The word of the night is "flat"

Before you start griping about that penalty on Luciano Aquino in overtime, I'm not so sure it was a bad call. To grab and swivel a player so out in open ice is asking for trouble. But maybe it was a dive by Jeff Zehr. Even so, there's no way it was any worse that the dive by David Hukalo late in the third period.

If you didn't see the game, you can figure out where this is going. The Komets did nothing with their power play late in regulation -- what do you expect from the league's worst power-play unit? -- and when the Port Huron Icehawks got a chance on the power play in overtime, they capitalized and won 2-1.

Too bad for Komets goaltender Kevin Reiter, who was stupendous is stopping 30 shots in this game. He won't get credit for the best save of the night, though, which came in the first period when defenseman Jake Pence turned away a Jamie Carroll shot at wide-open net.

The Komets talked a lot in the locker room about how they came out flat, for unknown reasons, and that's what they want to avoid Saturday against the Bloomington Prairie Thunder. Truth be told, the Komets are lucky they salvaged a point against Port Huron to stay atop the International Hockey League's standings.

• Evgeny Saidachev left the game in the third period after a collision with a Port Huron player. The belief is that it's a sprained ligament, but that's pending testing and there's no telling how serious it is, but I didn't get the impression this would be a long-term injury.
• They're going to have an interesting day at Memorial Coliseum. IPFW is playing basketball in the afternoon, then they have to get the arena ready for hockey at night.
• Joe Franke, the Komets' former equipment manager, who gained international attention for playing a game in goal and winning in 2002, has been brought in on an interim basis as equipment manager with Bridgeport of the American Hockey League.
• IHL commissioner Paul Pickard attended the game Friday; it was his first time at the Coliseum this season.

-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

Comments

[Canuck]

Couldn't see the Saidachev collision very well. Did anyone get a good look and was it a dirty hit?
By the reaction of the Komets it seemed like it was.

[chuckitt]

one word for the komets.."shoot the puck"

[morency fan]

i was dissapointed tonight hope they do better tomorrow night
every team has some off nights though

[scoops]

Port Huron definately has our number but my gosh they are so boring to watch.
Reiter was solid and Magers was rarely tested tonight.
Hopefully Saidachev's injury is not a serious one.

[mightbite]

I thought it was a knee by Tucker.

[David]

Scoops I agree with you PH is so boring to watch reminds me of watching Cheif coached hockey team. But that is where are "talent" should be able to over come that style of play but we have not been able to. The PP is all mental right now in games like tonight's is where a PP has got to be able to get the job done!!

[FiveMinuteMajor]

That's three words Chuckitt, but I totally agree! :) Put the puck on the net, you never know what might happen.
Didn't see the hit on Saidachev, hope he's ok.
I'm not going to complain about the call on Aquino, thought it was a dumb thing for him to do with the way Gallagher was calling the game.
Snoozer of a game last night, here's to a better outcome tonight! Go Komets!

[ex-STH]

Not sure how you can say a team that comes out and dominates the first period like that is boring. Shots were 17-6 and the Ks were lucky they weren't down by 3-0 or 4-0 after 20 minutes. PH has size, tenacity, goaltending, and they can skate as well as the Ks, maybe outskate them. They defend their zone and can really break out. Their first goal was a great example of that. Check their record. They might be the best team in the league right now with a four-game winning streak. They are 6-6 on the road and 4-2 at home so far. That's right, only six home games so far. Too bad they can't draw at home. However, I agree that the Ks need to come out and compete. They didn't do that last night. You have to compete every night. No team in this league is a walk-over. The Ks are one of the best teams in this league, but they have to prove it every night because nobody is going to conceed two points to them. And what is with the PP? Wish I knew because it is horrible.

[JR]

Another game where woods only got a couple shifts. Anyone else see the play where Woods was roughing up one of the Icehawks d-men and Gerhke came right out on the ice and was yapping at Woods, then Woods looked right at the K's bench and then skated into the FW zone... My guess is that he was given the no from Simms to tango; but in my view the team could have really used an energy boost at that time...

Also, It seems to me that htis team was really exciting and worked really hard when a few vets were out of the lineup for a couple games... Now I am not bagging on the vets; but I think we definetly look like a different team when all the young guys are in the lineup...

[scoops]

Good, talented team they put together, no question. We'll see where they end up when everyone has played the same amount of games.

I said the same thing you did after the game David. This Port Huron team is like last years Chicago squad. They are boring to watch but always play us tough.

[Greg]

Since you brought up diving in your thread Justin, and not that I necessarily disagree with Gallagher's call, how many diving calls have been made in the league this season? We're coming up on the ninth Komet game tonight and of the previous r=eight, not one diving call only has been made. The league made such a big deal about how they were going to call players for embelishing and yet none of the referees seem to have enough guts to do so, what's the deal?

