IHL 2 Fort Wayne Komets

Komets 58th Home Opener Friday

October 20, 2009 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release


Fort Wayne, IN - The defending back-to-back Turner Cup Champion Fort Wayne Komets will host their 58th consecutive home opener Friday night at 8:00 when the Bloomington PrairieThunder visit. The Komets hope to continue their success with home openers after extending their win streak to five straight home openers last year with an 11-3 ambushing of the Flint Generals. Also, the Komets have not been beaten in regulation 14 straight home openers (12-0-2).

Friday's home tilt will be the first of 38 games on Coliseum ice during the regular season and the first of 13 on Friday. The Komets also have nine Saturday home games and five Sunday games for a total of 27 weekend games at home. During the week the Komets play at home on one Tuesday, seven Wednesdays and three Thursdays.

This Friday's match with Bloomington will be the first of six visits by the Thunder. Dayton, Flint, Muskegon and Port Huron each also visit six times while Quad City is schedule for eight trips to Fort Wayne.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early for Friday night's festivities which are slated to get underway at 8pm sharp. Ceremonies include the annual introduction of Komet legends and a very special presentation celebrating the back-to-back Turner Cup Championships.

Komets take split of season opening weekend.....the Komets successfully began their defense of the Turner Cup with a 4-3 overtime win at Dayton Friday night. It marked the first time a Fort Wayne team traveled to Dayton, Ohio and Hara Arena since March 15, 1980, when the Komets and Gems skated to a 4-4 tie. Komet winger Leo Thomas spoiled the Gems' home opener with an overtime tally at 1:41 to give the Komets the victory. Saturday the Komets dropped a 5-4 decision at McMorran Arena in Port Huron for a split of their season opening games over the weekend.

Matt Syroczynski was the only player in the IHL to score goals in both games played over the weekend. Syroczynski added an assist in each game to start the campaign with two goals and four points. Also registering points in each game were wingers P.C. Drouin (four assists) and Konstantin Shafranov (one goal, two assists) and defenseman Keith Rodger (one goal, one assist). The Komets were short-handed a league-high 16 times, surrendering an IHL-high five power play goals. Defenseman Guy Dupuis led the IHL with 10 shots in the two games played while goaltender Nick Boucher faced the most shots of IHL goalies over the weekend with 74.

A roster of 23......the Komets launched the season with a roster of 23 players including 13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders. David Hukalo (RW) and Brandon Warner (D) are on 30-day I.R. Jimmy Bonneau (LW) is on call-up to the AHL's Rochester Americans and appeared in one game during the week.

Chasing 57......Bob Chase has started his 57th consecutive season calling Komet action radio-rinkside on WOWO Radio AM 1190. Chase began at the Komet microphone in 1953 and has never looked back. Bob Chase and the Komet game broadcast can also be heard worldwide on the Komets' website at www.komets.com at Comcast KometCast.

Get your tickets early......tickets for Komet home games are on sale at the Coliseum Ticket Office and online at www.ticketmaster.com. The Komets offer discounts on group tickets sold at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way. Season tickets also continue to be on sale. For more information visit the Komet office, call 260-483-0011 or visit the Komets' website at www.komets.com.

Single game ticket prices for 2009-10 remain the same as last season, ranging from $8.00 to $20.00 for seniors and adults and starting at $6.00 for children.

Komets.com.....the official website of the Fort Wayne Komets is www.komets.com . In addition to featuring free webcasting of live Komet game radio, Komets.com also provides fans and media with up-to-date team stats, news, interactive fan features and information. Fans can also follow all Komet games with real-time scoring via the IHL and Pointstreak by clicking the Scoreboard at Komets.com.

Check out the Fort Wayne Komets Statistics



International Hockey League 2 Stories from October 20, 2009


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