The Fort Wayne Komets lost 2-1 to the league-worst Bloomington Prairie Thunder on Sunday night. There were two pervasive explanations doled out by those in the Fort Wayne locker room: Fatigue and missed opportunities.
Uh, OK.
I don't dispute the Komets are correct on either account. They did just play eight games in 10 days and that's a horrendous stretch. They also dictated most of the play, outshooting the Prairie Thunder 32-24 and getting a plethora of great chances down the stretch.
Still, I thought Bloomington did a good job. No matter how you cut it, they have taken the last two against the Komets, so they must be doing something right. They played with only 16 players in this one, so give the expansion team some props.
The Komets did credit Bloomington goalie Steffan Braunlich for having a stellar game. But that was about it. The rest of the talk was about how the Komets didn't get the job done themselves. That's true. They couldn't finish things off around the net and sometimes didn't make the easy pass to the open man. You should want your team believing the only way they lost was through fault of their own. So I don't know why they would have entered fatigue into the equation. Bloomington was playing its third in three nights, so it wasn't exactly rested.
All in all, the K's played a good game. And they've taken 12 of their last 15 games. Fans should be pretty happy.
By the way -- Pascal Morency, color me impressed. He's making a lot of things happen.
- The Komets are appealing the instigation penalty against Brent Henley from Saturday night. If they lose, he'll have to serve a one-game suspension for getting it in the final five minutes of the game.
- David Hukalo will probably be out a few weeks; he broke a knuckle when he was slashed Friday.
- J.F. Labarre and Kelly Miller have been back on the ice working. Still, they're a couple weeks away with their injuries, I think. Labarre has a broken arm. Miller has a separated shoulder.
-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette
They better get over the fatigue excuse because the schedule is not going to let up and big games are coming. This type of lost hurts because once again they have a chance to gain more ground on Muskegon, who did not play, and we failed again to do that.
Posted by: David | February 18, 2007 at 09:01 PM
My thoughts on the game as I just got home. I am amazed and have realized just how stupid and iggnorant the three stars of the game award is. Braunlich (sp) deserved his award as did Frenchy, But giving the 1st star to Laroque just because he scored the only goal and then to stand there and say I thought we played pretty well we just didn't bring enough tonight. What a Joke! IMO you give the stars to the person who played the best all around and I would not have chosen Mario. The game very easily could have been 3-1 had Frenchy not been paying attention late in the 2nd as Mario was lazily returning to our zone to retreive an iced puck while on the PP and a PT player came charging the zone right around him like he was sitting still, Frenchy left the crease poke checked the puck and saved the goal. I never once saw him Check anyone even though he had people lined up nemerous times he would put the brakes on at the last second and not even touch the guy, I also caught him staring into the stands numerous times not even paying attention to the game. I would have given the 1st star to someone like Morency as at least he was checking and battling guys while being doubleteamed quite often, which to me it seemed quite obvious that the PT were trying to hurt him or take him out of the game, I am astounded that our forwards are the ones doing the physical work. Morency, Goodwin and Syrosinzky(sp) are the only ones I see checking on a regular basis. Yet we have Laroque, Henley and the once self proclaimed "toughest defenseman in the UHL" Jorde who won't check and not one of them tried to help Morency or took offense to the intent to injury Morency.If we can't handle these bottom teir teams in the regular season we better get ready for a short playoff birth as the top seed plays the bottom seed in the first round. This was billed as one of the most Physical Komets teams in a long time, They look like a bunch of golf players here lately. I love my team but they have got to find there stride and start playing like they did at the start of the season again. I also have noticed that they seem content to shoot from farther than 20 feet here lately I could probally count on fingers and toes how many shots the K's put on closer than that all weekend. Is anyone else noticing this or am I way off base?
Posted by: Brian | February 18, 2007 at 09:02 PM
fatigue..yeah right..I'm sure they are tired..but holy cow, why does the same guys play over and over again..heck I didn't see Jorde out there in the last 5 minutes of the game..i know they were trying to get more offense..but its the same guys all the time..that has to facter in on the "fatigue facter"...Bloomington was just as tired and played short 2 men, and had to travel..
