And the best team in the IHL is ...

... clearly not the Fort Wayne Komets. At least not on this night.

The Komets were trounced 9-3 by the Flint Generals, in the first game of a home-and-home series. The teams meet again Saturday at Memorial Coliseum.

Flint got two goals and six points from Mike Kinnie, as eight different Generals scored goals. Fort Wayne got another two-goal night from Konstantin Shafranov and pretty much their worst regular-season defeat in years.

Fort Wayne's starting goalie, Kevin Reiter, was yanked after allowing five goals on 21 shots. Then the Komets looked to Corey Wogtech, who was signed earlier in the day to replace the injured Nick Boucher, and Wogtech allowed four goals on 17 shots.

Fort Wayne and Flint are now tied for the International Hockey League lead with 36 points.

What else can you really say about this game?

"Everybody has to be accountable, from the goaltender all the way to the last man on the bench," general manager David Franke said. "We didn't play disciplined or smart. I expect a much better effort (Saturday)."

Franke said Boucher, who strained his groin in Thursday's 6-3 victory over Bloomington, will be out two-to-four weeks, more likely four. Meanwhile, defenseman Brandon Warner, a Fort Wayne native, separated his shoulder Friday and will be out a couple of weeks, Franke said.

Saturday's game ought to be interesting. After giving up six power-play goals and getting shredded defensively, the Komets have to tighten up while also setting the tone with some hitting.

-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

Comments

[Mark]

yikes..hope Boucher and Warner get healthy soon...

[Adam Craig]

OUCH!!! All I can say is Shafronov is stepping up. Get well soon Boucher & Warner.

[scoops]

However you want to slice it, the K's are not playing good team defense. Reiter and Boucher have bailed the team out just as often as they supposeably have mailed it in. On top of that, when you give a good team 9 powerplays that is asking for trouble. Esepcially for a goalie who may have a confidence issue right now and someone just getting their feet wet. No need to dismantle the team or retool. Just regroup, refocus, and we'll see what happens tomorrow.

What the latest word on the return of Saidachev and Druin? Is Shawn Degagne still in the fold somewhere or is he done? I'd ask about Henley but that has been beaten to death. If these 2 are still out for tomorrow, along with Warner being out, and the possiblity of Woods having to sit sooner rather than later....this could get worse before it gets better.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Injuries are starting to hurt us. We just need to weather this storm and things will be all right. The worst fear right now is Aquino and Curadeau get called up and this team is left with no scoring punch at all. Man I hope that doesn't happen. That would suck something awful!!!

No one has said anything about Saidachev. His situation must be alot worse than we expected? I see him in the crowd. Nothing seems that severe just looking at him?

Justin said it. Saturday night needs lots of hitting. We need total energy in that game from the start. Set the tone early and make your own breaks. We can't afford going down 2 or 3 goals early and expecting Reiter to have any confidence at all.

[Kris]

We need to get the jungle rockin tomorrow night!! Let's get behind our boys and chase the Generals out of our barn!! So Reiter is shaky and the team is beat up!! Let's get out there and HIT SOMEBODY!! I'm gonna try to start the LET'S GO KOMETS chant while they are announcing Flint's starting line ups. You guys gonna help out or what?? I'm in the first row in upper 205. GO KOMETS!!!

[Jerad Shaw]

Scoops I can't agree with you more. Actually, I can't agree with the last post more. I am going to try and get in the crowd tomorrow, but we will see!!!

[Canuck]

Kris - I'm with you on the Let's Go Komets during the Flint starting line up announcements. Always a good way to set the tone for a big game.

Let's not get too far down on the Komets -it's their 2nd game of 3 in 3 nights with a fourth in 5.

[Rich]

We need Jerad close to the Flint bench. Anyone willing to give up their seat???

I just hope he can control his actions and be able to see the entire game.

[Rich]

I forgot to mention that I hope we don't hear any BOOOOing from the crowd tonight when Reiter is anounced in the starting lineup. Good or bad he is wearing a KOMET jersey and we need to stand behind him!!!

[topshelf]

I agree with this "I forgot to mention that I hope we don't hear any BOOOOing from the crowd tonight when Reiter is anounced in the starting lineup. Good or bad he is wearing a KOMET jersey and we need to stand behind him!!!"" Like him or not he is what he is and we have to stand behind him!! GO KOMETS!

[JungleMonkey]

Are we allowed to yell "stay in the crease"?

[brando]

How strong would your confidence be if you were booed when your name is called before a game. Hopefully Komet fans have more class than that.

[bigrooter]

theres nothing wrong with reiter he just needs some confidence and better support by the d-men,of course having crap referees hitting us for 9 pp a game doesnt help

[bigrooter]

two hawthornes in one game, whats in store for tonight? will gallagher bring his whole family?AGGH!

[202 Man]

Even though Reiter is not at his best, we still need to get behind him like Rich said...

