Fort Wayne Komets radio broadcaster Bob Chase summed up the weekend’s events like this: “I’ve been around the Komets for 54 years and I’ve not seen anything any worse than that.”
The Komets aren’t talking much about their weekend set of games at Elmira, N.Y., but they’re clearly peeved.
On Monday, the team will be sending videotape to the league office, in hopes that it addresses events that took place where Fort Wayne lost 3-2 on Friday and won 5-3 on Saturday.
“There were too many incidents to recite, just unnecessary stuff,” Komets coach Pat Bingham said of the Elmira Jackals.
Asked to elaborate, Bingham said, “There were just a lot of things that took place. There were several incidents and we’ll see what the conclusions are.”
Bingham had no further comment. But box scores don’t lie.
In the two games, the teams combined for 385 penalty minutes and 18 misconducts. There were penalties for things like intent to injure (Elmira’s Milan Maslonka), leaving the bench to fight (Elmira’s Curtis Tidball) and continuing an altercation (Fort Wayne’s Mario Larocque).
“Our strength as a team is to try and play hockey and to focus on sticking to hockey,” Komets captain Guy Dupuis said. “That’s our game plan and some teams, they see that we are pretty good squad and they’ll try to physically come at us. Credit our team for staying focused.”
Perhaps not surprisingly, behind Elmira’s bench both games was Jackals general manager Robbie Nichols, a former UHL coach known for fielding tough and unpredictable teams. (Kris Waltze, the Jackals’ head coach, was also behind the bench.)
Things got out of control Saturday when Elmira’s Scott Wray charged Fort Wayne goaltender Kevin St. Pierre, inciting a melee. There was another brawl in the third period that included Maslonka fighting J.C. Ruid, who had three goals and two assists in the game. An Elmira player also blindsided Fort Wayne's Bruce Richardson. When that calmed down, Nichols was ejected for actions behind the bench with seven seconds left in the game.
That’s when things really got wild. According to sources, Nichols found his way to the area just outside the Fort Wayne locker room and, sleeves rolled up, challenged Richardson, an assistant coach. Larocque separated the two.
Fort Wayne general manager David Franke also got in a shouting match with Nichols.
Police had to be called to First Arena.
“In the league, you don’t want to see that happen,” Dupuis said. “There’s emotion on the ice. Fighting happens on the ice, hockey stirs up emotion sometimes. But you kind of hope the rink, the facilities and the arena, they would provide good enough security. It’s kind of tough for the people to shut down their emotions. … The dressing rooms are so close. You’ve got to have a couple of security guards. People have emotion and are so full of energy and stuff like that will can happen.”
Some of Fort Wayne's star players have expressed reservations about continuing to play in a league that allows things like this to go on.
“That was worse than old-time hockey,” Chase said.
Fort Wayne plays host to Elmira on Dec. 22.
-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette
Wow...star players aren't sure they want to play in this league anymore? Way to go Dickie and crew. Nichols and Waltz are both jerks. If the league doesn't act on what happened there and doesn't do so in a swift and effective way...this league will continue to fall into the old poop hole. This league over the past couple of years has continued to get worse. The guy that was allowed to heckle Chase during the game...why wasn't he booted from the arena? What a bunch of crap this weekend turned out to be.
The Komets must bring in an Enforcer that everyone is afraid of...or we will continue to see this crap over and over again. Rockford will pull the same crap. We can't afford our star players to have to fight for themselves and risk injury and suspension against the likes of Titball and Lizon in this league and others.
Disgusting.....
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 10, 2006 at 05:11 PM
Here is video from the Friday 2nd period brawl.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrC4D2ocrI0
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 10, 2006 at 05:20 PM
Justin, lots of people are wondering if Hansen was injured in that beating...by the way, triple teamed at one point and then beat to death with not a soul helping him including the refs? Morency is also a question...did he get hurt? I am sure there will be more video popping up from the weekend on youtube. That was awful to watch. Makes me sick. Too many guys standing around and not taking out Tidball, LittleJohn and many others. How can you stand by and watch a defenseless teammate get beat to death? Goodwin took some sucker punches too. As did many others. What a freaking mess.
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 10, 2006 at 05:27 PM
We need an Enforcer bigtime...crying to the league office will get us nowhere. Our star players cannot deal with this crap any longer. They need to concentrate on hockey and let the 10th man Monster come off the bench and lay out the punishment. This is really pee-ing me off.