Posted by: Mark | February 18, 2007 at 09:05 PM
Instead of people worrying about catching Muskegon, they had better worry about staying ahead of Rockford.
Posted by: Neal | February 18, 2007 at 09:43 PM
It makes me laugh. Last couple weeks when everything comes up roses, you fans praise and cant say enough good things about the Komets. A rough weekend and now all the sudden negativity. This is a sport and with sports comes up and down. Yeah I was dissapointed in the effort they showed at the beginning of the game Saturday, but come on. You guys take one loss and make it into something it isn't. A rough weekend doesn't detour a season. They are the 2nd best team in the league and have proven that time and time again! Relax on all the negativity.
Posted by: Jerad Shaw | February 19, 2007 at 07:33 AM
Jerad, I think most people are most upset with the inconstent effort the Komets put forth. They dont get up for the lesser teams, regardless of what day of the week it is.
When I seen this mornings headline on the Komet article, I about puked. Bloominton played their 3rd game in 3 nights also. And guess what, all 3 of there games were onthe road! Like Colin Chaulk once said, "tired is for losers!"
I can't speak for the rest of the teams, but the Komets have a patter of bad play on Sundays. It is a conditoning issue? To much night life on Saturdays?
I might seem a little harsh, but I get tired of going Sundays (not that I go to all Sunday games) and paying full price but seeing 50% effort. Maybe Sundays should be 50% off all tickets.
Posted by: Pat | February 19, 2007 at 08:06 AM
It sure didn't seem like the Komets wanted to win last night. IMO, there wasn't a player from St. Pierre to Kiyaga who really put forth any type of effort. Bruanlich did have a heck of a game and deserved the first (and only) star.
Posted by: Greg | February 19, 2007 at 09:29 AM
The Komets of this season definately play to the level of their competition. Point: Last Sunday the Komets go into Kalamazoo and win 3-2 on the road to clinch the season series against the Wings. We continue to struggle against the lower teams..Point:Komets 4-3 at Chicago weds. 5-2 Saturday, but this was closer than the score dictated. Lost two to Bloomington the last two weeks. Prediction-Komets go 3-1 this week...wins over QC and Muskegon cause they have winning records and one of the games on Friday or Sat....hope we win all four but if the the effort continues as it has gone look for that to happen...The Komets have winning records against all the teams with winning records except maybe Rockford(not sure).
Posted by: Tom | February 19, 2007 at 03:21 PM
They play to the level of competition, not their own. In other words, the K's aren't playing their game on a consistant basis and that is SO annoying. Fatigue is understandable, but excusing the way they played on fatigue is making excuses--excuses are for winners. I have NEVER heard an excuse for a win, so why make an excuse when you lose?
If you can't give it your all EVERY night, then GET YOUR BUTT OFF OUR ICE BECAUSE THE KOMETS DON'T PLAY THIS WAY!
Posted by: Brad Lyons | February 19, 2007 at 05:56 PM
sorry, I meant "excuses are for losers" :-)
Posted by: Brad Lyons | February 19, 2007 at 06:01 PM
I just get tired of seeing these Sunday games. It's like a broken record year in and year out. Fatigue will always be a factor when you have to play as many games as these guys are playing in as many nights. I just think this is part of a bigger problem here. If we moved up to the AHL (won't happen with current ownership) we would have a much more balanced schedule than the UHL has. Just look at there schedules. There are alot of weekday games over the ENTIRE season to help balance out the schedule. Maybe they could do more of this in the UHL; I doubt this happens because they want to KEEP the highly attended Sunday games. Until fans stop coming on Sundays I doubt anything changes and we continue to see subpar play.
Posted by: Tom | February 20, 2007 at 09:35 AM
Tom,
The issue with games during the week is you don't get the same fan-draw that you do on weekends. My theory is family outings, it's hard to take a child to a game when they have school the next day. Likewise, not everyone works first shift--some work at night during the week and can't go. They have to play the games, but they need to make a profit.
Posted by: Brad Lyons | February 20, 2007 at 12:03 PM