K's make it 19* in a row at home

OK, I'll be the party pooper and ask: Does this record deserve an asterisk?

The Komets won their 19th consecutive home game, 3-2 over the Kalamazoo Wings, eclipsing a franchise record that had stood since 1963-64. But they needed an overtime shootout to do it. There were no shootouts back in 1964 -- just the good old fashioned ties -- and these Komets needed two shootouts during this streak.

I'm not saying I think there should be an asterisk. Depending on how you view the era and the skill, you could argue this modern feat is way more impressive than the one from 1963-64, but it's a fun question.

That being said, whoa, that was a heckuva finish at Memorial Coliseum.

I knew all those early misses by P.C. Drouin were going to be relevant. He had three breakaways early in the game, lost control of the puck on one and got mauled from behind on the others. Sure enough, with the Komets trailing by one late, he netted a goal on a 5-on-3 power play to force overtime. (Stupid penalties by the Wings, by the way, and I had no problem with either being called at that juncture.)

Although, congratulations should go to Terry Marchant, who preserved the tied score by stopping the puck from going across the Fort Wayne goal line in the waning minutes. Drouin scored in the shootout and so did Konstantin Shafranov and the Komets keep on winning.

Next up: The Huber Trophy as regular-season champions. A victory over the Flint Generals at the Coliseum on Saturday, and the Komets will clinch it. And they still have 14 games on their schedule. Yikes.

Also on the horizon: The IHL record for most consecutive home victories, which is 22, set by the Muskegon Mohawks in 1965-66.

• The Komets played without Mathieu Curadeau, who has an injured groin. Also out was Brandon Warner, who has a knee injury.
• Flint's 0-2 since firing Kevin Kerr. Shocker there.
• There was much snickering going on in the press box about this awards thing. Seriously, who are we left with as the top defensive forwards and defensemen if we can't vote for the Komets? This may draw some ire, but I went with Kory Karlander as forward and Nick Tuzzolino as defenseman and I'm not remotely comfortable with either. Most sportsmanlike: Jamie Carroll. The really deserving players: David Hukalo as forward, Guy Dupuis as defenseman and Shafranov as sportsmanlike. Hopefully the people outside of Fort Wayne will catch on.

-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

Comments

[Mark]

Komets came up clutch..unlike another Indiana team...

Big win tonight..I agree Justin, I didn't have a problem with either penalty on Kzoo..

I thought that on the PP in OT the Komets were afraid to shoot the puck. I don't know what it was..but the worse thing that can happen is the goalie makes a save...or its blocked right back to you. oh well...they got it in a shootout...I hope they come out tomorrow with a bit more fire in thier belly. They can wrap up the regular season championship. Then the road to the Turner Cup will come through Fort Wayne

[Canuck]

Justin - you're being a pooper

[Josh F]

I know it's too early to think about, but what if the Komets swept the entire playoffs ala 93.

Would that deserve an asterisk too bc of how the league is this season? Would it matter?

I'm proud of the boys this season. I've been a K's fan since birth (1982). I may have only been to one game at the Coliseum this season, but I still root them on here in Lapeer, MI. I show my support while walking through the "mean streets of Flint" with my K's hat on.

Go Komets.

[BKL]

Well it does deserve an asterisk, but not for the win----for the league. This is a low level league, certainly WELL BELOW where this franchise should be. The Komets ticket pricing is the same or more than most AHL teams, has a higher attendance than most AHL teams, has a longer tradition than most AHL teams and is a great place to watch hockey in an amazing hockey town-----but the Frankes will never allow it to happen. It's still fun to watch the games, but a 6-team league that no one else wants to be in? Wow, that deserves an asterisk.

[Mark]

Here we go again....everybody remember the NHL started with 6 teams. No one is giving this league a chance to survive. Next year we could have 8 to 10 teams, you just never know. Enjoy what we have folks. This team is special

[Ryne Gurney]

I'm proud of the guys for not giving up after they went down one late in the game. Reynolds goal was pretty, and Boucher saved that game for us.

[Hoss]

The IHL only has six teams...yadda yadda yadda... we don't have any compition...yadda yadda yadda...we aren't that good...yadda yadda yadda...we should be in the AHL...yadda yadda yadda....

How about we try to be happy for one small day about where we play and who we have on this great team! You play with the card that are delt to you and right now we got delt a royal flush at the low stakes table. If you had that would you whine about it? No, you take your $10 win and smile.

I for one am very happy today! How can you watch last night's game and say the IHL is not good hockey? How about we just start enjoying what we have because I bet there are a ton of cities out there that would trade the hockey they watch for our's in a second!

[Greg]

If this team is fun to watch then why complain what league they are in. Makes no sense.

I for one might not have called the first penalty late in the game against the Wings, but that's me. Anybody see Karlander showing up Graber after the game by doing he golf clap? Total class act he is there.

[Ryne Gurney]

Something else I realized Jeff Reynaert is the same goalie that gave up Virag's cup clinching goal in '03, so we have him to thank, just kidding thought, he played extremly well last night

[Hit Somebody!!!]

UMMMM....I have to totally disagree with BLT...or BKL....Burger King Lover....whatever his name is...

