Komets Feast During Busy Holiday Week
ECHL Fort Wayne Komets

Komets Feast During Busy Holiday Week

Published on December 1, 2025 under ECHL (ECHL)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release


Fort Wayne, IN - The Komets scored seven out of a possible eight points last week, giving them a three-game lead atop the Central Division, with a record of 13-4-1-0 for 27 points. Next week, the team travels to Toledo on Saturday before hosting Cincinnati on Sunday for Military Appreciation Night. Tickets for all home games are on sale now at the Allen County War Memorial ticket office and at komets.com.

ECHL STANDINGS

Last week's results

Wed. 11/26 at KAL 2-1 OTL

Thur. 11/27 vs KAL 3-2 OTW

Fri. 11/28 at IND 5-4 OTW

Sun. 11/29 vs TOL 5-1 W

About last week -

The Komets and Wings faced off for the 500th time since 1974 in Kalamazoo on Wednesday.

In the first period, Kirill Tyutyayev scored at 4:41, with a helper coming from defenseman Matt Murphy for the period's only goal. Neither team scored in the second, as Kalamazoo goaltender, Jonathan Lemieux, stopped 11 Komets shots and Komets netminder, Nathan Day, turned aside 10 shots.

In the final period, the Komets were able to hang onto a 1-0 lead until Kalamazoo's Nolan Walker got the puck over the back of Day at 18:41 to tie the contest and sent the match to overtime. In the extra frame, Walker struck again to give the Wings a 2-1 win. Day finished the game with 34 saves.

The Komets and Kalamazoo faced off at the Coliseum on Thanksgiving night with the Komets prevailing 3-2 in overtime.

The Wings got on the board first as Quinn Preston stole the puck from his own blueline and scored on a breakaway, beating Komets' goaltender, Connor Ungar, at 2:21 of the first period. The Komets got even at 14:37, as Matt Miller connected on a pass to defenseman, Jalen Smereck, to knot the game 1-1. With time winding down in the opening stanza, the Wings scored again with a marker at 19:00 to regain the lead.

After a scoreless second period, Austin Magera got the Komets even with a goal at 7:18 of the third, with assists from Jayden Grubbe and Trevor Janicke, eventually sending the game to overtime for the second straight night.

During the extra frame, the Komets survived a Kalamazoo power play, and James Stefan scored his fifth game-winning goal of the season at 5:09.

The Komets outshot the Wings 42-22 in the match.

The Komets traveled to Fishers to take on the Fuel on Friday and left with a 5-4 overtime win.

The Fuel scored early in the first period with a goal at 3:00, and followed it up with a short-handed goal at 11:35. While still on the man advantage, Blake Murray scored the Komets' first power-play goal since November 15, at 11:53, with assists going to Matthew Brown and Alex Aleardi.

In a penalty-filled second period, Aleradi grabbed his eighth goal of the season on a wraparound to tie the game 2-2 at 4:03. At 9:01, Sahil Panwar found the back of the net over the shoulder of Komet goaltender, Nathan Day, to return the lead to the Fuel. The Komets returned to the power-play late in the period, resulting in James Stefan scoring his ninth of the season off a pass from Jalen Smereck to knot the game at three heading into the second intermission.

In the third period, Zach Jordan was charged with slashing just 32 seconds into the stanza, leading to Indy's fourth goal of the night. With the score 4-3, Stefan netted his second of the game at 15:21, beating Indy goalie, Owen Flores, to knot the game once again.

The game was settled in overtime, when Smereck laid a perfect pass onto the tape of Nick Deakin-Poot at center ice, leading to the game-winning goal at:33. Smereck finished the game with three assists, as Day got the win, making 29 saves.

The Komets battled the rival Toledo Walleye on Sunday at the Coliseum.

In the first period, Jayden Grubbe opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 3:29, with assists going to Kirill Tyutyayev and James Stefan. The Walleye quickly answered, as Conlan Keenan sent the puck over the glove of Komet goaltender, Nathan Day, to tie the game at 10:35. Komet defenseman, Reece Harsch, and forward, Blake Murray, set up Alex Aleardi in front of Walleye netminder, Carter Gylander, to net his ninth of the season to make it a 2-1 contest at 15:05.

Aleardi scored his second of the night on a wraparound at 1:13 to open the scoring in the second period. That goal was followed by another power-play goal by Grubbe at 10:57, with helpers credited to Jalen Smereck and Stefan, to give the Komets a 4-1 lead after two periods.

In the third period, Zach Jordan landed the only goal of the frame at 4:43, with assists going to Nick Deakin-Poot and Brady Stonehouse to make the final score 5-1. The Komets outshot the Walleye 29-14, as Day picked up his sixth win of the season.

GAME SHEET

Komet streaks-

Points: 3gms - Stefan (3g, 2a), Smereck (1g, 3a). 2gms - Murray (2a), Deakin-Poot (1g, 1a), Aleardi (3g, 1a), Tyutyayev (3a).

Goals: 2gms - Aleardi (3g)

Assists: 2gms - Murray (2a), Tyutyayev (3a)

Wins (goaltender): 2, Day

Komet leaders-

Points: 17 - Stefan

Goals: 10 - Stefan, Aleardi

Assists: 10 - Tyutyayev

Power Play Goals: 2 - Murray, Stefan

Short-Handed Goals: 1 - Janicke

Game Winning Goals: 5 - Stefan

Shots: 67 - Stefan

PIM: 21 - Blachman

Plus/Minus: +12 - Krebs

Home Points: 6 - Stefan

Home Goals: 4 - Aleardi

Home Assists: 4 - Stefan

Road Points: 11 - Stefan, Aleardi

Road Goals: 8 - Stefan

Road Assists: 9 - Tyutyayev

Goaltenders

Appearances: Nathan Day 10

Wins: Nathan Day 6

Saves: 219, Nathan Day

Goals against: 10 - Samuel Jonsson

Save percentage: .926 - Samuel Jonsson

Shutouts: 3 - Samuel Jonsson

Icing the puck - Wednesday's game at Kalamazoo was the 500th match-up between the two franchises. The first game was played on November 15, 1974, at Kalamazoo, resulting in a 2-1 Komets win. Four of James Stefan's 10 goals have been game-winning goals. The Komets are 10-0-1 when leading after two periods. Eight times this season, a Komet has scored two goals in a game. The Komets have given up only 38 goals this season, and the team is 11-2-1 against Central Division teams.

Upcoming Promotions

Saturday, December 7 - Join us for Military Appreciation Night! The Komets and All-American Stores would like to honor those that have served to protect our country. All Active-Duty Military and Veterans can take advantage of a special Buy One Get One Free Offer.

Komet hockey on WXKE - Fans can follow the action with Shane Albahrani broadcasting play-by-play on 96.3 WKXE. Game broadcasts are also streamed live at Komets.com.

Get Komet Tickets - Tickets are available for all Komet home games at the Memorial Coliseum ticket office and Ticketmaster.com.

Check out the Fort Wayne Komets Statistics

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