Komets Nail Down Home Win
Published on February 28, 2026 under ECHL (ECHL)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release
The Komets hosted Wheeling for the first time at the Coliseum on Saturday and nailed down a 6-4 win.
In the first period, Brady Stonehouse received a pass from Nick Deakin-Poot, finding the back of the net at 3:50 to give the Komets the early lead. The Nailers answered with a goal from Connor Lockhart off a rebound off the post that went past Komet goalie Nathan Day at 10:40 to tie the game. Jalen Smereck, fresh off a three-game suspension, hit Matthew Brown with a pass at the Wheeling blueline, springing him on goaltender Maxim Pavlenko to score his eighth goal of the season returning the lead to the Komets at 13:50. With Lockhart in the penalty box for slashing, the Komets cashed in with a power-play goal from Alex Aleardi to give the Komets a 3-1 lead after twenty minutes.
The only score of the second period came off the stick of Kirill Tyutyayev, with assists going to Tyson Feist and Aleardi at 16:55 to give the Komets a 4-1 lead heading into the intermission.
In the final period, the Nailers rallied with three goals to tie the game with just under ten minutes remaining in the match. Working with a tie game, the Komets stormed back as Brown potted his second goal of the game at 13:54 to make it a 5-4 game. Finally, with the goaltender pulled for the extra skater, Matt Capponi scored an empty net goal to secure the 6-4 win for the Komets. Nathan Day got the victory, making 35 saves.
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