What a game. What a loss.

FLINT, Mich. -- The last Komets lost 3-2 to the Flint Generals in overtime on Saturday night.

There are two ways to view this one.

In one sense, it was a bad loss for the Komets because they dominated in most respects, outshooting the Generals 44-31, only to get stoned by goaltender Matt Spezza and cough up the win on two late defensive breakdowns. The goal that forced overtime came on a 2-on-1 for the Generals. The overtime winner, from John DiPace, came after he was left all alone in front of the net to redirect the puck above goaltender Nick Boucher.

On the other hand, to get one point in the standings against the second best team in the International Hockey League, when the Generals had a packed house of 3,362 fans, isn't too shabby.

No matter how you view the loss, the thing that stood out was the last 15 minutes or so of the game, as furious as you'll ever see. It's sort of unbelievable that no one got hurt, what with all the slashing, cross-checking and, yes, head-locking going on out there.

Mathieu Curadeau, who was victimized by a vicious cross-check from Jaroslav Cesky, called it "old school." Brent Henley used the word "ridiculous." Of all referees I wouldn't have expected to let it go on, Jim Hawthorne would have been at the top of the list, but he was the one out there.

Don't get me wrong, I loved watching it. It was amazingly intense and I couldn't take my eyes off it; I was afraid I'd miss something critical. But I'm glad I wasn't playing in that. I'm sure my doctor would be, too.

Anyway, great goaltending duel. Great everything tonight. Can't wait for these teams to meet in the playoffs and somehow I have a feeling they will. And am I the only one who thinks Josef Fojtik deserves the Luch Nasato award for being an unnecessarily dirty Flint player? I can't believe he only has 25 penalty minutes.

By the way, Fort Wayne's Brandon Warner suffered a knee injury in the first period. He won't play Sunday at Bloomington, Ill., coach Al Sims said.

Thanks to everyone who got on for the the chat session during the game. Check out Komets Korner on Sunday for more coverage from this game.

-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

Comments

[Jerad Shaw]

Thank you Justin for chatting with us during the game! We appreciate it!!!

[Ryne Gurney]

I find it odd that they wouldn't play Reiter coming off a shut out and all, oh well, guess thats why i'm not the coach.

[mightbite]

I know a guy who has a Toledo Storm -Snowball jersey if Justin is interested??

[Junior]

Sounds like things got ugly towards the end of this one. I didn't get to see it but from what Cohn and Chase said, it was getting ugly.

What was it, lot's of slashing and the cross check on Curddy?? Also sounded like Bertram was getting upset....any one got some play by play??

[topshelf]

UGLY is the only thing I can think of. Hawthorn eather A. Had a hot date after the game or B. He was told by the leauge to let the players play OLD TIME HOCKEY!! What a game. We got home at 1:15am and even tho we lost it was the best on the edge of your seat game I have seen all year. Does anyone know of a place that would tell the size of the rinks in the IHL?? Flint's ice seemed much smaller.

[Janice]

If you look at the stats...Boucher is the better road game goalie and Reiter is the better home game goalie...Neither goalie is going to win every game...Right now we have the hottest tandom in hockey...How can you stay with the hot goalie when they both are...!!!

[Kris]

Jerad, you told me your email was your name, but @ what? Hotmail? Yahoo? I'll send you an email about the Flint trip when you let me know. LOL. GO KOMETS!!!

[Jerad Shaw]

Hotmail. Anyone b2 today?

[Jungle Monkey]

No B2. Would love to see the Cornhole/Woods fight. Cohn at the game?

[Junior]

Woods held his own, he got beat, but the guy was twice the size.

Def. left overs from the Woods/Margettie beating.

[Andy]

I am going to have to disagree Woods got dominated. It has been a fun game, it seams like the teams are starting to just despise playing each other so much. Bert got jumped from behind, I see a Ewasko Vs Bert by the end of the game.

[David]

K's are getting out played, out hustled, out efforted tonight. Seems to be no gas left in the tank. Henley has got to start playing a physical game period. Otherwise his value decreases as a valued player. If he is hurt I understand but not being at 100% for his game is not worth playing him.

[Junior]

Yes Andy, he did get beat up a bit. Bertram/Cornish would be a better match-up.

It's been physical and the K's have had some chances. They need a big 3rd to come back.

[Henley67250]

Its a good thing were going to have home ice in the playoffs, because without it, we would go nowhere!

[New Komet Fan]

Whew!!! That was a bad game. Glad it's over. FYI, MORENCY was taken off the ice on a strecher. Got checked head first into the board. I hope he is ok!