[mightbite]

To those of you who think the fans were booing at Aquino for fighting ... WRONG! Anyone with 1/2 an idea about this game would know that the fans were booing Sims for not having protection on the ice for Aquino at all times. There is no way your top goal scorer should be fighting.

[IcyKometsFan84]

yeah that was mostly Sims fault he should of had Legault out there

[brando]

Is that what you were booing at?

[brando]

Yeah, our tough guys didnt do anything that night...Nobody made Aquino drop the gloves. He has been looking to fight a few times this year.

[IcyKometsFan84]

no i was clap aquino is is better than that im glad they had a huge fest

[mightbite]

HEIN ???

[joehockeyman]

any word on a suspension for Woods?

[scoops]

Booing Sims because he doesn't have an Aquino bodyguard? I respectfully disagree. That happened well behind the play to start with and I thought Aquino held his own rather well against someone who has more of a fighting resume. My interpretation of the booing was it was geared towards Miller who decides to go with someone who is not known to fight. Kudos to Aquino.

[IcyKometsFan84]

yeah i didn't boo period and i think aquino played it very smart

[Hit Somebody!!!]

I agree. I couldn't believe people were booing. That is the #1 player in the league out there battling the other team. I hate to see him fight, but heck, he did what he had to do. I wonder what people who booed were actually booing at? Was it Miller? Aquino? The other Komets? What? Aquino has been awesome for us this year. Like I said several times, the best player in this league by far. And this was the guy that everyone was hating on before the season even started? "He must have been sent here because he isn't any good..." Some of you guys had that one pegged.

Tonight ought to be interesting. Hope Sims starts Legault, Woods, Bertram, Fletcher, and Bezeau....

Let's Go Komets!!! Kick the Generals Arse!!!

[Jungle Monkey]

I was booing both Aquino and Miller. If you want to act tough and fight, then do it. Aquino had no interest in getting hurt and Miller let him get away with it. If Robin Bouchard, Kory Karlander, or any other "goal scorer" mouthed off to Legault and dropped their gloves you'd all expect them to back it up. You give Aquino a free pass becuase he wears orange. If he's too valuable he should have kept his gloves on. What's next a DAB windsheild on his helmet? Miller is just as bad, he should have taken it to him. It wasn't even a fight.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Thing is, if he had turtled or just walked away, then he would have gotten the same boo birds. He did what he had to do and he didn't get hurt. Do you really want Luciano to fight in that situation to the death? How the heck would you replace his scoring? UMMM....you can't!

[Hit Somebody!!!]

I booed that big pussy cat Margettie for talking trash to our bench and cheapshotting our players all night long and then picks a fight with Legault and basically wimped out of the fight by falling down before he took a punch. That was worth booing right there. That guy had a pounding coming all night long and he was afraid to get his pretty hair-do bloody. Wonder where he gets his hair highlighted at by the way. What a sissy.

[mightbite]

My comments was more about taking OUR BEST PLAYER off the ice for 5min. margie slashed & jab Aquino all the way down the ice . They had all there rough players on the ice at that time. I would of rather had any one else step up . Now if it been Don Parsons it would of been different. Even trade off, miller is not a real good player.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

I know one thing for certain, I am afraid to go to the MC tonight. The self-proclaimed most feared player in Minor League hockey will be on the ice tonight. Run for your lives!

[topshelf]

Haha Hit, good one!

[Jungle Monkey]

My only point is, they dropped the gloves then held on to each other while they negotiated a peaceful resolution. It looked like a French civil-war. They both were waiving white flags from the beginning. At least Sidney Crosby threw some punches in his first fight. Aquino is a hell of a player, no doubt about it. At least he didn't continue to take cheapshots all night.

[Jungle Monkey]

Ryan Jorde, Rob Guinn, if Andy Townsend were to show up it would be a week of All Stars... Towny was a good kid though. He never gave himself a "self-proclaimed tough man title"... I just wish Henley could play. I hope to see a slobberknocker tonight. The kind of game that makes Greg the Blogger ill to watch. LETS GOON IT UP!!!

[scoops]

I have alot of respect regarding how Ryan Jorde fights. It may be concidered stupid but the guy sits in there and takes a punch to deliver a punch. Say what you want but he was taking Legault to the woodshed early on that bout before taking a few shots from Legault towards the end.

[komets123]

Ol Jorde does indeed fight fairly well. I think his problem is, no power behind his punches. He looks fine throwing em, but i remember several fights were he starts out winning a fight, but cant finish. Then his opponent bounces back and gives it to him.. kind of like Jorde vs Legault. so maybe he lacks some power behind his punches. or just takes a few moments to get use to his fighting style.

[JungleMonkey]

The idiot Flint fan that sat in front of me was in love with Jorde. According to him, Flint has never lost a fight. I'm just glad Jorde found a place that he can be appreciated for his half-hearted play.