Komets blaze to six in a row

Published on November 6, 2006 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2) News Release


LAKE ST. LOUIS, MO --- The Fort Wayne Komets have used a six-game winning streak to claim the top spot in the United Hockey League (UHL) Western Conference standings. Four of the six wins have come against their Western Conference rivals and the team currently has the second best record (7-1-0) in the league.

Head coach Pat Bingham is just in his first season with the Komets, but has helped continue the winning tradition in Fort Wayne. Scoring has been plentiful for the Komets this season as they are currently second in the UHL with 38 goals on the season. During the six-game win streak, the club has outscored the opposition 32-12. The team has also won a couple of close contests as they claimed two shootout victories during the fourth weekend of the season.

The Komets are receiving contributions from multiple players, including a large chunk of scoring from the blueline. Defensemen Mario Larocque and Guy Dupuis are two of the top four scorers on the team. Center Bruce Richardson has been the best set-up man dishing out a team leading 12 assists and winger J.C. Ruid leads the Komets with eight goals.

Goaltending has been a key for the team as well. 2003-04 UHL MVP Kevin St. Pierre currently leads all goaltenders in the league with a 2.15 goals against average (GAA). His .933 save percentage (SPCT) also ranks first among UHL netminders.

FURY CELEBRATE 600 WINS - The Muskegon Fury won their 600th UHL game on Friday night. They used a 4-2 victory vs. Elmira to record the milestone win. The 600 wins are the most by any club in UHL history. This season marks the 15th year for the organization in the UHL. Nine different head coaches and over 300 players have helped the Muskegon Fury reach 600 victories. The feat was accomplished in 1,033 games played for the club.

SHUTOUT RECORD INCREASED - Fort Wayne Komets goaltender Kevin St. Pierre is the UHL all-time leader in career shutouts. His mark was increased to 22 as he made 34 saves in the 6-0 win vs. Port Huron on Saturday. St. Pierre's first UHL shutout came six seasons ago when he blanked Rockford in a 6-0 victory on January 13, 2001 as a member of the Port Huron Border Cats.

RELEASE THE HOUNDS - Although they had to wait an extra day, the Chicago Hounds played their home opener on Saturday and gave the fans of Chicagoland a first-look at the new squad. Nearly 4,500 fans were in attendance to watch the first home contest at the Sears Centre for the Hounds inaugural season.

WELCOME HOME - After playing their first five games of the season on the road, the Quad City Mallards played on home ice in back-to-back contests. The Mallards were supported by over 10,000 fans combined during the two-game weekend.

SUIT OFF, SKATES ON - Former Flint Generals head coach Bobby Reynolds resumed his playing career on Saturday. A little more than six months after coaching the Generals in the 2005-06 season, he was back on the ice helping them to a 7-4 victory vs. the defending Colonial Cup Champion Kalamazoo Wings. Reynolds, who ranks third on Flint's all-time scoring list, quickly shook off any rust as he scored a goal and dished out an assist in his first professional game in over 18 months.

Reynolds is the second former UHL coach in as many seasons to lace up the skates once again. Lonnie Loach joined the Missouri River Otters for 21 games during the 2005-06 season. He coached the River Otters during the 2003-04 season. Bruce Ramsay moved behind the bench (Port Huron Beacons 2002-04) following his UHL playing career, returned to the ice (Muskegon 2004-05), then again moved to the coaching ranks as the current head coach for Muskegon.

HANG UP SKATES, GRAB CLIPBOARD - A total of 32 different UHL players have gone on to earn a head coaching position in the league including four current coaches; Flint's Kevin Kerr, Fort Wayne's Pat Bingham, Elmira's Kris Waltze, and Muskegon's Bruce Ramsay. Brad Jones, UHL VP of Hockey Operations, has also played and coached in the UHL. Elmira General Manager Robbie Nichols spent time as a player and a coach in the UHL. In addition, Port Huron Flags assistant coach Jeff Blum spent parts of five seasons playing in the league.

TRADING HOCKEY HELMETS FOR HARD HATS - Bloomington PrairieThunder head coach Derek Booth and ten of his players will take time away from the rink on Tuesday to help build a Habitat for Humanity home in the Bloomington community. Habitat for Humanity is an international organization that builds homes for those in need.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Bloomington PrairieThunder - (2-1-0) - Forward Jon Jankus scored a goal on his first shot just 4:11 into his first professional game on Thursday. He has a point in each of his first three games with Bloomington...The team broke an 0 for 17 slump on the power play by going 3 for 6 in Thursday's 4-3 win...Goaltender Jeff Reynaert recorded both victories for the team this week. He has been in net for all three team wins this season...The last six games for Bloomington were vs. Western Conference opponents, but play four of the next five vs. Eastern Conference foes.

