Komets set for three big divisional games

Fort Wayne, IN – The Komets earned a point in the weekend finale against Toledo, but dropped to third place in the Central Division with a record of 26-16-2-0 for 54 points. The team will face Cincinnati on Friday at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum before heading to Kalamazoo on Saturday. The Wings return to the Coliseum on Sunday for a 5:00 p.m. faceoff. 

ECHL STANDINGS

Last week’s results 

Fri. 2/7 vs Toledo FW 3 – TOL 2 L

Sat. 2/8 at Toledo FW 3 – TOL 4 OTL

About last week – 

On Friday, the short-handed Komets scored the only goal of the first period with a strike from former Walleye, Kirill Tyutyayev, at 17:31, with assists from Anthony Petruzzelli and Cam Supryka. 

In the second period, league-leading scorer Brandon Hawkins scored the period’s only goal on a power play at 5:07. 

With the game tied 1-1 in the third period, Tyler Spezia put the Walleye up with a goal at 5:48. Spezia followed it up with a short-handed goal at 12:49 to give the Walleye a 3-1 lead. With goaltender Connor Unger pulled for the extra skater, Kyle Mayhew netted his eighth goal of the season to pull the Komets within in one at 19:02, but the Komet rally fell short as the Toledo goaltender Jan Bednar was able to stop the Komets in the final minute to make the final score 3-2. Conner Ungar took the loss, making 33 saves.

GAME SHEET

Saturday night, the Komets made another appearance at the Huntington Center to face the Walleye and came up short 4-3 in overtime. 

In the first period, the Walleye struck first with a goal from Matt Anderson at 4:20. The Komets quickly answered with Jack Dugan’s 14th of the season at 10:45, with assists from Ethan Keppen and Cam Supryka to tie the game 1-1. 

In the second frame, Jalen Smereck gave the lead back to the Walleye with a goal at 5:45, followed by a Tyler Spezia power-play goal at 12:22 to make the game 3-1 after 40 minutes of play. The Komets were outshot 16-3 in the period.

Dugan scored his second of the game in the third period to get the Komets within one. Then, with Justin Taylor in the penalty box, Ethen Keppen was awarded a penalty shot and scored at 8:03 to tie the game. The Walleye were given their sixth power-play of the game at 19:13, a penalty that carried over into overtime. The Komets could not get a shot on goal in the extra frame as Brandon Hawkins ended the game with a goal at :54. Brett Brochu took the loss, making 38 saves.  

GAME SHEET

Komet streaks— 

Points: Dugan, 5 games (3g, 8a), Mayhew, 6 games (2g, 3a), Supryka, 2 games (2a)

Assists: Dugan, 4 games (8a), Supryka, 2 games (2a) 

Home Points: Tufto, 5 games (2g, 4a), Dugan, 6 games (3g, 4a), Mayhew, 7 games (2g, 6a)

Home Assists: Dugan, 2 games (3a) 

Road Points: Dugan, 3 games (3g, 5a), Mayhew, 3 games (2g, 1a)

Road Goals: Dugan, 2 games (3g)

Road Assists: Mayhew, 2 games (2a)

Komet leaders—

Points: 49 – Dugan (15g, 34a)

Goals: 15 – Dugan

Assists: 34 – Dugan

Power Play Goals: 6 – Tufto, Dugan

Short-Handed Goals: 1 – Gorniak, Keppen, Taylor

Game Winning Goals: 4 – Aleardi

Shots: 131 – 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: 24 – Dugan

Road Goals: 8 – Keppen

Road Assists: 17 – Dugan

Goaltenders

Appearances: 24 – Brochu

Wins: 13 – Brochu, Ungar

Saves: 681 - Brochu

Goals against Avg: 2.47 - Brochu

Save percentage: .922 - Brochu

Shutouts: 1, Brochu, Ungar

Special K’s—The Komets had three power-plays last week, scoring once. The opposition were given seven power-plays, scoring three times.

Next week – The Komets host Cincinnati on Friday and travel to Kalamazoo on Saturday before facing the Wings at the Coliseum on Sunday. 

Icing the puck – Justin Taylor is 23 games played shy of 900 (ECHL, AHL) in his pro career and Alex Aleardi needs two more games played for 600 in his pro career (ECHL, AHL, Europe). Ethan Keppen’s short-handed penalty shot in Saturday’s loss at Toledo was the first road penalty shot goal since Mathieu Curadeau scored against Kalamazoo on February 2, 2008. The Komets and Walleye will not play again until April 11, at Toledo. The Komets will play the next six of eight games at the Coliseum. Jack Dugan has seven assists over his last five games. The Komets have scored 143 goals this season, second most in the Central Division.

Upcoming Promotions

Friday, February 14:  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.

Sunday, February 16: Meijer Family Nights plus Post Game Skate: Visit the Memorial Coliseum Ticket Office and get four Upper Arena Tickets for just $58! Also, bring your skates to go out on the ice after the game!

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.