Jamie Schaafsma and Garrett Meurs each scored twice and the Komets defeated the Cincinnati Cyclones 5-3 at U.S. Bank Arena on Tuesday, giving Fort Wayne some needed breathing room in the race for the Midwest Division title.

The Komets (38-21-8), who totaled only 15 shots on goal, now have a seven-point lead with only five games remaining in the regular season. If the standings hold, they will get the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

The Komets would clinch a playoff spot Tuesday if Tulsa loses. The Oilers are down 5-0 to Colorado, which is Fort Wayne's likely first-round opponent.

Schaafsma, the Komets' captain, has scored a goal in 16 of the last 23 games, totaling 17 goals and 21 points along the way. This was the first time in the run in which he's netted two goals.

Schaafsma opened the scoring 3:04 into the first period by firing the puck from along the dasher boards in the right circle, but Cincinnati (34-24-9) answered with goals from Christiaan Minella and Jack Downing, the latter coming with his team playing short-handed.

Schaafsma scored again, off a rebound, to tie it at 2 at 3:10 of the second period. Meurs made it 3-2 after accepting a crossing pass from Leo Thomas, at 9:16.

The Cyclones' Nick Huard capitalized on a Kyle Thomas hooking call for a game-tying power-play goal at 14:32, but Meurs regained the lead by intercepting a clearing attempt and netting a 20-foot shot to make it 4-3 at 11:30 of the third period.

Shawn Szydlowski added an empty net goal.

Despite getting back goaltender Spencer Martin from San Antonio of the higher-level American Hockey League on Monday -- when he was named AHL Player of the Week -- Komets coach Gary Graham opted to play Pat Nagle, who had two shutouts in his last seven games. Nagle stopped 23 shots. Cincinnati's Andy Iles stopped 10 in front of 1,869 fans.

Notes: To make room for Martin, the Komets released goalie Alex Vazzano, who had stopped 12 of 13 shots in his only appearance, a 3-1 victory Saturday of Evansville. ... Forward Brock Montgomery returned to the lineup after missing 12 games with an injury.