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ECHL Fort Wayne Komets

Komets Finish Week 18 on Top

February 10, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release


Fort Wayne, IN --- The Komets earned 4 points in 4 games to finish week 18 of the 2002-03 campaign with a league best .927 point percentage (29-16-6) after 51 games.

Wednesday the Komets started the week with a 3-1 loss at Quad City. Friday the Komets finished their 2 week, 4-game road tour with a 3-2 setback at Muskegon. Saturday the Komets returned home to shut out the visiting Kalamazoo Wings 1-0. Sunday the Komets topped the River Otters from Missouri 3-2 for their 4th straight home win and leap-frogged Missouri for the best point percentage in the UHL of .927.

Perhaps the biggest story of the week, and most memorable, was a visit from former Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World Muhammad Ali Saturday night, Feb. 8, to help raise funds for children's charities. Comcast Cable, Ali and the Komets teamed to raise funds for children fighting life-threatening diseases. A Fort Wayne Komets and UHL record crowd of 10,503 turned out to see Ali and help benefit the Three Rivers Literacy Alliance and Camp Watcha-Wanna-Do of Northern Indiana. Prior to the game Ali spent some quality time with many children. Also, it was Comcast Report Card Night where students with an "A" on their report card received free tickets to the game. Comcast made a donation for each "A" turned in. One of the most memorable moments came at center ice prior to the ceremonial puck drop. Ali, himself charged up by the crowd, entertained the pumped audience with his famous Ali Shuffle complete with a full dose of shadow boxing. It was said to have been the first time he performed his "shuffle" in over 2 years. In all, over $15,000 was raised for the 2 local children's charities.

This week the Komets have another 4 games in 5 nights slated. Wednesday night the Elmira Jackals visit for a 7:35 faceoff. Friday the Komets travel to Muskegon for a 7:30pm start. Saturday night the Komets faceoff at Missouri at 8:15pm (Fort Wayne time) and Sunday the Quad City Mallards visit Fort Wayne at 5:05pm.

Tickets for all Komet home games are on sale at the Coliseum Ticket Office and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

For the week: 4gp, 2-2-0...Severson 1g, 2a...Virag 2g...Stewart 1g, 1a...Chaulk 1g, 1a...Venedam 2a...Perrault 1g...Massie 1g...Ortmeyer, Barlow, Kotyluk, Bertram 1 assist each....Lawson 3gp, 118:00, 2-1-0, 1 shutout, 5ga, 1.67 ave, 56/61, .918 spct...Campbell 1gp, 0-1-0, 3ga, 21/24...PP: 0/23, PK: 19/21, shots for: 118, shots against: 85.

Komet leaders: Points-Colin Chaulk (51); Goals-Bobby Stewart (28); Assists-Kelly Perrault (43); plus/minus-Michel Massie (+17); PIM-Kevin Kotyluk (193); PPG-David-Alexandre Beauregard and Bobby Stewart (11); GWG:-Bobby Stewart (6); shots-Bobby Stewart (195).

Komet streaks: 4-game home winning streak.....goaltender Tom Lawson 2 straight starts and wins.....forward Kevin Kotyluk has earned penalty minutes in each of his last 8 straight appearances (59 pim, 1/24/03-present, current league high).....defenseman Kevin Schmidt has appeared in 125 straight games since starting last season with the Komets (1/12/02).

U-Leaders.....leading the UHL defensemen is Kelly Perrault with 182 shots, 43 assists and 50 points. The Komets have the best penalty kill in the league with a success rate of 86.3% on the PK (234/271). The Komets have the stingiest defense with the lowest goals against per game average of 2.51 and fewest shots against per game of 1,253 or 24.57 per game. Also, the Komets have allowed the fewest short handed goals against with 7.

Komets of the week: Goalie Tom Lawson gets the nomination for UHL Goaltender of the Week after earning his 20th and 21st wins of the season and 1 shutout. Lawson was 2-1-0 for the week allowing 5 goals in 180 minutes of play for a 1.67 goals against average. The netminder stopped 56 of 61 shots for a .918 save percentage and continues to lead UHL goalies with a 1.89 goals against average and 6 shutouts.....winger Ryan Severson gets the nomination for UHL Player of the Week scoring the game winning goal in the Komet's 1-0 win over Kalamazoo Saturday. Severson also added 2 assists in the week's play and earned a +2 plus/minus rating.

Milestones.....Colin Chaulk scored his 100th career goal Wednesday night, Feb. 7, at Quad City.

On the edge of milestones...Troy Neumeier has 97 pro points...Greg Puhalski has coached 196 UHL regular season wins.

Ironman Schmidt.....defenseman Kevin Schmidt, the only skater to appear in all 74 Komet games last season, has skated all 51 Komet games to date this season. Schmidt has appeared in a total of 125 straight Komet games, shattering the old record of 95 games set by Mike McKay (1/9/01-2/22/02).

Record setting night.....Saturday night, Feb. 8, the Komets shattered several records in their 1-0 win over the visiting Kalamazoo wings. Records broken were: Attendance at a single game.....10,503, new UHL record and new Fort Wayne franchise record (breaks record of 10,228 set 12/31/02 vs Muskegon at FW). Fewest shots allowed in a game.....Komets allowed only 8 shots on goal, a new UHL and Fort Wayne UHL record (Old UHL record was 11 set by Mus 1/15/99 vs Sag. Old Fort Wayne franchise record was 9 set 3/27/65 vs Dayton/IHL). Fewest shots allowed in a period.....Komets allowed only 1 shot on goal in the 2nd period for a new Fort Wayne UHL record of fewest shots allowed in a period. Fewest saves in a game by a goaltender....Lawson's 8 saves is a new Komet franchise record and new UHL goaltender's record of fewest saves in a game. Komet team shutouts in a UHL season.....Saturday night's shutout was Fort Wayne's 7th this season breaking the old record of 6 set last season. Komet goaltender shutouts in a UHL season.....Lawson's shutout was his 6th of the season, tying the Komet's record of 6 shutouts in a UHL season set last year by Doug Teskey.

Wednesday is Marathon Night.....the Komets have teamed with Marathon to offer fans a chance to get gas at Marathon for a free Komet ticket offer. 3 fill-ups stamped on a Marathon/Komet Fill Up card gets customers a "Buy One, Get One Free" ticket offer good on select Marathon nights at Komet home games all season long. The next Marathon Night is this Wednesday, Feb. 12, when the Komets host Elmira at 7:35pm. Fill Up cards can be redeemed at the Coliseum Ticket Office.

KometCast worldwide.....Komet fans from all over the world can catch Komet hockey on the internet via Comcast KometCast, an exclusive Fort Wayne Komets webcast presentation available at www.komets.com. Comcast KometCast features play-by-play by Bob Chase. Get team stats, information, UHL standings and more at www.komets.com.

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