[JIM BEAM]

I agree witht eh David on the Henley comment. Seen like hes just skating around.

[William]

I think tonight is a game that the Komets are going to want to forget. This weekend should be a wake up call for the boys. They aren't unbeatable and they need to bring their A-game every night no matter who their opponent is.

I completely agree with the Henley comment. He is supposed to be an enforcer, a guy everyone else is intimidated by. Right now he is a 7 foot gentle giant. No one is running scared from him because he hasn't proven himself this year. Maybe in the past this was a different story. But we can't live in the past. I hate to be the one to say it, but if he can't deliver then he should be replaced.

[Jungle Monkey]

Henley is far from a liability. Just because he isn't body slamming 6 guys a night doesn't mean that he isn't doing his job.

[Jungle Monkey]

The weekend is a wakeup call?

They beat kzoo on friday.

Lost in OT to Flint on the road.

Yes, Sunday stunk. But to call it a wakeup call, a little much.

[JIM BEAM]

JM why is it everytime someone talks bad about Henley its always about big check and fights. All I am asking is play good hockey last few weeks all I have seen is lazyness when hes on the ice!!!

[KrazyKometFan]

I am interested in the Flint trip as well. [email protected]

[K.M.]

It amazes me is much as some of you spend on this site that you retain nothing in any of the articles. Its been said over and over that Henley will not be anywhere near 100% till next season. Even today Chase interviewed him and they said he is 80% at best. This is the type of injury you just have to play through and it takes time.

I would take Henley at 75-80% over many other defensemen. Also consider the fact with everything else he has going on with diabetes and addison's disease. To me that shows guts and character.

It amazes me how one day many of you are on a players jock, then the next day you throw them under the bus.

[Jerad Shaw]

We need to get in contact with the Komets PR department and see if they would have any interest in getting a bus together. I can promise @ least 6 people that will travel if we can charter a bus for 1 or even 2 of the games.

[Iceboi]

You may want to contact Josh Testin with the Komets, he does group stuff for them. You can email him through the Komets website.

[David]

Henley's game is to be an enforcer/physical player. HE is not an offensive defensemen. He has got to play the body with some force and be a force when he is on the ice. HE is not doing that. He is not even causing trouble for opposing players. Just like today Woods takes on Cornish a guy who is much bigger than him. IMO Henley should have been the first guy when a chance arose to tell Mr. Cornish that will not be tolerated and I will put Bertram into that same statement. Henley has made his living in the PRO's as a enforcer/physical player and that is the way he has to play weather he is at 80% or 100%. He has been inactive in that department since his altercation with Mallette a couple of weeks back. So if he is hurt put him on IR to rest his leg and get back to as close to 100% as possible. He did not even want to fight Cornish last Wednesday.

[morency fan]

i hope morency's ok as well
let me know on anymore updates new komet fan..thanx :)

[Janice]

as much as we want the Komets to win all the games...it is good they lose every once and awhile..it will keep them grounded and it will remind them that they can, at anytime, be beaten...Some teams get to cocky because they think they are to good and can beat everyone and those are the teams that fall apart because it turns into an "I" team. This team has shown a lot of heart, a lot of grit and they play, win or lose, as a team. This team is special and I can't wait to see where this team will end up at the end of the season. Go Komets!!!!

[St. Christopher]

Set me straight if I'm wrong here.Some of you arm chair experts out there seem to always target one or two players everytime we put a check in the loss column. Sounds like it's Henley's turn in the barrel this time...what gives folks? Our Komets win and lose as a team,bad weekend on the road so get over it.Certainly not a lack of HONEST effort on Henley's part.

[chuckitt]

david you need to get a clue. henleys job is to play defense, and he does it quite well. he is an enforcer but this team has many including woods and woods will take on anyone anytime. he doesnt need bert or king kong to step in for him. henley is playing hurt. do you understand what a knee goes thru during a hockey game? do you know how much stress the knee takes when trying to throw a check or when you square off and fight? everyone on this blog needs to get off henelys back. if he has a bad game then yell about it but you cant expect him to do certain things right now with his knee the way it is. and yes, id rather have him at 80% than not at all.

[Jerad Shaw]

This is why I prefer to stay away from this blog as much as possible!!! GO KOMETS!!!

[Hoss]

OK, the neg. comments about the Blog is just as bad as the neg. comments about the team/players. Just like if you don't like the team/players, don't go to the games; If you don't like the blog, DON'T READ IT!!! There is no one with a gun to your head!