[lovelost]

we got out played physically by far. Saidachev and Bertram both got hurt, I have never seen so many of our players down on the ice. We didn't hustle alot. Marchant hustled more than most people out there. I thought he looked good most of the night. There was just no shooting on goal. Komets are way to fancy and if they would just shoot more we wouldn't have these incidents. We all know they are better then this. Just SHOOT the puck and HIT SOMEBODY!!!

[IcyKometsFan84]

When does henley come back?

[lovelost]

hopefully soon. We needed Legault last night for sure. No one was really playign physical except Hukalo and Curadeau.

[jonndfi]

Komets played awful last night. Somebody should tell Chaulk and Drouin the puck goes in the net. Really boring and painful to watch. Gallagher is going to kill hockey with some of his calls and non-calls. How does this bozo get to officiate any of the games? He IS AWFUL. Hopefully we can get a win tonight. I know we will.

[K.M.]

I agree lovelost, I would have like to see Legault play. I know the IHL site says he is on IR, but I don't know if he really is hurt or just a healthy scratch. I would hope he isn't a healthy scratch because there are defintely other players that should be sitting before Legault. He finishes his hits and adds energy as does Woods and the Komets could have used that last night.

I am pretty happy with the Komets as a whole, last night being a hiccup. I would just like to see Woods and Legault get more ice time especially when the Komets are flat, I really think they could jumpstart the team.

[ABEATENHORSE]

dont you worry bucko! kink kong henley will be back soon enough and the komets will never loose another game because he has all the skills ya need to win a cup

[cheyenne howard]

Let's just ignore Mr. Ed.

[lovelost]

We are almost postive going to see Bertram vs. Ewasko tonight. That should be good. Round 4 here we come.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

I totally agree with JR. I noticed and thought the same thing. We had some serious MOJO going with the #2 line when it was Reynolds, Kukulka, and Woods. Those guys had alot to do with the streak we went on. Then we break that line apart and put in veterans that aren't getting the job done. I don't understand it. I would much rather have talented hungry young players that are healthy than the opposite choice. Woods must play. He is a very important part of the team. He has to play.

I saw the same thing where Woods looked to the bench when Gerhke challenged him, and Sims told him no. I don't get that one either. So then Woods only plays a handful of shifts and wasn't allowed to mix it up? Whatever!

I say go back to the young guns and stick with it. Reynolds shined when he had Kuks and Woods with him. #25 is a "moment killer: if you ask me...hurt or not.

[Shawn]

I agree, Terry is not playing well this season. I say he and Pence need to step it up, or it may be time to let them go when Guy and Brent are healthy.

[STATMAN]

What would Warner have to do before anyone says the truth about him? Dump on Pence and ignore the faults of Warner even though both make the same type of mistakes. Warner gets the pass because he is a hometown kid.
I predict Boucher takes the starting job away from Reiter before this season is over.

[chuckitt]

after a day of thinking...port urine is a team that has talent but they are also a team that cant stand to be hit. if we would have attacked them with the body last night, they would have left their game plan and taken stupid penalties, giving us a chance to score more, but of course you have to shoot the puck on net to be able to score! shoot and go for the rebound. pretty basic. i dont know why woods doesnt play more, but then again, we dont see him in practice, he could be lazy, he might not skate the system or who knows, but there has to be a resaon. as far as pence vs warner, they are both small but warner is faster and he doesnt get beat as ive seen pence do a few times. marchant looked better but if i didnt know him and you told me he was flints leading scorer last year, i would have to think you were pullin my leg. maybe hes still working his way back into shape but he like all of the komets are passing up the shot. some of the other teams d men are so bad the komets are trying to dazzle them with pretty passes and all they really have to do is SHHOOT the puck and muscle in to get the rebound... he shoots he scores... not he passes he scores! haha beat some thunder!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Justin Cohn]

Good question on diving. There haven't been many of them, that's for sure.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

JUSTIN!!! What is the word on Kukulka and Legault. It looks like we are playing a man short tonight. I am suffering at home with a sick child. Wish I was there.

Missouri and OK are in a battle. 10-7 Mizzou early in the 2nd.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Spoke too soon on the score there. They didn't give Mizzou a TD on a bad spotting of the ball. 7-6 OK.

[Turner]

Okay, I'm listening to the game on WOWO tonight, and I just have to finally get this off my chest. I'm sure Robbie Irons is a great guy. And he was apparently a great goaltender, and someone who deserves the upmost respect. But he's got to stop talking over Chase. Every time Chaser tries to describe a play, Robbie's shouting all over him and it's like he's competing for microphone time. Somebody has to tell him that a good colour man lays off until the play-by-play guy gives him an opening. Robbie has plenty of good insight, but dang. Save it for the stoppages.By the way, someone also tell him that it's Boucher in net for the Komets, not Bouchard. Know your own players!

