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Fort Wayne Komets

Komets Head West; Week 20 Yields Four Points

February 29, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release


Fort Wayne, IN - The Komets gained four points in week 20 of 2015-16 and maintained the Midwest Division lead improving to 31-17-5 and 67 points after 53 games. Fort Wayne leads second-place Cincinnati by three points heading into week 21 and has two games in hand. Six weeks remain before the playoffs begin the week of April 11.

This week the Komets embark on a two-week western road tour that will cover a round trip total of 8,733 miles of travel. The Komets will visit conference rivals Colorado and Rapid City this week before they make the trek to Alaska next week.

Wednesday the Komets skate at Colorado before visiting Rapid City for a pair of games Friday and Saturday. The Komets will return to Colorado Sunday. Then it's north to Alaska where the Komets will battle the Aces in all three games scheduled for the week of March 7th.

THE TRIP WEST

Komets at Colorado Eagles Wednesday and Sunday-- The Komets begin the long road trip ahead with a 9:05pm ET faceoff at Colorado (29-23-2, 60 points) Wednesday and will return to the Budweiser Events Center (5,289) Sunday for a 5:05pm ET start. The two-games at Colorado will complete the three-game season series. The Komets dropped a 5-4 overtime decision to Colorado in Fort Wayne Feb. 21 in the first meeting of the year. Wednesday will be the first trip to Colorado since Feb. 9, 2013 when the Komets wrapped up a three-game visit. The Eagles begin the week holding third place in the West Division trailing first-place Idaho by seven points while riding a four-game win streak. After Colorado hosts Fort Wayne Wednesday they will welcome Allen Saturday before the Komets return Sunday.

Komets at Rapid City Rush Friday and Saturday-- The Komets visit Rapid City (22-28-5, 49 points) for a pair of games Friday and Saturday at 9:05pm ET each night. The Komets claimed both games of a Rush visit Jan. 16 and 17. The games this weekend will finish the season series. It will be the first trip to Rapid City since the 2011-12 CHL season when the Komets were there for back-to-back games in November and again in December, 2011, going 3-1-0 in four games at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center (5,199). The fourth-place Rush trail West Division leader Idaho by 18 points with 17 games remaining and are 4-2-1 in their last seven games. Rapid City is idle until the Komets visit Friday.

Komets at Alaska Aces Wednesday, March 9, Friday, March 11, and Saturday, March 12-- The Komets will skate all three meetings of the season at Alaska (20-29-6, 46 points) next week. It will be the first time in Fort Wayne's 64-year history they have faced a team from Alaska. Fort Wayne's initial visit to the Sullivan Arena (6,000) in Anchorage will be for games Wednesday, March 9, Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12 at 11:15pm ET each night. The Aces, skating their 13th ECHL season, failed to qualify for post-season play last year after claiming their third Kelly Cup Championship in 2014. Alaska is winless in their last four games (0-3-1) and 3-5-1 in their last nine outings. This week the Aces travel to Idaho for three games before returning home to host the Komets next week.

About last week-- The Komets opened a two-game home set against Missouri Wednesday in the first meeting of the season. The Mavericks took the first game, clipping the Komets 4-3. Fort Wayne goals were scored by Kyle Thomas, Alex Belzile and Gabriel Beaupre. Komet goaltender Spencer Martin fell to 6-6-0 making 16 saves on 20 shots.

Friday the Komets responded with a 4-3 overtime victory to finish the season series against Missouri at 1-1-0. The Komets took a two-goal lead on markers by Kyle Thomas and Garrett Meurs before the Mavericks answered with a pair to knot the game at 2-2. Belzile answered with his first of two for the night before Matt Finn of the Mavericks sent the game into overtime with 1:29 remaining in the third period. Belzile finished the game with his fourth game winner of the season with 6.5 seconds remaining in the extra frame. Goaltender Pat Nagle earned the win for Fort Wayne stopping 30 of 33 shots.

Saturday the Komets edged the visiting Tulsa Oilers 2-1. All Fort Wayne's scoring was in the second period as Jordon Southorn opened the scoring at 12:25 before Jamie Schaafsma scored what proved to be the game winner at 16:09. Netminder Nagle collected the win allowing one goal on 30 shots and pushed his unbeaten string to five games (3-0-2).

Komet leaders-- Mike Embach leads with 23 goals, 10 power play goals and 53 points.....Southorn leads with +17.....Shawn Szydlowski leads with 35 assists.....Cody Sol leads with 157 penalty minutes.....Belzile and Brett Perlini lead with four game winning goals each....Perlini leads with 155 shots.

Special K's-- The Komets continue to have the most effective power play at 21.6% (43/199) and rank third on the penalty kill at 86.4% (191/221).

Holding the lead-- In both Fort Wayne wins of the week the Komets were leading after the second period to push their record to 22-0-0 when taking the lead into the third period. Only Wheeling (17-0-0) has also won every game to date when leading after two periods. The Komets are 22-4-0 when leading after the first period.

Shooting the puck-- The Komets rank third in the ECHL with 1,778 total shots on goal (33.55 shots per game) and rank second to Missouri with an average of 3.34 goals per game.

Milestones and streaks-- Cody Corbett had an assist in each game of the week for a three-game assist streak (3a).....Trevor Cheek is riding a six-game home point streak (5g, 4a)......Alex Belzile's league-high nine-game assist streak (11a) ended Wednesday and his 11-game home point streak (6g, 11a) ended Saturday.....Cody Sol had an assist on Schaafsma's game winning marker Saturday to set a new career high of 12 assists in a season, eclipsing his old mark of 11 assists set last season....Brett Perlini dished a helper on Belzile's first goal of the night Friday to match his career high of 17 assists in a season.

K's in the Pink-- The Komets won both home games of the fifth annual Pink The Rink Night fund raiser Friday and Saturday. Saturday night the game-worn jerseys were claimed by winning bidders with proceeds going to the Vera Bradley Foundation's efforts in breast cancer awareness. Prior to this year's fund raising, the "Pink The Rink" cooperative had successfully raised more than $56,000 for research.

Komets return home for Quad City double-header-- The Komets will return home Friday, March 18 at 8pm for the first of a pair of home games against the Mallards with the rematch Saturday, March 19 at 7:30pm. It will be the first of five straight home games in nine days.

Get your tickets early-- Tickets for Komet home games are on sale at the Coliseum Ticket Office and online at TicketMaster.com. Discounted Group tickets are also on sale for all Komet home games at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way. Call the 260-483-0011 or visit komets.com for more information.

TIP-A-KOMET Tuesday, March 15 at Applebee's-- The Komets invite all fans to the Tip-A-Komet benefit at Applebee's North Clinton location by the Coliseum Tuesday, March 15 from 6:30pm-8pm. Fans have a chance to be served dinner by a Komet player as the entire team will be on-hand for the special night at Applebee's. All tips benefit Applebee's Make-A-Wish Foundation Fundraising efforts. For more information fans can call the Komet office at 260-483-0011.

Komets on the air-- Komet games this week are scheduled to be aired on WOWO AM 1190 and FM 107.5 with Shane Albahrani calling the action radio-rinkside, substituting for Bob Chase. All Komet radio broadcasts can also be heard worldwide as presented by Omni Source Radio Recycle at www.komets.com.

Soundoff With The Komets continues this year on 21Alive in Fort Wayne. The 30-minute live telecast is hosted by Tommy Schoegler from SportOne/Parkview IceHouse each Monday night at 7:30 throughout the season. Tonight Komet forward Brock Montgomery will be the guest.

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