ECHL Fort Wayne Komets

Komets Camp Hits Ice Sunday

October 4, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release


Fort Wayne, IN --- The Komets announced Friday that the 62nd annual Fort Wayne training camp will open on the ice at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Sunday. Head coach Gary Graham will begin camp with split practice sessions at 9am and 10:15am followed by a scrimmage at 3pm on coliseum ice each day Sunday through Tuesday. The complete training camp schedule is posted at the end of this release.

Graham will be making his Fort Wayne head coaching debut, replacing Al Sims who announced his retirement after last season. Graham served as an assistant coach to Sims for four seasons before coaching Pensacola to the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) Presidents' Cup Championship last year.

The Komets will be entering their second season of play in the ECHL and reside in the North Division of the Eastern Conference with rivals Evansville, Toledo, Cincinnati and Kalamazoo. The 22-team league will be celebrating its 26th season of Premier "AA" Hockey. The Komets' 62nd season features 36 home games while 36 road games are scheduled. View the entire 72-game schedule here.

Home and Season Opener Saturday, Oct. 19 -- The Komets will open the 2013-14 campaign hosting the Toledo Walleye Saturday night, Oct. 19 at 7:30 at the Memorial Coliseum. Many events are planned for the opening night festivities. Fans are encouraged to arrive early.

Komets add two to camp roster -- The Komets added two players to the training camp roster today. Added were forwards Tristan King and Paul McIlveen.

King, 22, is a fourth-year pro. The center made his pro debut appearing in 11 AHL games with Texas and 24 ECHL games with Idaho during 2010-11. In 2011-12 he skated ECHL stints with Idaho, Greenville and Ontario. Last season the Elk River, Minnesota native split the season with Idaho and San Francisco. King has been assigned to Fort Wayne by the NHL's Dallas Stars. King has registered ECHL totals of 43 goals and 100 points in 126 games.

McIlveen (MAC-ilveen), 27, has signed a tryout agreement with the Komets and will be entering his seventh pro season. The Waterloo, Ontario native began his pro career with South Carolina in the ECHL 2007-08. McIlveen appeared in three AHL games during 2008-09 with Norfolk and Binghamton before skating 2009-10 in Europe. In 2010-11 the forward returned to the ECHL sharing stints among Greenville, Cincinnati and Utah. McIlveen posted a career high 30 goals, 37 assists and 67 points in 62 games during 2011-12 with Utah before an injury-shortened season of nine games last year with the Grizzlies. McIlveen has posted ECHL totals of 79 goals, 159 points and 235 penalty minutes in 248 games.

The Komets will begin camp with a preseason roster of 29 players including 17 forwards, eight defensemen and four goaltenders. Forward Drew Olson continues camp with Syracuse of the AHL and Fort Wayne native Lark Saalfrand will serve as the Komets' fourth goaltender in training camp.

Media Press Luncheon Monday -- The Komets will host the annual Training Camp Kickoff Press Luncheon Monday, Oct. 7, in the Red Room at the Memorial Coliseum at 12:15pm. All area media are invited to attend. Komet players, staff and management will be in attendance for interviews and photo ops.

Komets to skate three preseason games, Nailers here Saturday, Oct. 12 -- The Komets have scheduled three exhibition games. The preseason tune-ups begin at Wheeling Wednesday, Oct. 9 when the K's skate against the Nailers at 7pm. The Komets will face the Wings at Kalamazoo Friday, Oct. 11 at 7:30pm in the Annex Arena at Wings Stadium. Fort Wayne caps the slate of practice games when Wheeling visits Saturday, Oct. 12 for a 7:30pm faceoff at the Memorial Coliseum.

Game times -- The Komets will continue with game times of 7:30pm for all home games Monday through Thursday and on Saturdays. Friday home games faceoff at 8pm and Sunday home games will start at 5pm.

Tickets on sale -- Komet Hockey single game tickets and season tickets for 2013-14 are on sale now. Single game tickets can be purchased at the Coliseum Ticket Office and online at www.ticketmaster.com. Season tickets are on sale at the Komet office, 1010 Memorial Way, Fort Wayne. For ticket information visit komets.com or call the Komet office at 260-483-0011.

Friday night Marathon nights continue -- Friday nights will continue to be Marathon Nights at Komet home games. Fans can take advantage of the buy-one-get-one-free ticket offers for any of the 13 Friday night home games beginning Nov. 8 when Wheeling visits for an 8pm faceoff. Fill-up cards are available at all participating Marathon stations.

Komet hockey on WOWO, and Xfinity KometCast with Bob Chase -- The legendary Bob Chase will be radio-rinkside for his 61st consecutive season when the Komets open 2013-14 on Oct. 19. Fans will be able to follow the action again this season on WOWO Radio AM 1190 and FM 92.3. All broadcasts, home and away, will also be heard worldwide at www.komets.com at Xfinity KometCast.

Sound Off with the Komets returns to Monday Nights on 21Alive -- The Komets, 21Alive and title sponsor PHP present Sound Off with the Komets, a live weekly televised sports program each Monday night during the Komet season at 7:30pm on WPTA TV 21Alive. The half-hour show will be televised from Champions Bar and Restaurant in downtown Fort Wayne and will feature highlights, interviews and call-ins as Komet players and personnel serve as co-hosts with 21Alive's Tommy Schoegler. The 2013-14 edition of Sound Off with the Komets debuts Oct. 14 with Komet head coach Gary Graham guest hosting.

2013 Komet Camp At A Glance (All practices, scrimmages to be held at the Coliseum)

Sunday, Oct. 6.............. Practices at 9am-10am and 10:15am-11:15am; scrimmage at 3pm

Monday, Oct. 7.............. Practices at 9am-10am and 10:15am-11:15am; scrimmage at 3pm

Tuesday, Oct. 8............. Practices at 9am-10am and 10:15am-11:15am; scrimmage at 3pm

Wednesday, Oct. 9........ Practice 10:45am-12 noon; Exhibition Game at Wheeling, 7pm (no FW radio)

Thursday, Oct. 10.......... Practice 2pm-3pm

Friday, Oct. 11............... Practice 10am-11:30am; Exhibition Game at Kalamazoo (Annex arena), 7:30pm (no FW radio)

Saturday, Oct. 12.......... Practice 10:30am-11:30am; Home Exhibition Game vs Wheeling, 7:30pm (no FW radio)

Sunday, Oct. 13............ Team day off

Monday, Oct. 14............ Practice 10am-noon

Tuesday, Oct. 15........... Practice 10am-noon

Wednesday, Oct. 16...... Practice 10am-noon

Thursday, Oct. 17.......... Practice 10am-noon

Friday, Oct. 18............... Practice 10am-noon

Saturday, Oct. 19.......... Practice 10am-11am; Home and Season Opener vs Toledo Walleye, 7:30pm

Check out the Fort Wayne Komets Statistics



ECHL Stories from October 4, 2013


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