IHL 2 Fort Wayne Komets

Komets holding on to Western Division lead

Published on March 26, 2007 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release


Fort Wayne, IN --- The Komets earned 3 points in 3 games played last week, improving to 45-21-4 after 70 games and continue to hold the top spot in the Western Conference with 94 points, 2 points ahead of 2nd-place Rockford with 2 weeks and 6 games remaining for each team. The Komets trail overall UHL leader Muskegon by a 6-point margin and will next skate against the Fury when the Komets close their regular season home campaign Friday, April 6.

In last week's games the Komets dropped a 7-6 shootout to the visiting Quad City Mallards Friday. Saturday the Komets were upended in Muskegon 3-1 and Sunday the Komets returned home to hand the Chicago Hounds their first loss in 3 games 6-2.

This week the Komets skate at Flint Wednesday at 7:15pm in a rescheduled game that was originally slated for last Wednesday, March 21. It's the 6th meeting of the season and the 4th and final trip to Flint. The Komets have won all 3 previous meetings at Perani Arena and hold a 4-1-0 season series lead. While the Komets are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games played, the Generals are 5-2-3 in their last 10 and are riding a 3-game win streak after taking both games played last week.

Friday the Komets and Generals return to Fort Wayne for an 8pm faceoff and the final meeting of the season. The Komets are 1-1-0 against Flint this season on Fort Wayne ice.

Saturday the Komets travel to Chicago to finish the season series against the Hounds. If the playoffs were to start today, the Komets would pair up with Chicago in a first-round, best-of-7 series. Last Sunday's 6-2 win was the Komet's 5th straight over Chicago and gives Fort Wayne a 6-3-0 season series lead. The Hounds host Port Huron Wednesday and Bloomington Friday before welcoming the Komets Saturday at 8:30pm.

Tickets for all Komet home games are on sale at the Memorial Coliseum Ticket Office and online at www.ticketmaster.com. Fans may call the Komet office for ticket information at (260) 483-0011 or make inquiries via e-mail at komets@komets.com. Ticket information is also available at www.komets.com.

Friday Marathon Night and the Big Bus Stuff.....the Komets Marathon Fill-Up Cards are available at all participating area Marathon gas stations and can be used at the next two Komet Friday home games. Fans can earn a "buy 1, get 1 free" ticket offer, up to a $19 value, every time they fill up three times at Marathon. Another "Marathon Night" at Komet Hockey is this Friday, March 30 when the Komets host the Flint Generals at 8pm. Friday is also the Citilink Big Bus Stuff. The Food Bank is in desperate need of donations at this time and the Komets ask fans to bring canned good items to Friday's home game to help support the Community Harvest Food Bank.

Special K's: The Komet's power play leads the UHL with a 20.4% conversion rate after scoring 6 power play goals on 14 opportunities this past week. The Komets are ranked second with a penalty kill conversion of 87.7%. However, it's the Komet's most successful penalty kill since joining the UHL in 1999.

St. Pierre hits 58.....Fort Wayne goaltender Kevin St. Pierre appeared in his 58th Komet game of the season Sunday to tie the Fort Wayne record of UHL games by a goaltender in a regular season, set by St. Pierre in 2003-04.

Leading Komets....center J.C. Ruid continues to lead the Komets with 40 goals and is 2nd overall in the UHL with 88 points.....Guy Dupuis (D) leads with 59 assists (2nd overall in the UHL) and leads all UHL scorers with 36 power play assists.....Mario Larocque leads the Komets with +23 and tops UHL defensemen with 26 goals and 17 power play goals.....Kevin St. Pierre leads UHL goalies with 36 wins and in minutes with 3367:28.

Komets add rookie forward to roster.....the Komets announced Friday, March 23 that forward Kyle McAllister was added to the Komet roster. McAllister, 25, skated the past 5 season with St. Thomas University, C.I.S., including 2006-07. McAllister was a center for St. Thomas in Fredericton, New Brunswick and led the Tommies in 2006-07 with 15 goals and scored a second-best 35 points in 26 games. McAllister appeared with the Komets in last Friday and Saturday's games, his first as a pro.

Komet Weekly Player Nominations

Player of the Week: J.C. Ruid (C), 3gp, 3g, 4a, 7pts, +2, 4 pim. Scored the game tying goal Friday to send the game into a shootout vs Quad City. Assisted on Sunday's game winner vs Chicago. All 3 assists Sunday vs Chicago were power play assists. Registered his 5th 4-point game Sunday (1g, 3a) in the Komet's 6-2 in over Chicago.

Goaltender of the Week: Kevin St. Pierre, 2gp 1-1-0, 5ga, 2.51 gaa, 61/66, .924 spct.

KOMET GAMES THIS WEEK

Wednesday, March 28.....Komets at Flint Generals, 7:15pm (WKJG ESPN Radio AM 1190)

Friday, March 30....Flint Generals at Komets, 8pm (WOWO Radio AM 1190)

Saturday, March 31.....Komets at Chicago Hounds, 8:30pm (WOWO Radio AM 1190)All games broadcast on radio are also webcast free at www.komets.com Comcast KometCast.

KOMET PRACTICE PLANNER

Tuesday, March 27....10am-noon at McMillen Ice Arena

Wednesday, March 28.....10am-11am at the Coliseum

Thursday, March 29.....10am-noon at the Coliseum

Friday, March 30.....10am-11am at the Coliseum

Saturday, March 31.....10am-11am at McMillen Ice Arena

Monday, April 2.....10am-noon at McMillen Ice Arena

Tuesday, April 3....10am-noon at McMillen Ice Arena

Komet Hockey on the air.....most of the Komet games are broadcast on WOWO Radio AM 1190 this year with Bob Chase at the Fort Wayne microphone for his 54th consecutive season. Again this year, some games will be aired on WKJG/ESPN Radio AM 1380 as an alternative when conflicts occur. All games broadcast will also be available via the internet at Comcast KometCast at www.komets.com .

Komets.com.....the official website of the Fort Wayne Komets is www.komets.com . In addition to featuring the webcasting of free live Komet game radio, Komets.com also provides fans and media with up-to-date teamstats, news, interactive fan features and information as well as real-time scoring via the UHL and Pointstreak. Scoring of all Komet games can be viewed as it happens at Komets.com.

Check out the Fort Wayne Komets Statistics

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from March 26, 2007


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