Komets ready to claim playoff spot

Fort Wayne, IN – The Komets enter the week needing two points to qualify for the Kelly Cup Playoffs as their seven-game road trip concludes on Friday versus Bloomington. The team currently sits in second place in the Central Division with a record of 37-20-5-1 for 80 points with nine regular-season games remaining.

ECHL STANDINGS

Last week’s results 

Fri. 3/21 at Iowa FW 4 – IW 1 W

Sat. 3/22 at Iowa FW 1 – IW 3 L

Sun. 3/23 at Iowa FW 1 – IW 2 SOL

About last week – 

On Friday, the Komets visited Iowa for the second time this season in the first of a three-game series against the Heartlanders. 

In the first period, recently acquired forward, Blake Murray, scored at 15:22 for the only tally, giving the Komets a 1-0 lead after twenty minutes of play. 

Mathew Sop tied the game in the second period with a strike at 13:30, but it was quickly erased by Kyle Crnkovic, with assists coming from Noah Ganske and Matt Murphy at 14:35 to return the lead to the Komets. 

Jack Dugan scored at 11:41 in the final frame with assists from Murphy and Murray to push the lead to two goals. The Heartlanders took a late penalty with their goaltender pulled, leading Alex Aleardi to score his team-leading 22nd goal, with assists from Nick Deakin-Poot and Harrison Rees to put the game out of reach at 19:36. Brett Brochu made 24 saves for the victory.

GAME SHEET

The Komets and the Heartlanders met again on Saturday in the second game of a three-game series.

The scoring was started when Iowa’s Adam Goodsir put one past Komet goaltender Conner Ungar at 6:01 of the first period. Zach Jordan got the Komets even with a second-period power-play goal at 5:36, with helpers from Blake Murray and Jack Dugan. The Heartlanders reclaimed the lead when Jack O’Brien knocked in a rebound at 9:29 to make it a 2-1 game after two periods. 

In the third period, O’Brien struck again, giving the Heartlanders the insurance goal and the 3-1 win. Ungar made 28 saves in the loss.

GAME SHEET

On Sunday, the Komets faced Iowa in the rubber match of their three-game series in Coralville. 

Iowa’s TJ Walsh started the first period scoring with a goal at 12:35 as the Komets answered when Nick Deakin-Poot netted his fifth goal with an assist coming from Nolan Volcan and Harrison Rees at 13:14. 

In the second period, Jack Gorniak was awarded a penalty shot late but was denied by Iowa goaltender William Rousseau to keep the game tied at one after 40 minutes.

Neither team was able to score in the third period, taking the game to overtime. The two teams battled to a stalemate in overtime, leading to a shootout that ended in the 11th round when Iowa’s Nathan Noel beat Brett Brochu to give the game to the Heartlanders. Brochu made 20 saves in the loss.

GAME SHEET

Komet leaders—

Points: 69 – Dugan (21g, 48a)

Goals: 22 – Aleardi

Assists: 48 – Dugan

Power Play Goals: 7 – Dugan

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

Game Winning Goals: 7 – Aleardi

Shots: 177 – Aleardi

PIM: 123 – Dugan

Plus/Minus: +20 – Brady

Home Points: 31 – Dugan

Home Goals: 12– Aleardi

Home Assists: 24 – Mayhew

Road Points: 38 – Dugan

Road Goals: 11 – Dugan

Road Assists: 27 – Dugan

Goaltenders

Appearances: 35 – Brochu

Wins: 20 – Brochu

Saves: 1005 - Brochu

Goals against Avg: 2.46 - Brochu

Save percentage: .924 - Brochu

Shutouts: 2, Ungar

Special K’s—The Komets killed off 10 power-plays last week while scoring two power-play goals on nine chances. 

Next week – The Komets play at Bloomington on Friday before returning home against the Bison on Saturday. 

Icing the puck –  The Komets have won the regular season series against Iowa 3-1-0-1. Alex Aleardi has played 226 consecutive games with Florida, Rapid City, and Fort Wayne. The Komets are 3-1 in shootouts. The team has a +25 goal differential in the third period. With a win on Friday, the Komets eclipsed last season's point total of 77. Fort Wayne and Bloomington will face off four times in the last nine games of the season. The Komets are 22-6-2 when scoring first and have killed off 17 straight power plays.

Upcoming Promotions

Saturday, March 29:  Be our guest for Princess Night!  Meet some of your favorite Princesses before the game, courtesy of Kid to Kid and TAG Art Company! Fans that come dressed as a prince or princess can join in on our on-ice Princess Parade!

Report Card Night presented by 3Rivers:  "A" students can get a FREE ticket to the game courtesy of 3Rivers!  Show your report card at the Memorial Coliseum Ticket Office with an “A” or “A-Equivalent” on it and receive a free ticket to this game! 

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.