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CHL Fort Wayne Komets

Boucher, Smith Named CHL All Stars

December 29, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release


Fort Wayne, IN -- The CHL announced the 2012 All-Star game lineup Thursday. Komet Nick Boucher was announced as the starting goaltender earlier this week. Komet center Brett Smith will join Boucher as a member of the CHL All-Star team when the gala is held Wednesday, Jan. 11 in Prescott Valley, Arizona at Tim's Toyota Center. The game will feature the host team, the Arizona Sundogs, battling the CHL All-Star Team.

Boucher, 31, leads CHL goaltenders with 15 wins, a .921 save percentage and three shutouts after 21 appearances. The veteran netminder was named CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Dec. 11. Boucher is currently riding a four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) and seven-game home unbeaten streak (6-0-1). The Leduc, Alberta native is 10-1-1 in his last dozen starts and has three shutouts, a 1.90 goals-against average and .928 save percentage during that span.

Boucher is a three-time Fort Wayne champion, taking IHL titles with the Komets in 2008, 2009 and 2010. 2011-12 is Boucher's ninth pro year and fifth straight season with the Komets.

Smith, 30, leads the Komets with 12 goals, 35 points and a plus-16 after appearing in all 25 games to date and ranks fourth in the CHL with 35 points. The veteran center has had point streaks of 13 games (CHL season high) and seven games so far this season and has scored points in 21 of 25 games played. Smith was named CHL Player of the Month for November.

Smith was a member of last year's CHL championship team Bossier-Shreveport and hails from Guelph, Ontario. 2011-12 is Smith's eighth pro year and first with Fort Wayne.

For more information on the CHL All-Star Game and the players, visit www.centralhockeyleague.com, or click here.

Komets host the Missouri Mavericks tonight -- The Turner Conference rival Missouri Mavericks (12-11-3, 27 points) make their only visit tonight 7:30. It's the first of two meetings this season. The Komets will visit Missouri Jan. 15. The Komets were winless after three games last season against Missouri. The most dangerous Maverick is forward Sebastien Thinel who leads Missouri with 26 assists and 33 points. The Mavericks are in fifth place in the Turner Conference and trail the Komets by six points entering the week. Missouri was shut out in Wichita Tuesday 5-0 and are 2-4-1 in their last seven games.

Komets travel to Evansville Friday -- The Komets will make their fourth of seven trips to Evansville Friday for an 8:15pm ET faceoff at the new Ford Center. The Komets hold a 5-2-0 series edge after seven meetings against their closest rival in the Turner Conference. The IceMen (15-7-2, 32 points) trail the first-place Komets by three points after upending the visiting Dayton Gems Tuesday night 6-5 in overtime.

Bloomington Blaze return Saturday for New Year's Eve -- The Komets will complete the holiday week with the annual Fort Wayne New Year's Eve game Saturday night at 7:30. The Bloomington Blaze return to town to help the Komets ring out 2011 and welcome the new year. It will be Bloomington's third visit for New Year's Eve. The Komets defeated Bloomington 4-1 in 2007 and topped Bloomington 5-1 in 2009. The Blaze will skate at Dayton tonight and host Missouri Friday before completing their busy week of four games in five nights Saturday in Fort Wayne.

New Year's Eve in Fort Wayne-- Saturday will mark the 55th Fort Wayne New Year's Eve game (36th consecutive New Year's Eve game in Fort Wayne. There was no game on Dec. 31, 1975. The tradition started in 1955.). The Komets are 36-13-5 after 54 Fort Wayne New Year's Eve games and have points in nine straight New Year's Eve games (8-0-1) after suffering a 6-5 shootout loss last season to Quad City.

Komets team with Xfinity for live telecasts of home games -- The Komets and Xfinity partnered for five live home telecasts on Xfinity Channel 81 this season. The partnership started with the home opener Oct. 22 and continues with this Saturday night's telecast of the Komets' traditional New Year's Eve game against Bloomington at 7:30pm. Fort Wayne broadcast veteran Kent Hormann will handle play-by-play. In addition to this Saturday nights telecast, Xfinity plans to broadcast the annual Comcast Report Card Night Game Feb. 10, the season finale Mar. 25 and may include a Komet playoff game in April.

Hottest Ticket In Town -- Tickets for all 60th Anniversary Komet home games are on sale at the Coliseum Ticket Office and online at TicketMaster. The Komets offer discounts on group tickets sold at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way. For more ticket information visit the Komet office, call 260-483-0011 or visit the Komets' website at www.komets.com.

INC Soundoff with the Komets Monday nights -- The Komets, along with I ndiana's News Center and title sponsor PHP, present a live weekly televised sports program on Monday nights at 7:30 on WPTA TV 21 Alive. The show is televised live from Wrigley Field Bar and Grill each week throughout the 2011-12 season with INC's Tommy Schoegler as host. Komet players and personnel will serve as co-hosts during the half-hour program. The show will also feature highlights, interviews, call-ins and special segments. MONDAY, Jan. 2, center Leo Thomas and defenseman Jamie Milam will be special guests.

60th Anniversary Komet Hockey on WOWO -- The Komets and WOWO Radio News-Talk 1190 AM have partnered once again for 2011-12. Broadcaster Bob Chase will call the action for his 59th consecutive season radio-rinkside. All games broadcast on radio, home and away, can be heard online at Xfinity KometCast. Most games will be broadcast on WOWO Radio News-Talk 1190 AM with ESPN Radio AM 1380 as an alternative when scheduling conflicts occur.

Komets.com -- The official website for the Fort Wayne Komets is www.komets.com. In addition to live gamecasts, the Komets' home on the web also features news, stats, interactive fan features and information as well as real-time scoring via the CHL and Pointstreak.

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