And the new best team in the IHL is ...

... clearly the Fort Wayne Komets. Again, we can say that just for this night.

The Komets humbled the Flint Generals 9-1 on Saturday night, in much the same way the Generals creamed the Komets 9-3 the night before in Michigan.

I had a feeling the Komets would win this game -- they have too much talent and solid leadership not to have put up a good showing -- but I never expected this. While the goal-scoring was what had the fans in a frenzy, it really was the defense that shined.

Flint was outshot 11-4 in the first period, 8-2 in the second and 14-10 in the third period.

There's not much you can say about this game that the statistics don't show: Colin Chaulk had three goals, Matt Reynolds and Mathieu Curadeau two apiece, Luciano Aquino had four points. The power-play unit scored on 4 of 10 opportunities. And even when the Generals got chippy, going after the likes of Aquino and David Hukalo, the Komets showed some toughness. Check out the box score.

Although, I still say the Komets aren't checking enough.

I think Al Sims' press conference was fun, so here's the audio if you're interested: Download al_sims_after_91_victory.WMA

If you want more postgame audio, here's Colin Chaulk: Download colin_chaulk_audio.WMA

Here are some other notes:

• Sims said he didn't want to run up the score, so he started sending his lesser-used guys out in the game. But Matt Reynolds scored twice, too.
• The Komets used this story out of The Flint Journal as bulletin board material. (Before you ask, no, I had nothing to do with it. Sims apparently had read it and told us about it after the game.) "I want to see what Brendan writes tomorrow about them crushing the Komets," Sims said. "I put the article on the board today about them having (43) hits, most in team history and all this stuff, just to fire our guys up. He made them sound like world beaters and I'm just interested to see what he writes tomorrow."
• The Komets talked about not letting down, after such an emotional high, with the annual New Year's Eve game coming Monday against Bloomington. Team president Michael Franke expects at least 9,500 fans to be in attendance.
• Sims said P.C. Drouin's goal was one of the best shots he's seen at this level, an NHL shot. Drouin did play in the NHL for the Boston Bruins.

Well, this was about the strangest home-and-home series I've ever covered.  This rivalry should be fun the rest of the way.

-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

Comments

[IcyKometsFan84]

Our Defense Was Awesome!!!
I was really pulling for Reiter to get a shutout and prove everyone -including me- wrong
Great Job Reiter!!!

GO KOMETS!!!

[scoops]

Cheers:
Everything was working tonight. The defense, the goaltending, the PP, and PK. Great overall performance and hopefully they can build from this game.

Jeers:
The linesmen. Stay out of the middle of the altercations if you cannot cleanly break it up. It was a good thing Aquino didn't get seriously hurt.

[Kris]

Great win for the Komets!! Everyone behind Marvin in the third period was great. They really got into his head. Way to bounce back! I only have one complaint. Berkabile!! I think he went to Hawthorn and Gallagher's school of officiating!! Those three officials really know how to make a hockey game flow (sarcasm). How about Puke-A-Pile's tripping call on Marchant... WHILE HE WAS TRYING TO SHOOT!!! Ol' Mr. Jones better get his crap together and get these crappy refs out of here. I said it last night, they kill hockey games. Sims even said it in his interview, with the 5 on 3 when Flint finally scored. Puke-A-Pile must have felt that it was time to step in and give Flint a goal. Can we get a competent ref?! Other than that, great game, I have a headache from yelling. GO KOMETS!!

[Tom]

I laughed to before the game Friday when I saw there were two Hawthornes...I think we are 4-13 the last two season combined with Hawthorne as ref...ouch...with two we are 0-1. I said before the game we would have one of our favorite officials again...#5, #7, #9....and of course Mr. Mondalek is 43. Can anyone name those fabulous officials without cheating? Here I will help you...Berkebile, Gallagher, and Hawthorne....ouch. I always know the games will be crazy when I see those numbers. Reiter was better tonight, but I am not a believer yet. When you get down like 6 goals you kind of lose your intesity. After the cheap shot on Aquino Flint just died out gently into that cold night. I agree with earlier blogger about linesman...Woods took a couple of shots to the face too because linesman held him back and then the Flint guy pop him a few times. And the 4 minutes on Hanson when the Flint guy was punching a way down there? What? I think there were even two guys at that point. WOW! Go KOmets see everyone Monday. Also Justin or someone please post Mr. Savages awesome commentary tomorrow for us.

[Junior]

Very cool Justin, thanks for posting the interviews.

[Mark]

Nice win for the Komets...Everyone played well from Reiter right out to the last man on the bench..way to go.

[Canuck]

Can't believe Marvin didn't get pulled by Flint's coach. From where I was sitting I could see the backup staring at the coach after the last couple goals. Bad decision by the coach. Thought Marvin would pull a Patrick Roy / Mario Tremblay - wouldn't have blamed him.

McCarty to the I is great. I wonder how long that will last - since the AHL is higher talent level. Wouldn't you want to tune up your game at the higher level? - I would think it gets you better prepared for the pace of the NHL.

