IHL 2 Fort Wayne Komets

Komets Open 2004 Camp

October 4, 2004 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release


Fort Wayne, IN --- The defending Tarry Cup Champion Komets have opened camp on the 53rd season of Komet hockey in Fort Wayne. The franchise is opening it's 15th season under the ownership of the Franke Family with Stephen Franke continuing as C.E.O. and majority owner. Michael Franke continues to serve as President/Governor and brother David Franke as General Manager. Michael Franke also starts the season as the UHL's Chairman of the Board.

Head coach Greg Puhalski is starting his 5th season as Komet skipper and Troy Neumeier is beginning his 3rd stint as assistant player coach as camp opens with 26 players on the roster including 14 forwards, 8 defensemen and 4 goaltenders.

Since the Komet's last roster release, goaltender Jan Chovan and forward Troy Brummett have been added to the camp lineup. Chovan, 21, hails from Bratislava, Slovakia, and appeared in 27 games with Flint last year in the UHL. Brummett, also 21, is from Oregon, Ohio, and skated 60 games in the USHL last season with Sioux City.

The Komets will have 2 weeks to prepare for their 6th UHL campaign. Camp will include 2 exhibition games at home and 1 on the road.

The Komets first exhibition game at home will be against the Missouri River Otters Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 7:30pm at the coliseum. The River Otters are guided by new head coach and former Komet Kevin Kaminski. It will be Kaminski's first return to the Memorial Coliseum since he played for the Komets in 1990-91. The 2nd home preseason tilt for the Komets will be Friday night, Oct. 8 against the Kalamazoo Wings at 8pm. The Komets and Wings face each other again Saturday night, Oct. 9 at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo at 6:30pm (Fort Wayne time).

The 80-game UHL season begins on the road for the Komets Oct. 15 when they skate at Elmira at 6:30pm (Fort Wayne time). The Komets then skate 3 more road games before returning to Fort Wayne for their home opener Saturday, Oct. 23 at 7:30pm against the Flint Generals. The 2004-05 regular season schedule ends for the Komets at Kansas City April 10 after 26 weeks of play.

The UHL will be divided into 3 divisions for 2004-05. The Komets are seated in the Western Division with Kansas City, Missouri, Quad City and Rockford. The Central Division is made up of Flint, Kalamazoo, Motor City, Muskegon and Port Huron. The Eastern Division includes Adirondack, Danbury, Elmira and Richmond.

Komet home games will start under the same start time arrangement as last year. Monday-Thursday and Saturday games will face-off at 7:30pm, Friday games will begin at 8pm and Sunday games are to start at 5:00pm.

Players returning.....returning from last season are forwards Colin Chaulk, Sean Venedam, Danny Stewart, Tim Krueckl and Dustin Virag; defensemen Steve Rodberg and Troy Neumeier; goaltenders Kevin St. Pierre and Kelly Shields. Returning to Fort Wayne from past seasons are defenseman Tom Nemeth (played with the Komets during the 1997-98 IHL season) and Jason Selleke (played with the Komets during the 2002-03 season).

Komets on the air on the internet.....Komet announcer Bob Chase will be starting his 52nd season behind the Komet microphone radio rinkside when he calls the play for the Komets at the season opener Oct. 15 at Elmira. The games will be carried over WOWO Radio AM 1190 (or if necessary, ESPN Radio 1380) and on the internet with Comcast KometCast at www.komets.com. In addition to live game radio, the Komet's website also features stats, news and information updated daily. The UHL also will feature the return of the U-Ticker, keeping score (boxscore) of all games in progress. A link to U-Ticker is posted on the Komet's website and at the UHL's website www.theuhl.com.

Komets Training Camp 2004 Monday, Oct. 4: Noon Press Luncheon at Coliseum; 2-4pm Practice at Coliseum
Tuesday, Oct. 5: 10am-noon practice at Coliseum
Wednesday, Oct. 6: 10am-11:30am practice at Coliseum; 7:30pm home exhibition game vs Missouri
Thursday, Oct. 7: 10am-noon practice at Coliseum
Friday, Oct. 8: 10am-11:30am practice at Coliseum; 8pm home exhibition game vs Kalamazoo
Saturday, Oct. 9: 10am-11am practice at Coliseum; 6:30pm (Fort Wayne time) exhibition game at Kalamazoo
Sunday, Oct. 10: 10am-11am practice at Coliseum
Monday, Oct. 11: 10am-noon practice at Coliseum
Tuesday, Oct. 12: 10am-noon practice at McMillen Ice Arena
Wednesday, Oct. 13: 10am-noon practice at McMillen Ice Arena
Thursday, Oct. 14: Practice at Elmira, TBA
Friday, Oct. 15: Season opener, Komets at Elmira, 6:30pm (Fort Wayne time)

Check out the Fort Wayne Komets Statistics



International Hockey League 2 Stories from October 4, 2004


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