ECHL Fort Wayne Komets

Komets Hold East Lead for 12th Straight Week

Published on March 10, 2003 under ECHL (ECHL)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release


Fort Wayne, IN --- The Komets finished week 22 of the 2002-03 campaign earning 2 points in 2 shootout losses going 0-1-2 for the week to remain on top of the tightly contested Eastern Conference of the UHL for the 12th consecutive week with a record of 36-20-9 for 81 points.

The Komets enter week 23 1 point ahead of 2nd place Adirondack and lead 2nd place Elmira by 2 points with 2 games in hand. 3 weeks and 11 games remain of the 2002-03 regular season for Fort Wayne. Any combination of 5 points won by the Komets or lost by Rockford will clinch a playoff spot for Fort Wayne.

The games (0-1-2): Wednesday night the Komets dropped a 2-1 affair at Adirondack. It was the 100th consecutive game appearance for defenseman Troy Neumeier since he joined the Komets last year. Bobby Stewart scored the Komets lone goal on the power play. Tom Lawson registered the loss stopping 24 of 26 IceHawk shots.....Thursday the Komets picked up a point in a 4-3 shootout loss at Elmira. Pokey Reddick started the game for the Komets making 2 saves on 4 shots in the first period before leaving the game to injury. Tom Lawson played the 2nd and 3rd periods in relief allowing 1 goal on 14 shots and suffering the shootout loss. It was the final regular season meeting with Emira as the Komets took the series 5-2-0.....Saturday the Komets returned home to host the Flint Generals who topped the K's 4-3 in another shootout. Dustin Virag and Stewart scored for the Komets in regulation. Lawson made 27 saves on 29 Flint shots in regulation while stopping 2 of 4 shots in the extra frame.

This week.....the Komets play 3 games in 4 nights starting at Quad City Wednesday at 8pm. Friday the 2 teams return to Fort Wayne for a 7:35pm start. Saturday night the Komets host Port Huron at 7:35.

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

Week in stats: 3gp, 0-1-2.....Chaulk (4a)...Stewart 2g, 1a...Virag 1g, 1a...Beauregard 1g, 1a...Massie 1g...Severson 1g...Perrault, Venedam, Schmidt and Kotyluk each 1a.....Reddick 1gp, 20:00, 0-0-0, 2ga, 2/4...Lawson 3gp, 159:11, 0-1-2, 5ga, 1.88 ave, 64/69, .928 spct.....PP: 2/14, PK: 11/12.....shots for: 96, shots against: 73.

Komet leaders: Points-Bobby Stewart (65); Goals-Bobby Stewart (36); Assists-Kelly Perrault (50); plus/minus-Jake Ortmeyer (+23); PIM-Kevin Kotyluk (228); PPG-David-Alexandre Beauregard (16); GWG:-Bobby Stewart (8); shots-Bobby Stewart (254).

Komet streaks: defenseman Kevin Schmidt has appeared in 139 straight games since starting last season with the Komets.....defenseman Troy Neumeier has appeared in 102 straight games since joining the Komets last season (Jan. 6, 2002)....center Bobby Stewart has a 3-game point streak (2g, 2a).

Komet player records broken this year.....most power play goals, season, player, was 10 by Jason Goulet 99-00, currently 16 by David-Alexandre Beauregard.....most game winning goals, season, player, was 7 by Jason Goulet 99-00, currently 8 by Bobby Stewart.....assists by a defenseman, season, was 41 by Frederic Bouchard 99-00, currently 50 by Kelly Perrault.

Komet records to watch.....Stewart at 36 goals (record is 38 in a UHL season, McKay, 00-01), Kotyluk at 228 penalty minutes (record is 241 in a UHL season, Ramsay, 99-00), Lawson has 6 shutouts (ties record of 6 set by Teskey 01-02), Lawson has 25 goaltender wins (record is 26 in a UHL season, Teskey, 00-01), Lawson has appeared in 49 games (record is 50 in a UHL season, Teskey, 01-02)....most penalty minutes in a season (currently at 1509, record is 1566 00-01), most attendance in a UHL season (currently 228,570, record is 235,512; need 6,943 at Komet's next game to break the Fort Wayne UHL season attendance record).

Milestones.....Dustin Virag has 94 career points (all with Fort Wayne).

U-Leaders.....Kelly Perrault leads defensemen with 233 shots, 50 assists and 58 points.....Bobby Stewart leads with 8 game winners.....Tom Lawson leads goaltenders with a 1.96 goals-against average and 6 shutouts.....Jake Ortmeyer leads UHL rookies with +23.....the Komets have the best penalty kill in the league with a success rate of 85.4% (280/328), the stingiest defense with the lowest goals against per game average of 2.54 (165) and fewest shots against per game of 1,563 or 24.05 per game, and the Komets have surrendered the fewest short handed goals at 9.

Friday 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 Friday, March 14, when the Komets host Quad City 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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