Komets fans break attendance record

Fort Wayne, IN – The Komets finished the regular season averaging 8,185 fans per game, breaking the franchise record of 8,157 set last season. After a shootout loss to Bloomington on Sunday, the Komets host Iowa in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The best-of-seven series will start at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum this Friday at 7:30 p.m.

ECHL STANDINGS

Last week’s results 

Fri. 4/11 at Toledo FW 3 – TOL 0 W

Sat. 4/12 vs Bloomington FW 3 – BLM 1 W

Sun. 4/13 vs Bloomington FW 3 – BLM 4 SOL

About last week – 

The Komets visited the Huntington Center in Toledo on Friday and blanked the Walleye 3-0.

Kyle Crnkovic notched his 14th goal of the season at 14:41 for the only first-period score, as Matt Murphy and Jack Dugan picked up assists. 

After a scoreless second period, Nathan Day came in relief of starting goaltender Connor Ungar after making 24 saves. 

Josh Groll increased the Komet lead by nabbing his third goal at 3:36, followed by a Jack Gorniak strike at 4:47, with assists from Crnkovic and Dugan. Day finished the game, making eight saves.

GAME SHEET

The Komets hosted Bloomington on Saturday and came away with a 3-1 victory.

The Bison ended the Komets shutout streak at 127:35, as Chongmin Lee scored a power-play goal at 7:36. The Komets quickly answered as Zach Jordan extended his goal-scoring streak to four games with his 18th tally at 9:38, with assists going to Blake Murray and Matt Murphy to make the game 1-1 after the first period. 

James Stefan claimed the second period's only goal on a power-play goal at 4:50, with assists from Jack Dugan and Owen Gallatin.

In the third period, the Komets defense and goaltender Nathan Day held the 2-1 lead, allowing Stefan to score an empty net goal at 19:44 to solidify the win. Day finished with 18 saves.

GAME SHEET

The Komets skated the final game of the regular season at the Coliseum and fell to Bloomington in a shootout 4-3.

Blake Murray struck twice in the first period with goals at 7:09 and 13:13 to give the Komets a 2-0 lead after one period. 

During a penalty-filled third period, Bloomington’s Brett Budgell scored on a power play at 15:18 and followed that up with a short-handed goal at 16:18 to tie the game. With the Komets on a two-man advantage, Jack Gorniak found the back of the net to put the Komets back in the lead. However, Bloomington rallied in the final minute to tie the game at 19:48 and sent the contest to overtime.

Neither team could score the game-winner in the extra frame, so the game was settled via a shootout with Bloomington’s Chongmin Lee netting the game-winner. Brett Brochu made 23 saves in his return to the Komets line-up.

GAME SHEET

Komet Regular season leaders—

Points: 76 – Dugan (23g, 53a)

Goals: 23 – Aleardi, Dugan

Assists: 53 – Dugan

Power Play Goals: 7 – Dugan

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

Game Winning Goals: 7 – Aleardi

Shots: 197 – Aleardi

PIM: 129 – Dugan

Plus/Minus: +20 – Brady

Home Points: 34 – Dugan

Home Goals: 12– Aleardi

Home Assists: 25 – Mayhew

Road Points: 39 – Dugan

Road Goals: 12 – Dugan

Road Assists: 27 – Dugan

Goaltenders

Appearances: 36 – Brochu

Wins: 20 – Brochu

Saves: 1135 - Brochu

Goals against Avg: 2.42 - Brochu

Save percentage: 0.923 - Brochu

Shutouts: 3, Ungar

Icing the puck –    The combined shutout in Toledo on Friday night was first since October 28, 16 versus Allen (Pat Nagle & Eric Hartzell). Jack Dugan finished tops in the league for the second straight season with 53 assists. Brett Brochu finished fourth in the league with a 0.923 save percentage. 

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.