[holy cow]

Dear Turner,
Broadcasters who do not do a game in a textbook fashion and are not able to pronounce names should be taken off the air.
Sincerely,
Harry Carey

[turducken]

Dear Turner,
Any color man who shouts or misprounounciates a player name will never make it in this business.
Sincerely
John Madden

[chuckitt]

robbie has mispronounced names for years, thats what makes him fun to listen t0!

[chuckitt]

guess they didnt learn their lesson from fri night and since we are not allowed to critique the players game by game i wont comment on the forwards (other than chaulk and huk) who were afraid to go in the corners or finish checks or a certain d man who once again was always out of position and was the main reason two goals went in against him. they are all wonderful and allowed bad games cause gee wilikers , we wouldnt want to hurt their feelings, cause gee, theyve got families too you know!

[lovelost]

How many goals went in tonight when Pence was on the ice? He is never there for the goalie. Except once last night when he made that amazing save.

[Hoss]

Chuckitt, are you saying Chaulk and Huk were not playing well and didn't go in the corners? If so, I guess we were watching different games because Chaulk was grinding it out and logged twice as much ice time as anyone else. I thought Chaulk, Huk, Waterboy, and (I can't even believe I am going to say this, but....) Shav & Marchant played their tails off! Most of the time the team looked like they were just going to be given a goal and were sitting back waiting for others to do something. We all need to get that killer instinct and start to put teams in their place!!! We are much better than this and I am sure the guys on the team would agree...

Let's have a good road trip and get back on the winning side of things next week!

[David]

I have seen the K's have bad games and play with out emotion and most of those where the back end of a 3 game weekend where the travel and the grueling schedule were to blame. But the last 2 nights may have been the worse I have seen a K's club play in 10 years. For 2 teams that "Supposely" didn't like each other you could never tell with how they played tonight. Chaser on the Post-game is already calling for roster moves because Henley is due back and so is Guy. It is going to be a Vet were are over the limit and I hate to say this because this guy has come in and played with grit and toughness on our Blue Line, but I am afraid Bert maybe the odd man out. I just don't see us dumping a forward. Remember Henley was paired last year with Hansen.

[STATMAN]

Pence +/- Even
Home Town Kid +/- -2

Who do the "fans" blame again?

[Jungle Monkey]

I think Bert will stay. I don't see the use in having Marchant, Shafranov, and Drouin all on the roster. Same guy three times. PC is staying and Shaf has stepped it up and is good as an extra forward. I still see Marchant on his way out.

I think the "hometown" comments will continue.

[lovelost]

I think the Komets did play farely well tonight. I just think we need to shoot more. We have the shots, they just have to make it perfect and ts not working. Too many across the ice passes and way to many dumps.

I don't think Betram would be booted but you never know. I would like him to stay. Some times he looks really really good out there on D. He just takes some horrible penalties. Bertram and Henley on a line? Dupuis and Hansen and Durdin and either Pence/Shirikov/Warner. I think those 3 D are on the looks of being the ones left out. We don't need to get rid of a forwards. Plus with Drouin, Sessa, and Marchant looking good on D we are fine. I say Pence out of the three. Shirikov played very nice tonight.

GO KOMETS!

[Justin Cohn]

I have to disagree; mispronouncing names does a disservice to people who don't know the correct name. ... Also, he's been talking over Bob for years. ... I'm surprised at the Warner bashing. I think he's played pretty well, especially since they're converting him from what's probably his natural position. Give him a little time.

[David]

Yes I like to see Warner as a forward I am sure he would be grinder because that is the type of hockey he has played for four years at MSU.

[STATMAN]

Im not bashing Warner. I am making a point that 2 guys make the same kind of mistakes and nobody says anything about the hometown kid. Both are young players who are going to make mistakes. Give them both time. You cant expect a rookie to play like a veteran after a month or two of professional hockey experience.

[Mark]

Bertram is not a vet, so he wouldn't be the odd man out when both Guy and Henley are in the lineup...

[Jerad Shaw]

A couple comments about the game last night. I think Marchant and Shaf are getting their legs underneath them. Marchant was skating alot better last night then about the first 6 games of the year. Didn't get a whole lot of bounces last night. The game winning goal I believe, when Boucher gave up a rebound to a wide open net, was about 80 percent his fault, but noone hustled back to cover the Thunder forward skating to the net. It was alot like the play where Woods missed a check, got up, and skated his hardest and saved a goal at the other end cause of hustle. Right now, it just seems they are giving efforts in just spirts. Its starting to remind me of last year. They play hard vs. Muskegon Kzoo and Flint, but lack effort alot during non-rivalry teams. It's just nice to know what we are capable of. The talent is there, and I think Coach Sims will get the best out of his players. Justin made a great point about no excuses. I think last year, the guys kinda sat on the excuses and refused to battle through tough times. This year that option isn't there and it will work out in our favor.

[chuckitt]

hoss, i said chaulk and huk were the only ones going in the corners.

[Killer Komet Man]

90 percent of what Robbie says is "Penalty coming up!"