Komets Fight But Come up Short in Norfolk
Published on February 20, 2026 under ECHL (ECHL)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release
In the middle game of the three-game series at Norfolk, the Komets fell in overtime 6-5 to the Admirals.
In the first period, the Komets started scoring just twenty-eight seconds into the game when Austin Magera nabbed his 22nd goal of the season with an assist going to Tyler Inamoto. That goal was quickly erased when Norfolk's Nathan Noel scored at 2:52. The Komets reclaimed the lead with an unassisted short-handed goal from Trevor Janicke at 6:39. With Norfolk still on a power-play, the Admirals beat goaltender Nathan Day for the second time with a score at 7:05 and again at 16:30.
William Dufour tied the game at three when he struck with a power-play goal at 3:05 of the second period with assists from Jalen Smereck and Magera. That goal was followed by defenseman Reece Harsch sending the puck past Norfolk netminder Alex Worthington at 7:52 to make the game 4-3. At 10:28, four separate altercations broke out, resulting in six players being ejected from the match, with defensemen Tyson Feist, Inamoto, and Smereck all taking an early exit. When play resumed, Janicke took a penalty, and Norfolk scored their third power-play goal to tie the game.
In the final period, Janicke struck again at 14:42 to give the Komets a one-goal edge, but with Worthington out for the extra skater, the Admirals tied the game 5-5 at 19:33. The game moved to overtime, where Norfolk gained the 6-5 win on the game-winning goal at 2:14.
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