Let’s start with the good news for the Komets, who lost their preseason opener to the Indy Fuel 4-3 tonight at Memorial Coliseum.

The players that stood out to me the most, aside from returning guys Jamie Schaafsma (two goals), Garrett Thompson (one goal), Pat Nagle (22 saves) and Cody Sol (one assist), were the following newcomers: Mike Cazzola, Cole Martin, Daniel Erlich, Matt Robertson, Brent Tate and Chase Nieuwendyk.

Cazzola had two assists, including one on the best play of the night, Schaafsma’s early power-play goal, and he was Fort Wayne’s best faceoff man. Coach Gary Graham also thought enough of Erlich to have him on the ice with the goalie pulled late, and Schaafsma scored.

“They were making a lot of play. They were creative and they know how to have poise,” Graham said of Cazzola and Erlich. “I know those are guys who can play with some poise under pressure. Cazzola was probably our best centerman all night at winning faceoffs.”

As for Tate, Robertson and Nieuwendyk, Graham said: “I thought the line of (rookies) Brent Tate, Chase Nieuwendyk and Matt Robertson brought a lot of energy tonight. I thought they were willing to do the dirty things and get some scoring chances that way. I thought that line was very consistent.”

There was also some toughness for the Komets, who got fights from Tate and Taylor Crunk, though Tate’s cost Fort Wayne a power play. (Video is above.)

But here’s the bad news: The Komets got off to a great start and then sagged in a penalty-marred second period, squandering a two-goal lead.

“We got off to a good start and, obviously, potted two pretty quickly,” Crunk said. “But after that, we kind of let up a little bit. I think they sensed that and took advantage of a lot of neutral zone turnovers on our part. We’ve got to limit those in order to be successful.”

Graham agreed.

“We just played the game the wrong way,” he said. “We got up 2-nothing really quick and looked superior to them, and all of a sudden you get a little complacent. After the Zamboni came out there between the first and the second period, one team came out there ready to play and the other team didn’t.”

You can tell players are battling hard for spots, but they’re going to have to play a more consistent game Saturday at Indianapolis if they want to make this roster.

“You can sense the battling for spots,” Crunk said. “This week during practice, the scrimmages were extremely high paced and we were rolling two lines on each side and everyone was battling hard whenever they got out there. Everyone has been competing this week and you could see it at the start tonight, the compete level, but unfortunately it drifted off a little bit.”

jcohn@jg.net