Komets Snag Four Points for Week 24

March 30, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL) - Fort Wayne Komets News Release





Fort Wayne, IN-- The Komets gained four points in three games for week 24 of 2014-15 and improved to 44-16-6 and 94 points after 66 games. The Komets continue to trail first-place Toledo in the ECHL's North Division by two points with two weeks and six games remaining.

Wednesday the Komets tripped up the Jackals at Elmira 7-3 and tied the season high of seven goals in a game while scoring a season high five goals in the first period. Eric Faille posted a four-point night with two goals and two assists and Shawn Szydlowski had a three-point affair with two goals and an assist. Christian Ouellet, Matthew Pistilli and Brett Perlini also tallied markers. Goaltender Roman Will earned his 13th win of the season stopping 30 of 33 shots. The Komets evened the season series with Elmira at 1-1-0.

Friday the Komets stumbled 2-1 at Wheeling, snapping a three-game win streak and completing the season series with the Nailers (1-2-1). Faille scored the lone Fort Wayne strike. Goaltender Pat Nagle suffered the setback, snapping a four-game unbeaten string.

Saturday the Komets rebounded with a 4-3 come-from-behind win at Cincinnati and improved to 4-2 in games decided in overtime. Faille evened the score at 1-1 before the Cyclones add a pair for 3-1 lead. The Komets rallied with goals by Szydlowski and Mike Embach in the third frame to send the game into overtime. Szydlowski scored his second game winner of the week, a power play tally, at 4:04 of the extra frame to cap the game and the week with the victory. It was Szydlowski's second three-point outing of the week. For the year it was his ninth three-plus point game and seventh multi-goal game. Nagle, appearing in his second straight start, stopped 22 of 25 shots to tie his career high of 23 wins in a season. The Komets improved to 4-1-0 after five meetings with Cincy. The Cyclones will visit next week for the Komets last two home games of the regular season April 8 and 11.

For the week, the Komets out-scored their opponents 12-8, out-shot them 99-90, were 3/11 on the power play and were successful on all five penalty kills for a streak of six straight kills. Defense was 82/90, 2.62 goals-against average and .911 save percentage.

The Komets finish the month of March with an 8-4-0 (.667) record for the month, improving on last year's performance of 6-5-1. It's Fort Wayne's best March record since 2010 (9-4-1, .679). The Komets have six games remaining as they begin the April schedule and cap the season with three games in four nights each of the final two weeks.

The week ahead -- The Komets begin the abbreviated month of April with home games Wednesday and Friday before traveling to Indy Saturday.

Wednesday the Komets will host the Evansville IceMen (14-44-8, 36 points) at 7:30pm and finish the season series. The Komets are 7-1-0 after eight meetings and are unbeaten in five meetings at the Coliseum. Evansville is riding a nine-game losing skid and are out of playoff contention.

Friday the Elmira Jackals (31-28-7, 69 points) are in town for an 8pm faceoff at the Coliseum. The Jackals are 3-4-1 in their last eight outings including a 7-3 loss to the Komets at Elmira last Wednesday in the last meeting. Friday's match will complete the season series which is even at 1-1-0 after two meetings. Elmira trails fourth place Orlando and a playoff spot in the East Division by nine points with six games remaining. The Jackals skate at Wheeling Wednesday before their trip to Fort Wayne Friday.

Saturday the Komets face the North Division rival Fuel at Indy (27-29-9, 63 points) at 7:35pm for the final meeting of the year. The Komets are undefeated by Indy in regulation 8-0-2 after 10 meetings. The Komets upended the Fuel in the last meeting 4-1 at Indy March 18. The Fuel are fighting for a playoff berth, trailing fourth-place Wheeling by five points with seven games remaining. Indy is 2-1-0 in their last three games and 3-4-1 in their last eight. The Fuel host Toledo Wednesday and visit Cincinnati Friday before facing the Komets Saturday at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis.

Komet leaders -- Szydlowski leads with 35 goals, eight power play goals and 69 points....Embach leads with 43 assists.....Drew Daniels leads the ECHL with +46.....Sol leads with 136 penalty minutes.....Nagle leads with 23 wins, 2.36 goals-against average.

Streaking Komets -- Faille has an 11-game point streak (12g, 10a), a four-game goal-scoring streak (5g) and a six-game road point streak (7g, 4a)......Szydlowski has an eight-game point-scoring streak (10g, 7a), a four-game assist streak (4a) and a five-game road point streak (4g, 7a).

Milestones -- J.M. Rizk dished his 100th career point (assist) Wednesday at Elmira. Pistilli skated his 200th ECHL career game Friday at Wheeling.

KIDS SEAT FREE Wednesday and Friday -- The Komets return this week for home games Wednesday against the Evansville Icemen and Friday against the Elmira Jackals. Both games are Kids Seat Free Nights, courtesy Aunt Millie's and Parkview Health. Any child under the age of 12 can see the games for free with a full-priced adult ticket purchase.

Friday night Marathon Nights -- Fans can earn a buy-one-get-one-free ticket offer with the purchase of three fill-ups at any participating Marathon location. Save with your Marathon Fill-Up Card this Friday when the Komets host the Toledo Walleye.

Komets to open first round of playoffs at home, tics on sale -- Fort Wayne's first two games of the 2015 ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs opening round will be held at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Friday, April 17 at 8pm and Saturday, April 18 at 7:30pm. Tickets for games 1 and 2 are on sale at the Coliseum Ticket Office and online at www.ticketmaster.com. It's only the third time in Fort Wayne's 63-year history they have opened the playoffs at home on Friday and Saturday nights. The Komets also opened with back-to-back Friday and Saturday home games in 2001 (UHL) against the Missouri River Otters and again in 2007 (UHL) against the Chicago Hounds, splitting the opening pair of games each time.

Komets Ticket information -- Komets tickets may be purchased at the Coliseum Ticket Office or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Discounted Group Tickets are also on sale for all Komet home games at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way. 2015-16 Season Tickets are on sale at the Komet office. For ticket information call 260-483-0011 or visit www.komets.com.

Komet Hockey on WOWO Radio and OmniSource Radio Recycle on the web -- Follow the Komets on WOWO Radio AM 1190 and FM 92.3 with Bob Chase calling the action. All Komet radio broadcasts can also be heard worldwide on the web at Komets.com presented by OmniSource Radio Recycle.

Sound Off with the Komets on 21Alive Monday nights-- The Komets, 21Alive and SportONE/Parkview Icehouse present Sound Off with the Komets, a live weekly telecast each Monday night at 7:30. The show airs on WPTA TV 21Alive from the SportONE/Parkview Icehouse, 3869 Ice Way in Fort Wayne, featuring highlights, interviews and call-ins. Komet players and personnel serve as co-hosts with 21Alive's Tommy Schoegler. Tonight, Monday, March 30, forward Mike Embach will be Tommy's guest. All Komet fans are welcome to attend.

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