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 10, 2006 at 05:29 PM
No word on injuries. Bingham said everyone's OK, but he then added he doesn't like talking about injuries. One player told me he wasn't sure about Hansen's health. I'll try to find out more tonight or, more likely, later in the week.
Posted by: Justin Cohn | December 10, 2006 at 05:32 PM
We have only seen the video from that brawl and it sounds as if there was more things that went on that might be worse. What impression does that video leave you with Justin?
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 10, 2006 at 05:36 PM
Scroll thru these pictures to see more of the brawl.
http://www.shutterfly.com/progal/slideshow.jsp?auto=0&aid=768a5498cf4738e0308e&idx=163
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 10, 2006 at 06:07 PM
This was absolutely ridiculous!!!! This type of goonery does not belong in hockey and the UHL better take swift action to stop it or else this league will revert back to the mid 90's when it was a goon league. For you tools out there that say the Komets don't need an enforcer, are you happy that the Rock will be suspended for 2 games being our 2nd leading scorer? I would hope not!!!
Posted by: Komet Fan | December 10, 2006 at 06:58 PM
Well Elmira comes to town Christmas weekend, maybe we'll have something in their stockings.
Posted by: Brad Lyons | December 10, 2006 at 07:01 PM
The only thing the K's are going to leave in Elmira's stocking is some class which they know nothing about. Should be a fun game to go to.
Posted by: marc | December 10, 2006 at 07:44 PM
I doubt Elmira has half the same team that just gooned us to death this weekend...they should be suspended on the 22nd.
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 10, 2006 at 07:52 PM
Does anyone know what is up with Mario. It looked like he had a full cage on. Did he break a jaw? I have a bad feeling the K's will be on the short stick. Titball needs to be gone forever and Nicole need to be gone also. I have been going to games since I was 3 years old. This game reminds me of the games played against Archie Henderson's Team, all goons and no class. We don't need a goon. Our guys showed heart and class they didn't back down from a fight unlike last years team. Last years team would have been cowering in the corner.
Posted by: Wingmnn | December 10, 2006 at 08:27 PM
Hansen, it appears, is OK. I guess he was woozy, but should be ready to go in next one. Morency also OK. ... The Komets are most incensed about Tidball and Nichols. ... As for Larocque, no one's sure if he's going to be suspended for all his misconducts. I would think so.
Posted by: Justin Cohn | December 10, 2006 at 09:02 PM
Justin...can you gather from talking to them how they think to best handle the current situation of teams that cheapshot, start brawls and fights, and so on? Are they comfortable fighting it out as they have risking injury and suspensions, or do they see the need for a Policeman type player? Just wondering if there is any feeling on this...
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 10, 2006 at 09:14 PM
The rock is fine he took a high stick early in the game and probally needed some stitches, that is why he was wearin the full face sheild. I think responsibility needs to be handed to the UHL. And I also don't beleive that they need an enforcer, In a NORMAL game this kind of stuff wouldn't happen, If we had played Chicago this weekend would anyone be calling for an enforcer, probally not. As for The Rock's misconducts I watched the games on the B2 and also the replay's it looked to me as if he was doing the Linesmans jobs and seperating a fight before injury. The zebras never had control of these games and the real question should be "After Mondeleck failed to maintain order in Fridays game, Why was he the official for Saturday's game?"
Posted by: Brian | December 10, 2006 at 09:40 PM
I guess the question is who do we have to stand up to the 'role players' from other teams? We have Larocque, who is leading the team in points so you obviously don't want him in the box. We have 2 guys that go 6'5" and 6'6" but they obvoiusly aren't comfortable fighting. We have Morency, who is a good fighter but with his size can't match up with guys over 6' night after night. I'm not a fight monger by any means but it is part of the game and in order to have a well rounded team you need that element to keep the your opponents honest.
Now from what I have read and seen from video clips, Nichols and Elmira should be facing severe penalties from the league office. The 'smoking gun' in my opinion is that Nichols sends out this guy with 7 seconds left to jump Ruid with an intent to injure. If this league wants to be taken seriously then decisive action needs to be taken by Brosal. If this type of behavior is going to be tolerated then I believe that we should look to get into another league.
Posted by: whole_n_one | December 10, 2006 at 09:44 PM
Well said, WHOLE. I am irritated at many games with the quality of officiating, or lack there-of. Yes, there are real penalities but there are also many ticky-tack penalites while other more serious ones are NOT called. The officials do not have control of this league, because I feel Brosal doesn't have control of the officials.
Posted by: Brad Lyons | December 10, 2006 at 11:06 PM
nor does Brad Jones.
