak power-play goal at the :13 mark of the second period as the Fuel got even with a power-play goal at 5:42. In the third period, Indy’s Kyle Maksimovich gave the Fuel their first lead of the game at 1:12. The Komets were unable to answer giving up an empty net goal 18:50. Brett Brochu was tagged with the loss, making 30 saves. The game was marred with several altercations at 19:19 and 20:00, resulting in the Komets being penalized a total of 95 minutes for the game. Indy was assessed 73 total penalty minutes.

GAME SHEET

Komet streaks— 

Points: Dugan, 4 games (1g, 8a), Mayhew, 4 games (1g, 3a), Gorniak, 2 games (3g)

Goals: Gorniak, 2 games (3g)

Assists: Dugan, 4 games (8a) 

Home Points: Tufto, 5 games (2g, 4a), Dugan, 6 games (3g, 4a), Mayhew, 6 games (1g, 6a)

Home Goals: Gorniak, 2 games (3g)

Home Assists: Mayhew, 6 games (6a), Dugan, 2 games (3a), 

Road Points: Dugan, 2 games (1g, 5a), Dugan, 2 games (1g, 1a), McManus 2 games, (2g)

Road Goals: McManus 2 games, (2g)

Road Assists: Dugan, 2 games (5a)

Wins (goaltender): 1, Ungar

Komet leaders—

Points: 47 – Dugan (13g, 34a)

Goals: 13 – Dugan

Assists: 34 – Dugan

Power Play Goals: 6 – Tufto

Short-Handed Goals: 1 -- Gorniak

Game Winning Goals: 4 – Aleardi

Shots: 125 – Aleardi

PIM: 109 – Turcotte

Plus/Minus: +19 – Brady

Home Points: 26 – Dugan

Home Goals: 8 – Swetlikoff, Dugan, Tufto, Gorniak

Home Assists: 18 – Dugan

Road Points: 22 – Dugan

Road Goals: 7 – Taylor, Keppen

Road Assists: 17 – Dugan

Goaltenders

Appearances: 23 – Brochu

Wins: 13 – Brochu, Ungar

Saves: 643 - Brochu

Goals against Avg: 2.40 - Brochu

Save percentage: .923 - Brochu

Shutouts: 1, Brochu, Ungar

Special K’s—The Komets scored four power-play goals last weekend on 13 chances while giving up five power-play goals in 12 shorthanded situations. 

Next week – The Komets host the Walleye on Friday, before heading to Toledo on Saturday.

Icing the puck – Brett Brochu’s assist in Friday’s loss at Toledo was the first by a Komet goalie this season. Jack Gorniak’s two-goal performance Saturday was his first of the season and the 13th time this season a Komet has two goals in a game. The Komets were assessed 95 penalty minutes in Sunday’s loss. It was the most since the Komets were handed 94 minutes on March 11, 2022, in a 6-3 win at Iowa. The 168 combined minutes are the most in a game since the Komets joined the ECHL in 2012-13. Jack Dugan is tied for the league lead in assists with 34. Kyle Mayhew leads all defensemen in scoring (8g, 31a). He also leads the league in power-play assists (18) and is tied for the league lead with 22 power-play points. The Komets are third in the league in attendance, averaging 7,777 fans per game.

Upcoming Promotions

Friday, February 7:  Marathon Fill-Up Card Fridays: Filling up three times at any area Marathon station earns you buy-one-get-one tickets to any Friday home game.  Visit any local Marathon Station for details.

Kids Seat FREE Night:  Receive a FREE Kids ticket courtesy of Lutheran Health Network and Aunt Millie's with the purchase of any regular-priced adult ticket!  Visit the Memorial Coliseum Ticket Office to take advantage of this offer.

See Komets Schedule  See Komets Roster 

Komet hockey on WXKE — Fans can follow the action with Shane Albahrani broadcasting play-by-play on 96.3 WKXE. Game broadcasts are also streamed live at Komets.com. 

Get Komet Tickets — Tickets are available for all Komet home games at the Memorial Coliseum ticket office and Ticketmaster.com.