Komets clip Walleye, catch Rays for five-point week.
By: Randy Ziemnik
Updated: March 4, 2013
COURTESY: Fort Wayne Komets
Fort Wayne, IN - The Komets collected points in all three games last week to improve to 29-28-3 and 61 points at the 60-game mark of 2012-13. The Komets have earned points in four of their last five games (3-1-1). A dozen games remain on the regular season slate as the tight race for playoff position in the Eastern Conference continues. The top eight teams in the conference will qualify for post-season play. The Komets trail eighth-place Florida (68 points) by seven points and seventh-place South Carolina (69 points) by eight points.
About last week--The Komets started the week with a 5-4 overtime win over Toledo Wednesday night to snap a brief three-game home winless skid. It was the first Komet win in six meetings against the Walleye at Fort Wayne (1-5-0) this year. The Komets end their season series against Toledo with the 11th and final meeting of the year March 17 at Fort Wayne. The Komets improved to 23-4-0 when reaching three goals in a game.
Friday the Komets began a two-game series at South Carolina dropping a 2-1 shootout to earn a point in their first every visit to Charleston, South Carolina. Saturday the Komets turned the tables and earned a 2-1 overtime victory against the Stingrays at North Charleston Arena. Fort Wayne extended its unbeaten (in regulation) streak to three games (2-0-1) with their fourth overtime win out of five this season. The Komets pushed their record to 19-5-2 when scoring the first goal of the game and are now 18-5-3 in one-goal games.
Milestones--Brandon Marino (RW) reached the 20-goal mark for the second consecutive season in Wednesday's 5-4 overtime win over Toledo. Colin Chaulk (C) registered his 1,000th career point (regular season) with an assist on Marino's goal in Wednesday's game. Matt Syroczynski notched his 100th career point (regular season) with an assist Friday at South Carolina while Jamie Milam (D) skated his 400th pro game (regular season). Saturday night at South Carolina Chaulk posted his 499th career assist (regular season) when he dished a helper on the game winning goal in overtime.
Net gains--Jeff Deslauriers has started all six Komet games (3-2-1, 1.61 GAA, .945 Spct.) since his assignment from the Anaheim Ducks to Fort Wayne Feb. 19. The ninth-year pro has surrendered only two power play goals after 25 times short-handed (92.0% penalty kill rate) in his six Komet appearances to date. While unbeaten in regulation in last week's three games (2-0-1), Deslauriers registered a 1.88 goals-against average and stopped 87 of 93 shots for a .938 save percentage for the week. Prior to his assignment with the Komets, Deslauriers was 1-1-0 in two games with Norfolk this year.
Leaders of the Pack--Marino 64 points, 44 assists....Marino and Thomas Beauregard (RW) with 20 goals each....Scott Kishel (D) +7.....Kaleigh Schrock (RW) with 151 penalty minutes.
Iron Man--Tyler Butler (D) has skated all 60 Komet games to date. The veteran, skating his 10th pro season, also appeared in all 66 regular season games for Arizona (CHL) last season.
March forward--The month of March is underway with two of 14 games in the books after the trip to South Caroline this past weekend. 12 games remain in March and will complete the balance of the schedule. Eight games remain at home and four road games remain. The remainder of the schedule has the Komets playing all teams in the race for playoff position in the Eastern Conference of the ECHL. The Komets, 28-26-3 against Eastern Conference teams, face Florida twice at home, Evansville twice at home, Greenville once at home, Reading once at home, Toledo once at home, Kalamazoo three times (once at home and twice at Kalamazoo) and Elmira twice at Elmira.
Wearin' of the green St. Patrick's Weekend--The Komets will be wearing the green when they are home for games March 16 and March 17. Special green Komet jerseys, sponsored by O'Daniel, will be worn in the games before they are raffled to benefit The Disabled American Veterans of Allen County and The Shadarobah Horse Rescue. The Komets will host Greenville Saturday, March 16 and Evansville, March 17 for the special St. Patrick's weekend on Coliseum ice.
