Komets Take Central Division Title
ECHL Fort Wayne Komets

Komets Take Central Division Title

Published on April 20, 2026 under ECHL (ECHL)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release


Fort Wayne, IN - With a victory against Kalamazoo on Sunday, the Komets claimed their first division championship since 2016 and the team's first 100-point season since 2015. The Komets will now face the Indy Fuel in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Games one and two of the best-of-seven series will be played at the Coliseum this Friday and Saturday. Tickets the first two playoff games are on sale now at the Allen County War Memorial ticket office and at komets.com.

ECHL STANDINGS

Fort Wayne versus Indy playoff schedule

Game 1 - Friday, April 24 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne

Game 2 - Saturday, April 25 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne

Game 3 - Tuesday, April 28 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Indy

Game 4 - Wednesday, April 29 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Indy

Game 5 - Sunday, May 3 at 5:05 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne (If Necessary)

Game 6 - Tuesday, May 5 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Indy (If Necessary)

Game 7 - Wednesday, May 6 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne (If Necessary)

Last week's results

Wed. 4/15 vs IND 4-3 OTW

Thur. 4/16 vs TOL 4-1 L

Sun. 4/19 vs KAL 4-3 W

About last week -

The Komets faced the Indy Fuel for the final time in the regular season at the Coliseum on Wednesday and came away with their ninth win against the Fuel this season with a 4-3 overtime victory.

In the first period, Austin Magera scored his 30th goal of the season on a power-play at 2:26, with assists going to Kirill Tyutyayev and William Dufour, as he extended his home point streak to 10 games. The Fuel answered with a tally at 7:25 to tie the match.

Dufour nabbed the only goal of the second period with another power play goal at 13:32, with helpers from Magera and Tyutyayev to send the Komets into the intermission with a 2-1 lead.

The Fuel grabbed two goals in the third to take the lead, but Tyutyayev flipped the puck over the shoulder of Indy goaltender Mitchell Weeks for his third point of the game at 15:03 to tie the game and send it to overtime.

In the extra time, the Komets didn't allow a shot, as Dufour scored the game-winner on a power-play at 3:05, with assists going to Tyutayaev and Jalen Smereck. Nathan Day got the win, making 21 saves.

The Komets hosted Toledo at the Coliseum on Thursday, needing one point to win the Central Division for the first time since 2016.

Toledo's Tanner Kelly scored at 9:47 on a power play to put the visitors up 1-0. The Walleye added to their lead with a Riley McCourt strike at 16:51 to conclude the scoring in the first period.

In the second period, Toledo added to the lead with another power play goal at 10:15, but the Komets countered with an Alex Aleardi goal at 18:42 to cut the lead back down to two after 40 minutes.

Toledo's Sam Craggs scored the only goal of the third period, as the Komets were unable to rally with the Walleye taking the match 4-1. Sam Jonsson took the loss, making 26 saves.

The Komets hosted Kalamazoo on Sunday in the regular season finale at the Coliseum, aiming to secure their first division title since 2016.

Austin Magera opened the scoring with his 31st goal of the season at 3:16. Logan Nelson then deflected a shot from Jalen Smereck into the net at 6:22, giving the Komets a swift 2-0 advantage. The Wings responded late in the period, scoring at 9:05, and again at 19:53, when Collin Soccoman slipped the puck past Nathan Day to equalize.

In the second period, both teams exchanged goals, sending the contest into the third tied at 3-3.

Josh Bloom scored a power-play goal against his former team at 15:59 to secure the game-winner. Nathan Day and the Komets defense preserved the lead, as Day made 27 saves for his 22nd victory of the season, sealing a 4-3 win.

Komet leaders-

Points: 68 - Tyutyayev

Goals: 32 - Magera

Assists: 47 - Smereck

Power Play Goals: 11 - Magera

Short-Handed Goals: 2 - Janicke

Game Winning Goals: 8 - Murray

Shots: 211 - Smereck

PIM: 101 - Smereck

Plus/Minus: +31 - Krebs

Home Points: 34 - Magera

Home Goals: 22 - Magera

Home Assists: 21 - Smereck

Road Points: 34 - Tyutyayev

Road Goals: 16 - Murray

Road Assists: 24 - Tyutyayev

Goaltenders

Appearances: 39 - Nathan Day

Wins: 22 - Nathan Day

Saves: 894 - Nathan Day

Goals against: 76 - Samuel Jonsson

Save percentage: .910 - Samuel Jonsson

Shutouts: 5 - Samuel Jonsson

Icing the puck - William Dufour finished the season with five multiple point games in the final six games. The Komets finished with 45 wins for the first time since 2017-18. The Komets finished the regular season series 9-2-1 versus Indy, with nine of the 13 games decided by one goal. This will be the first playoff meeting between Fort Wayne and Indy since 1991.

Komet hockey on WXKE - Fans can follow the action with Shane Albahrani broadcasting play-by-play on 96.3 WKXE. Game broadcasts are also streamed live at Komets.com.

Get Komet Tickets - Tickets are available for all Komet home games at the Memorial Coliseum ticket office and Ticketmaster.com.

Check out the Fort Wayne Komets Statistics

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ECHL Stories from April 20, 2026


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