Chicago Hounds - (0-2-0) - After playing their first five games on the road, the Hounds skated on home ice for the first time on Saturday...Center Mike Brolsma netted the first home goal in team history midway through the first period. He leads the team with five points (2g, 3a)...Chicago has one more home game before playing the next six on the road...Marty Magers is the only goaltender to appear in net for the Hounds this season...15 of the 19 skaters to hit the ice for Chicago this season have an even or better plus/minus rating.

Elmira Jackals - (1-1-0) - The Jackals had their five-game win streak snapped on Friday by Muskegon, but handed Muskegon their first loss of the season with Saturday's 7-4 victory, snapping their eight-game winning streak... Elmira plays their next five games on the road. They currently are undefeated (2-0-0) away from home ice...The Jackals had two shorthanded goals on Saturday. They lead the UHL in that category with seven this season.

Flint Generals - (1-0-1) - Rookie Forward Mike Zbriger scored a goal in his first game with the team on Saturday. He was acquired in a trade with Chicago a day earlier...Forward David Frawley has scored his four goals this season on just eight shots to lead the UHL in shooting percentage (.500)...The Generals scored the first six goals of the game in Saturday's 7-4 win vs. Kalamazoo...Flint is out-shooting the opposition 113-78 in the third period this season...Forward Jan Eriksson had two goals in a span of 1:28 during the second period on Sunday.

Fort Wayne Komets - (3-0-0) - Winger J.C. Ruid netted a "hat trick" (3g) on Saturday. He is riding a six-game point streak...Defenseman Mario Larocque had a "hat trick" the following night, including the game-tying goal with just eight seconds remaining in the game. He is only the second Komets defenseman to record a "hat trick" (Frederic Bouchard)...Goaltender Dan McWhinney made his first professional start on Sunday. He made 25 saves in regulation and stopped all four attempts in the shootout to earn the 4-3 victory vs. Flint.

Kalamazoo Wings - (1-1-0) - Rookie right wing Justin Cross is on a three-game goal streak...Kalamazoo is one of two UHL teams (Elmira) that are undefeated on the road...All seven games this season for the K-Wings have been vs. Eastern Conference opponents...Kalamazoo's six-game streak of scoring the first goal of the game was ended by Flint on Saturday...20 of the 33 goals scored by Kory Karlander during his time in a K-Wings uniform have been scored on the power play...Center Shawn Snider had his six-game point streak snapped on Saturday.

Muskegon Fury - (2-1-0) - The Fury have scored four or more goals in each of their ten games this season. They have allowed three or less goals in all but one game...Muskegon has a power play goal in each game this year... Goaltender Clayton Pool is 6-0-0 this season. He has won all five road games for the team...The club currently has the top five scorers in the UHL...Center Todd Robinson leads the league in scoring. He has been held without a point in just one game this season and has eight multi-point games.

Port Huron Flags - (0-3-0) - The Flags where shutout in back-to-back games during the week and are in the midst of a four-game winless streak... Dustin Traylen currently leads all UHL goaltenders in minutes played (423:33)... Center Jeremy Tucker ranks fourth among UHL rookies in shots on goal (19)...Jeff Cameron is tied for first among UHL defensemen in shots on goal (37). Ryan Gillis ranks fifth (29) in that category...The Flags lead the league with 122 minor penalties.

Quad City Mallards - (0-1-1) - The Mallards have successfully killed off 31 of the last 32 power play opportunities by their opponents...Forward Justin Chwedoruk scored his first goal as a Mallard on Saturday. He dished out his first assist the previous evening...Forward Sean Starke netted his first goal in a Mallards uniform on Friday. His game-tying goal came with less than seven minutes remaining to send the game into a shootout...Defenseman Nick Harloff added an assist on Saturday in just his second game with the team.

Rockford IceHogs - (2-0-0) - Goaltender Frederic Cloutier has won his last four starts registering a 2.25 GAA and a .931 SPCT during that span...All eight of Rockford's games have been against Western Conference opponents... Defenseman Matt Gens has a point in five of his last six games...Winger Bruce Watson moved into 11th place on the UHL all-time penalty minute list (1,359)...Rockford was out-shot for the first time this season when Quad City out-shot the 45-33 on Saturday...In their five wins, Rockford has outscored their opponents 9-3 in the third period.



International Hockey League 2 Stories from November 6, 2006


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