[JungleMonkey]

I know Sims says he didnt want to run up the score, but the fans wanted 10. #9 put a cork in the jokers sitting near me from Flint. Everytime we scored the brought up their 9 goals. On our 9th they just shut up.

[Junior]

Flint had an emergency back-up and must not of wanted him in.

Other then that, no clue why Marvin wasn't pulled. Which was great, because we had a blast heckling him.

[Canuck]

Heard Sims in the post game clip mention that the backup was a local but I still think Marvin should have been pulled. The local guy would have got some ice time in the pros. It looked like he wanted to be out there.
What's the worst that could have happened - Flint losing the game?
Jeers to the coach.
I could feel Marvin's pain.

[morency fan]

the komets stepped it up from the other night .....congrates what a great game!! i cant wait til tomorrow HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!

[Hit Somebody!!!]

That was a fun game for sure. Jorde is still the same guy that played for us. He hits nothing, he fights once in a while, and he is super lazy. Enough about him.

The linesmen were not only trying to get guys killed out there, they also missed at least a half-a-dozen offsides calls, and missed a couple of icing calls too. Puke-a-pile,,,,,well,,,,he was himself too. He sucks.

The defense...a team effort. I think it was more that our forwards were pressuring the Generals so much that they had trouble getting any offense going. When our forwards do that, we are unstoppable. Our forwards put pressure on and they score tons of goals. It also makes our defense look alot better. Our defensemen are our last line of defense so to speak and we are much better when our forwards are the aggressive bunch that they were last night. Does that make sense?

I bet Henley was dying to be out there last night! I heard he might be back this week. Anyone else hear those rumors at the game last night?

Aquino...chippy, aggressive, hustling, quick, play maker, goal scorer, plays both ends of the ice....have we seen a guy better than him the last 8 or 9 years?

Great fun last night! Go Komets!

[morency fan]

i didnt hear anything about henley...
hes sappose to come back like monday or after that?

[mightbite]

Does any one know why Jorde changed his jersey to #6 after the fight? Was it torn or no tie down ?

[Rich]

Since Jorde is the most feared player in the IHL he autographed it and gave it to Legault:) I think it was torn.

You could tell Henley was getting into the game because he was talking to the Flint players over in the sin bin.

[morency fan]

hey was that jordes tooth that fell out on the ice? lol

[chuckitt]

i think jorde is a fine example of a lot of todays athletes. he has all the talent in the world but doesnt care or doesnt know how to use it. hes quite happy playing at a low level, getting a paycheck and tries not to get hurt. sadly we fans sit back and make excuses for people like that and we say things like itll never go back to the old way ect ect. so we are suppose to get use to it and accept it. well, not this guy. i expect professionals to go all out and play each game like it might be their last. call me a dinosauer if you want but i want to see guys who care aabout the game and are willing to go the extra. look at chaulk, probably too small and too small and not too good of a shot, but the guys gives it 100% almost all the time and doesnt worry about his body, his goal is to win and do it anyway possible! give me a team full of chaulks. happy new year all and you can all buy this old guy a beer new years eve, im the handsome guy in 200 below the budweiser section of course!

[Hit Somebody!!!]

My favorite Jorde moment last night was during a center-ice faceoff after maybe the 7th or 8th goal of the night, he was chirping with Shafronov and trying to get him to fight him. This is the same old Jorde I remember from a couple of years ago. He told SuperFan Blakes in his infamous interview that he begs people to fight him, but no one wants to. Is this another example of that Mr. Jorde? Hillarious.

[scoops]

Was he miked up so you could hear him Hit? Your speculating. He may be the self proclaimed whatever, lazy, and playing for the love of a paycheck but he's not trying to get into a fight with Shafranov.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Usually standing face to face with a guy yapping and then a slash to the skates means what in your world?

[Hit Somebody!!!]

It is funny that the Ryan Jorde of Scoopers is backing up his boy though.....LOL I am only kidding. I thought that Jungle Monkey would have all ready said it.

It was a fun night last night though. Hope there is some action tomorrow night with Margettie getting his well deserved beat-down.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

By the way....here is Savage's response to the back to back games with Flint and his babble about Coach Sims. This guy is a jerk.

http://blog.mlive.com/flintjournal/savagethoughts/2007/12/take_a_deep_breath_al_it_was_simply_the_truth.html#comments

[morency fan]

gosh i just read that thing that hit somebody put on and wow hes a total jerk and hes just mad because he didnt come up with the idea of letting them read the bulliten i think thats actually a good idea gosh i just cant believe hes said all that stuff thats one guy i would definatally get in an argument with over the way he says stuff

thannks for posting that hit somebody :)

[Brandon]

Jorde's jersey had a very large tear and he noticed it when he was in the box, basically the entire neck was ripped out. He handed his jersey to Andy who had it ran across to Flints equipment manager who gave Jorde the new jersey. All of this took place while he was in the box.

Also, yes, that was Jorde's tooth that was on the ice.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

It is funny when you read the the build-up story for the 2 games, then the post game story for game one and how Flint is the best team ever, and then you read the game 2 post game that basically was played off as Flint just having a bad game, and then you have the response to Coach Sims and Justin. Savage cracks me up. Justin reported the 2 games perfectly if you ask me. They were just 2 games out of a long season. What do we really know different about the 2 teams after those 2 games? Nothing really. Savage is a hack and is jealous of Justin, that is what we have really found out.

