Ice Chips 05'-06'

Bothering Bowman

When people find out I'm a sports writer, I'm often asked to recount my favorite memories. So I thought you, too, might enjoy reading about my most memorable moments from covering the Komets for nine seasons.

I am counting down the top-15 things I've covered on the hockey beat, and they include the good, the bad, the ugly and the preposterous.

Here's No. 13:

Scotty Bowman is in the house

"Hey, Justin, you see that guy there? Doesn't he look like Scotty Bowman?," a friend asked Oct. 6, 2004.

A mere second of looking, from across expansive Memorial Coliseum, through some binoculars, and I knew it was indeed the NHL's winningest coach. And Bowman is, in my opinion, the best coach of any sport ever.

I bolted across the arena, blew his anonymity as he was taking in the game quietly, and I got a short interview.

"I really like this," said Bowman, who had a 1,244-583-314 coaching record. "The guys work hard and it is hockey. There's not a big difference between this and the NHL, just a couple stars here and there."

Bowman, who last coached the Detroit Red Wings, was at the Coliseum not only because a lockout had robbed him of NHL hockey that season, but also because his daughter, Alicia, lived in Fort Wayne.

Once I talked to him, seemingly every reporter and fan in the building wanted to as well. Ultimately, management invited him to the press box.

Probably the best comment of the night came from Komets coach Greg Puhalski. When asked if he thought Bowman had designs on his job, Puhalski said: "Hey, he hasn't won a game in three years."

-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

To read about more of my favorite moments, click on My memorable moments at the bottom of this post.

Make sure you check out Komets Korner for The Journal Gazette's coverage of Fort Wayne's hockey team.

Memories of Venny's big night

When people find out I'm a sports writer, I'm often asked to recount my favorite memories. So I thought you, too, might enjoy reading about my most memorable moments from covering the Komets for nine years.

I am counting down the top-15 things I've covered on the hockey beat, and they will include the good, the bad, the ugly and the preposterous.

Here's No. 13:

Venny's big night

The funny thing about Sean Venedam, the center/left wing who played for the Komets from 2002 until 2005, was his modesty. He was known throughout minor-league hockey for his skills as a defensive forward, as an assist man, as a consistent winner on faceoffs and as a leader. But, despite his obvious skills shooting the puck, it seemed he had to be cajoled into doing it.

He was too unselfish.

But last season, after two years with the Komets, something clicked. He began a scoring barrage, after asking coach Greg Puhalski to move him to left wing so he could better help the team. He finished the season with a career-high 39 goals and 85 points in 78 games

The highlight of it came Dec. 17, 2004, when he scored four goals in a 9-4 victory over the Richmond RiverDogs at Memorial Coliseum.

"I'm still not a goal-scorer," Venedam said after the game, with a straight face. "That's one of the last things I bring to the table for this hockey club. When it happens, it's just gravy I guess."

That might have been believable, had it not been the third consecutive game in which Venedam netted a hat trick. That is a franchise record for the Komets.

"I've never seen anything like this in my entire life," said right wing Jonathan Goodwin, who was a linemate of Venedam's. "It's pure brilliance. He's playing so hard and scoring so many goals. How does he keep his concentration? ... To go back-to-back-to-back (with hat tricks), it's mind-boggling."

It was also surreal. The fans had been roaring all night long when Venedam took to the ice, really just to thank the assistant captain for his brilliance over the week to that point. I don't think anyone thought heading into the game, "Gee, maybe he could have another three-goal night." But he did, pacing the Komets to their 13th victory in 15 games.

-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

To read about more of my favorite moments, click on My memorable moments at the bottom of this post.

Make sure you check out Komets Korner for The Journal Gazette's coverage of Fort Wayne's hockey team.

Memories of the burning bus

When people find out I'm a sports writer, I'm often asked to recount my favorite memories. So I thought you, too, might enjoy reading about my most memorable moments from covering the Komets for nine years.

I am counting down the top-15 things I've covered on the hockey beat, and they will include the good, the bad, the ugly and the preposterous.

Here's No. 14:

The burning bus

Nothing says minor-league hockey like seeing players stranded on the side of the highway with their bus on fire. That's what happened April 15, 2004, on the Komets' trip to Kalamazoo, Mich. for their playoff opener against the Wings.

I was making the 117-mile trek up I-69 with Journal Gazette photographer Clint Keller when we saw the team's bus on the side of the highway, smoking because a broken wheel bearing and then a broken axle caught ablaze.

As driver Kenny Martin put the fire out with a fire extinguisher, the players sat on the grass, some sleeping, some reading, some laughing, others barely containing their frustration with the whole thing.

Clint and I pulled over to get pictures of the scene -- a replacement bus was on the way -- and coach Greg Puhalski asked if we'd give goaltender Kevin St. Pierre a ride up to Wings Stadium so he could go through his pre-game routines and be prepared for the opening faceoff.

My response: "As long as he submits to an interview."

On the way, St. Pierre told us how frustrating things like this can be.

"At this time of year, the last thing you want is for this stuff to happen," he said. "But it's out of our control and we've still got a hockey game to play tonight."

Luckily for the Komets, equipment manager Joe Franke had brought the equipment up the day before the game; the fire probably wasn't big enough to destroy anything, but it would have meant extra hassle if all that stuff had to be moved from bus to bus.

The game was delayed 30 minutes and the Komets lost 3-2. Fort Wayne went on to win the best-of-series in five games, though, before losing to the Muskegon Fury in the Colonial Cup Finals.

-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

To read about more of my favorite moments, click on My memorable moments at the bottom of this post.

Make sure you check out Komets Korner for The Journal Gazette's coverage of Fort Wayne's hockey team.

Memories of fight night

When people find out I'm a sports writer, I'm often asked to recount my favorite memories. So I thought you, too, might enjoy reading about my most memorable moments from covering the Komets for nine years.

In the coming weeks, I will count down the top-15 things I've covered on the hockey beat, and they will include the good, the bad, the ugly and the preposterous.

So let's dive right in with No. 15:

Fight night in Flint

It's not politically correct in the modern sports world, but I like the fighting in hockey. I think it's a necessary part of the game and a hoot to watch. So on Jan. 31, 2003, it was fun to cover a fight-filled game between the Komets and the Flint Generals.

In fact, it was the fight-filled game in UHL history. The Komets and Generals combined for a league-record 334 penalty minutes, a mark that still stands today. The Generals' 205 minutes in the game, at what was called IMA Sports Arena, remains a record for one team.

"It was a disgrace to the league, actually," Komets forward Adam Lewis said after the game, his team having won 5-1.

It certainly was to those who want a more family-oriented tilt to watch.

What made this game so entertaining was that the Komets were known as kind of a lightweight team. But when Kevin Kotyluk elbowed Generals star Bobby Reynolds, knocking him out of a 4-1 game with a concussion, all heck broke loose. The Komets defended themselves admirably, though, as the Generals instigated fight after fight.

There was a 10-player melee in the third period, and as the game wore on there were four more fights.

"It was ridiculous," Komets center Colin Chaulk said of the brawling started by the Generals. "I mean, the score was 4-1. It wasn't 10-1. They were still in the game. What were they doing?"

When the game ended, Flint had only six players, including its backup goaltender, who hadn't been ejected.

Usually after a game like that, players are unlikely to incite more controversy by talking about it more. But on this night, both teams expressed their dislike for the other squad's tactics. That made it all the more fun to cover.

-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

Make sure you check out Komets Korner for The Journal Gazette's coverage of Fort Wayne's hockey team.