I am tired of getting on here and trying to read about the games and see what people thought only to have a handfull whine about crap! Grow-Up! If I don't like to eat pizza, I don't sit outside Pizza Hut and protest and yell, "You are never going to have my money! I hate Pizza Hut! All you serve is pizza and I hate pizza!"

With that said, it's going to get ugly on this blog with no home games for two weeks!!! I already miss watching...

[Jungle Monkey]

Hoss... The Pizza analogy was great.

[topshelf]

Hoss, Can I take you for lunch today? How does .......hmmmm PIZZA sound?

[kyle hunt]

Thats it, I hate hearing all this negative stuff about pizza, get a clue, pizza is ok to eat! It does its job, it fills you up even tho its only 80% food.

[kyle hunt]

Couldn't help it.

[jonndfi]

If anyone has had a knee injury, they would know that it takes a while for it to heal even if you are deemed "ready to play". I played basketball in high school and was hoping that IU would give me a free ride. I got a knee injury at the end of the season and had to play for a NAIA school....oh wait, totally different story. GO KOMETS!

[David]

Yes Chuckitt I do have a clue since I had the same surgery Henley had and understand it takes about a year just to get back to filling ok with it. I am not saying he has to fight all the time, just he has to have more of a physical aspect to his game and over the last couple of weeks he really has not. As far as his defense goes he is only a +1 and there are other defensemen who are better in that stat because that is their game. He has no points, etc. I am not saying cut him, trade him, all I am saying is if he is not 100% why not rest him? I am not bashing the lose that stuff happens I am just giving an observation over the last 2 weeks. I am Justin would even question him like he did early on in the year.

[Shawn]

http://www.connpost.com/sports/ci_8291465

Here is the article in the Connecticut Post from the Bridgeport game last night.

[kyle hunt]

If there is someone with better "D" then he should be playing instead, is there? Up to the coach I would say.

[chuckitt]

i think right now its hard for him to be physical. all you have to do is watch him try to loosen up at diffrernt times and you can tell hes having trouble. as far as resting, it would be nice but there arent a lot of d men who are better. henly skates well and doesnt cough up the puck and h is passes are crisp and on the tape. the other teams still give him a wide berth so playing himn at less than full stenth is still a major plus for us. how is your knee today david? i strtained mine pretty bad in college and without it being as serious as henleys, here i am 30 yrs later and its hard to walk at times and always a struggle to go up and down stairs!

[Hoss]

Chuckitt, that was just a strian 30 yrs. ago and you are still having trouble with it today? Did you get treatment for it? I am only asking because I am sure I strained something in my knee the last time I was out in the snow. I didn't go to the Dr. since I thought it just needs to rest and would be fine once it warms up, but if your's still hurts 30 yrs later, I'm in trouble....

[booner (BLOG REF)]

well said kyle. Like i said a few days ago. Simm's hasn't recieved enough credit so far this year. He is doin a hell of a job! I trust he'll do whatever is best for the team. If he trades someone, if he puts someone on IR, if doesn't give a couple skaters a regular shift...have a little faith folks. Maybe henley has orders to try not be so physical right now. maybe coach wants him to stick with his D game for awhile. He doesn't have to worry about droppin em right now... we got PLENTY of guys that will in a heart beat... and all this talk about this and that has got me wondering when I'm gonna hear someone mention boucher havin a lose or rieter not shutting someone out....! GO KOMETS....right?

[komets family]

Can I get info on trip to Flint [email protected]

[topshelf]

When is the Flint trip and who is in charge?

[komets123]

Sometimes an obvious stat is over looked. I realize we all want Henley out there playing at 100%, and throwing people all over the place, but that is simply outrageous to consider.

Besides the fact that his knee has most likely been sore, I'd like to point out he has only played 14 games.. this is still the beginning of the season for him!!

Under normal circumstances, meaning if his knee was 100%, he would still look a little "off" . his legs are still getting in shape. he has only had 14 games since being off all that time.

did the rest of the Komets look to be in mid season form after 10-15 games??

It is a shame many people put unrealistic goals out for Henley, and are now are feeling disappointed with him..

[Shawn]

Well said komets123! I am very happy that Henley is on our team and I think he is playing well for what he has been through. I would not trade him for any other player right now.

[mightbite]

Hey- BUCKOS the K's are 11&4 with KING-KONG HENLEY in the line up.Thats a 73% in wins.

[Jungle Monkey]

I appreciate the fact that Henley comes back after a serious injury and plays hard every night. I think he's getting better every game.

[Hoss]

BeatenHorse must have used mightbite's computer and not signed him out....BUCKO'S!!!

[Hoss]

BeatenHorse must have used mightbite's computer and not signed him out....BUCKO'S!!!