[morency fan]

yea you said it all perfectly lol hit somebody

[morency fan]

thanks brandon finally someone telle me lol just playing but yeah thats what i thought it was

[duglaw]

it was like he was surprised that coaches use clippings to motivate players,they have only been doing that since the first sports report
of course kerr does not have to do
that since he is a god !

[duglaw]

I am sure both of (scavages)bloggers will disagree and will respond as soon as the library
reopens

[Tom]

You guys crack me up. I think our blog is good material for them....next thing you know they will spank the Komets with McCarty (I doubt it) and Savage will praise his Generals which is his job. He needs to do whatever he can to keep people (4 of them)reading his blog. Heck more Komet fans read his blog than his own audience which is funny. I read it for the comedic relief it provides me. He does and says what he needs to in order to get readers and I do applaud him for that. If he was not so arrogant and pompous would we even know who he was? NOPE! He is a celebrity. GO KOMETS! Jeers to the jungle last night for not being louder...I expect better from the fans of the Fort. I am going to say it again...Muskegon and not Flint is the team to beat in the IHL....watch them getting closer and closer in the standings without anyone discussing them.

[Brandon]

The sad thing is that we have more bloggers on here then Flint has fans in their arena

[scoops]

Players talk all game long and more than enough times will a player get a harmless whack on the back of the legs. Beausoliel was doing stuff like that all game. Hukalo does that stuff too. Thats hockey.
I am not backing Jorde at all. All I am saying is that this occurance, just like most, did not mean a thing. The hatred towards Jorde is well documented. I only commented because in a million years, Jorde is not going to try and start a fight with Shafranov just to fight somebody.

[lovelost]

Jorde does not fight non fighters. Looks at who he has fought and they have all been skilled fighters. Good game last night though. If we could just do that every night. Keep it up Komets!

[chuckitt]

i never whacked anybody without it meaning something, and what better way to turn momentem than to sucker one of our hot at the moment players into a fight. why are you again attacking another blogger for an opinion? i thought jorde was trying to fight him too.

[chuckitt]

and another thing, any wack on the back of the legs isnt harmless. its hurts like hell.

[scoops]

Sorry Chuck. As much as I respect your opinion, I still disagree. Concidering the two players being discussed, the aggressor doesn't have the resume of blatant disrespect for the game that I am aware of. Jorde is not some loose canon that we have seen come and go over the years. He's played here twice now and people always complained he didn't fight or play tough enough of the time. He has always been a "fight when asked" player rather than someone looking mix it up. I doubt seriously Shaf was standing there begging him to go.

If the finger is being pointed in my direction on "attacking", you ought to take a look in the mirror. You tend to swing your vast knowledge of everything you think you know about the game around pretty heavy yourself sometimes. This issue was really pretty tame and his retort to me I chuckled at and moved on. You are only sticking your nose in this because its me talking to Hit. He doesn't need the surrogate father.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Only Scoops decides who Jorde fights obviously. He must live with a Parrot that is trained to say, "ERRRREEETTTT You're Right ERRRRREEETTT."
Next time someone doesn't get a scoops tossed to them, they maybe should go up to RJ of Scoopers and whack him on the back of the legs just for grins and giggles since it is a common occurance. I do it to everyone I meet. Hey how ya doing.....WHACK (on the back of the legs). It seems to break the ice. We all must get a copy of that Hockey 101 book that Scoops has been reading. Hukalo must read it since he is a whacker of the back of the legs too. Chuckitt, are you a whacker too?

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Chuckitt, I guess I spoke too soon...Father??? LOL

Never said Shaf was looking to fight. I think I said Jorde was the guy trying to fight at the end of the game. Oh well. Maybe I was dreaming the whole thing up...I noticed the fans were disrespecting the art of scooping by firing their scoops to the ice when Chaulker got his hat-trick, or was it a Scoop Trick?

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Take it easy anyway Scoops. You don't have to apologize for Ryan. Maybe he was just talking and whacking at Shaf and not wanting to fight him after being down 8-1. Maybe Shaf had some mud on his skates and he was simply helping him out. Maybe Shaf was trash talking Jorde telling him in Russian that he is not the most feared player in minor league hockey. Maybe Jorde didn't want him "Russian" the net anymore the rest of the game? Maybe Shaf told him that Shaf's blog name was Hit Somebody??? LOL

Just joshing you MAN! See ya tomorrow night at the game. I will say hello to you in the hallway. Or maybe I will send Chuckitt (My Father) to whack you on the legs....LOL

[scoops]

My wife whacked me on the back of the legs and is making me do a "couples" thing tomorrow. Oddly, the K's time slot was overtaken by dinner reservations. When trying to correct this obvious mistake, the look I received confirmed this was not mistake. Unfortuantely, I will miss the game tomorrow.

[chuckitt]

wives have a tendancy to chnage the meaning of life real easy!