Desjardins' Hat Trick Leads Komets to Three-Point Week
November 21, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release
Fort Wayne, IN - The Komets were an even 1-1-1 in three games played for Week 6 of 2017-18 and gained three points to improve to 6-5-2 and 14 points after 13 games. Fort Wayne holds fourth place in the Central division, trailing first-place Toledo by 10 points with two games in hand.
Thursday the Komets started the week by dropping a 6-3 morning affair at Toledo. After spotting the Walleye three goals the Komets rallied to tie the game 3-3 before Toledo mounted a three-goal comeback in the third period for the win. Fort Wayne falls to 3-3-1 all-time in morning games. Dennis Kravchenko scored a pair and Shawn Szydlowski contributed a goal and an assist in the second period rally. Garrett Bartus started the game for Fort Wayne and allowed three goals on 12 shots before Michael Houser earned the decision making nine saves on 12 shots in relief.
Friday Cody Sol scored his first Fort Wayne goal of the season to give the Komets a 1-0 lead at 4:02 of the first period before the visiting Kansas City Mavericks responded with three goals before the end of the second period. Fort Wayne bounced back in the third with goals by Kravchenko and Gabriel Desjardins to send the game into overtime. KC's Mike McMurtry ended the contest at 1:55 of the extra session to give the Mavs a 4-3 overtime win. Houser suffered his second overtime loss making 16 saves on 20 shots.
Sunday the Komets finished the week with a 6-1 drilling of the Tulsa Oilers in the first Sunday matinee game of the season in Fort Wayne. Desjardins led the Komet charge with his first career hat trick. Szydlowski, Kravchenko and newcomer Louick Marcotte also added markers. Kravchenko extended his goal-scoring streak to three games (4g) and point-scoring streak to four games (4g, 2a). Marcotte hit the net in his first game with Fort Wayne after a trade with Wichita last week. Houser snapped a personal three-game winless skid with his fourth win of the season after stopping 46 of 47 shots. It was the first time the Komets have allowed 47 shots in a game since Feb. 14, 2015 when the Solar Bears directed 48 shots on the Fort Wayne net in a 4-2 Komet win at Orlando.
Walleye for Thanksgiving -- The Komets will open week 7 with their 57th anniversary Thanksgiving game Thursday against the Toledo Walleye (11-2-2, 24 points) at 7:30pm. Last year Fort Wayne posted their 35th Thanksgiving home win 6-1 over Kalamazoo to improve to 35-17-2-2 (.661) after 56 home games on the festive holiday. The Walleye lead the Central division and the Western conference with 24 points and are riding a 10-game unbeaten streak (9-0-1) including a five-game win streak. The season series is even at 1-1-0 after two meetings. Toledo will skate at Cincinnati Wednesday before traveling to Fort Wayne for the annual holiday game.
The first annual Bob Chase Memorial Thanksgiving game -- Thursday night the Komets will honor legendary Fort Wayne broadcaster Bob Chase with the first Bob Chase Memorial Thanksgiving game. Fans will have a chance to purchase a replica of the Bob Chase memorial patch worn on Komet uniforms last season after Chase's death on Thanksgiving morning. The patches will be available at the souvenir stand at any home game and all proceeds will go to WOWO Penny Pitch in Chase's memory. This year all donations to Penny Pitch benefit Shepherd's House of Fort Wayne.
Komets at Indy Friday -- Friday the Komets travel to Indy (4-7-3) for a 7:35pm faceoff against the Fuel at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum (6,488) for the first of six meetings and the first of three in Fort Wayne. Last season the Komets were 8-1-0 in nine meetings against the Fuel. Indy is looking to get out of the Central division cellar, tied with Kalamazoo with 11 points. The Fuel are idle until they welcome the Komets Friday.
Cyclones blow in on Saturday -- The Komets will complete Thanksgiving week with a 7:35pm faceoff against division rival Cincinnati (7-5-1) Saturday night at the Memorial Coliseum. It's the second of nine meetings after Cincy clipped the Komets in Fort Wayne 3-2 in overtime in the last meeting on Oct. 27. The Cyclones are 1-3-0 in their last four outings after posting a five game win string. Cincinnati hosts Toledo Wednesday and Wheeling Friday before making the trip to Fort Wayne Saturday.
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