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 10, 2006 at 11:18 PM
If any Komet players read this, please don't let this game with Elmira discourage you from playing in Fort Wayne. This is a very fun and exciting team to watch. Franke wanted a team that can get the cup this season, and there is no disappointment on this team with that! I agree it was ridiculous what happened. Hopefully this league does the right thing and adds some credibility to the UHL by handing Elmira a few suspensions/fines for some of this stuff. Keep playing good hockey for us, we support you.
Posted by: dnl | December 11, 2006 at 12:17 AM
If you want to show the Komets that you support them, this Friday when the guys take the ice against the Wings..we need to be loud, and into the game from the time they take the ice (giving them a standing ovation) until the last player steps off the ice after the third.
I don't mind the occasional fight, there have been plenty of amazing games without them, but what happened this weekend was completly out of control and taken way too far. I agree that we do need an enforcer type player to patrol the ice and I don't mean a 5'6 guy, we need someone who will intimate the other team. Complaining to the league office will do nothing, yeah they will (SHOULD) hand out plenty of suspensions but what about the next time it happens? We play Elmira on the 22nd and Rockford on the 26th, I hope that the Franke's are on the phones getting someone here in time for that extendid weekend.
Posted by: Brandon | December 11, 2006 at 02:29 AM
and do NOT NOT NOT throw things on the ice when the Elmira Jerkals are in town!
Posted by: Brad Lyons | December 11, 2006 at 07:59 AM
HIT- exactly who are you thinking of when you say enforcer "aka goon". They don;t exsist anymore. That one way type of player is going to do nothing more than take up a vaulable roster space. I'm not happey with what Elmira did either, but I don;t want the K's to waste a roster spot on somebody whose going to do nothing more than sit on his arse on the "chance" that things may go nuts. Then one fihgt he's out for the game or suspended and your right back to sqaure one. It doesn;t make sense. The K's still won, the Jackals will get a warm reception I'm sure when they next hit the Colisuem.
Posted by: Greg | December 11, 2006 at 09:22 AM
Greg....what exactly do we get out of the current 10th man on this team...A guy who sits on his arse all game except maybe 5-6 shifts? Why not put a guy in that spot who can play the role of tough guy and energy guy...rather than window dress it with a player that isn't getting used properly? Matt is potentially a great player in the future...but him in the 10th spot is a waste for him and the team. He can't be expected to go out and take on a Lizon or Turdball. Does that make any sense?
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 11, 2006 at 05:48 PM
Everyone has already stated that the Komets need an enforcer. I said it after the first home Rockford game when Big Snake came after a couple guys. Im not a Big Snake fan whatsoever but he went after "our enforcer" and he didnt want to step up and take him on. That has lead to the Komets getting the title as soft. I realize is more important then fighting, but when you have teams come in knowing that they can do whatever they want to do physically to the Komets, that takes away from what we can accomplish. You cant ask Mario to step up in that role any longer. He is to valuable to our offense and defense. It is like Koytluk when he went to KZOO. He was no longer the enforcer he was here. He turned into a scorer. We need someone to step in and take out the trash. DOnt want to start any rumors but damn, it would be nice to see 77 skating upu and down the ice on the 22nd when they come to town. I saw him 2 weeks ago and he still looks like he could throw!!! OHHHH the dreams I have!!
Posted by: Jerad Shaw | December 11, 2006 at 08:12 PM
No....Fletch comes in to Komet's practice to teach Syrocynski how to fight and a few others. Why not take care of the problem by bringing in a fighter...not bringing in a fighter to teach others how to fight.
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 11, 2006 at 09:41 PM
Do you really think it is possible the the Komets would bring in a fighter? After all the crap about Worlton. The Frankes want someone that can still play. Don't get me wrong I would love to see Fletcher again any day but I doubt the Komets are actually considering bringing in a Goon Enforcer. I would love to see an extra play on the ice on the 22nd but i bet we have the same team there as before.
Posted by: IcyKometsFan | December 12, 2006 at 08:30 AM
No goons please. Just people that can do both. Like him or not Chaz Johnson from Rockford is close to that type of player too, and he produces. Tyler WIllis from K-zoo is a small guy but he takes it to several people twice his size. How about adding officials and linesman who actually call a good game once? Adding an extra official? Someone pointed this out earlier but,,,,Mondalek screwing up Fridays' game and then screwing up Sat.'s too? An official should never be able to officiate the same two teams back to back nights!!! How absurd. Hope to see a lot of you in K-zoo on Sat.
Posted by: Tom | December 12, 2006 at 02:16 PM