This team is probably, actually in my opinion the best team we have had since the old IHL, and it might actually be better than some of the IHL teams we had during the last years of its existance. This argument that this league sucks and only 6 teams is old and tired. Look at the players on the other teams. Those other teams are as good as the teams that have been in the UHL since we joined that league. They might be lesser in talent than we are this year, but you have to give credit to the Frankes, Sims, Chaulk, and so on for the great recruiting job they did this season. The best ever. They pulled in some awesome rookies and added great character guys and talented veterans. We actually have role players that know their roles too. We are blessed to see such a great team here.

And know we have to listen to this garbage about LOW LEVEL nonsense? I for one, get POed when that argument comes up. I would put this TEAM up against any other minor league team out there and bet the house on the Komets. They are that good. So stop the bee-atching and whining and embrace what these guys are doing.

What-if they were in 5th place right now and struggling to make the playoffs? What would be the argument then?

So we have a dominating team so you down-grade this teams efforts because they are so dominating? I just don't get some of this crap people come up with because we aren't in the mighty AHL. I don't want in the AHL. That league would be boring as heck here. No heart, no battles, no consistancy, no physical play, nothing good...oh higher prices....gotta love that.

Ok, rant over....Great job Komets!!!

[Tera]

Amen! I couldn't have said it better, Hit Somebody!!

[scoops]

Look back on all the great Komet teams and players we have had, regardless of league. They just broke a record that has stood for 45 years. Forty-five years, think about that! Its very disheartening seeing a few comments about no fire, the AHL, or winning is not as important as entertaining the fans. Tell that to this group of guys. This game last night meant everything to them. They did it for themselves as well as for the fans here that support this team and being a small part of the history made last night was entertaining in itself.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

"Its very disheartening seeing a few comments about no fire, the AHL, or winning is not as important as entertaining the fans."

Scoops, I saw the AHL garbage...but where did you see the no fire and "entertaining more than winning" comments? I thought they played with alot of fire and the game was very entertaining, although I was a nervous wreck the whole game. We haven't had too many close games this season. When we do, I about puke I get so nervous. LOL

[scoops]

Its in one of the previous threads.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

I see it now Scoops. I totally agree with you Scoops. That is absolutely stupid. It was a playoff type of game last night. K-zoo came in with a specific gameplan that involved dump and chase and defense playing back. The Komets were obviously nervous for the first time this year and they played it somewhat safe. It was a playoff type of game.

If there is any complaints about physical play and fighting, where was Mr. Mouth Willis all night. The guy that talked the last 2 weeks about wanting to even the score with Henley last night, and he did nothing but cheapshot and run and hide all night. The Komet's played the game straight-up as I am sure Coach wanted them to do. And they won.

The penalty calls at the end were correct ones, notice their coach did not complain about those at all. It was Kry-Baby Karlander and Big-Baby Bootland that whined all night long about the calls, even though the first 2/3 of the game they got every call.

This was a big win. Now we clinch the league tonight against the "Paper Champs" and then we start getting in tune to hoist the Cup. Be proud to be in Orange and Black and stop worrying about the AHL and the 5 other teams in the IHL. This league will be fine. The Komets are setting the standard this year for things to come.

[Andrea]

First I would like to comment on something that Hit Somebody wrote. You mentioned that Karlander and Bootland were the ones complaining about the calls, and I completely agree with you. But, the K-Zoo coach did, sarcastically, applaud the ref with the last penalty call that was made in regulation.

Second, I am very proud of what our team accomplished last night. I have been going to hockey games for the past 26 years (my father took me to my first game when I was 3). This team is special. Whether we agree or disagree with how emotionally they were involved with the game should not the point. The point is that we have a team that is special. These players work together, they compliment each other and they strive to be their best each and every game. I am looking forward to the rest of the regular season and they playoffs. GO KOMETS!!!

[St.Christopher]

BKL...you certainly have a strong opinion about the state of hockey affairs in Fort Wayne. You are absolutely 100% correct about several points in your very poignant post: 1)higher attendance than most AHL teams 2)longer tradition than most AHL teams 3)a great place to watch hockey in an amazing hockey town and last but not least D)the Frankes will never let it happen! Thats your opinion and stick with that,it'll generate a lot of positive posts for you. LOL. My opinion, your comment about the asterick, you just downplayed and cheapened all of the hard work and effort of every player and coach in the league. You trumpet our team and city but you mock the league they play in. Makes very little sense. Thanks for posting,I always enjoy reading adverse posts,makes us more open-minded to others opinions.Or not.

[ToeBlake]

First the AHL comments the IHL is what it is period maybe it will grow maybe it will not who knows. Second, the comment I made about playing with fire and emotion was a comment made on the ice during the interview of the NO. 1 Star of the game. So all I was saying is if that is noticed then someone who's role is provide some spark, should take it upon themselves to do that. I made a comment to the extent that Woods should play the role he played early on in the year by being an agitator and he really has not played that role at all over the last part of the season. They really missed Curadeau because he at least plays the body. Saidachev was the only player really throwing his body and he is one of the smallest guys out there.

[chuckitt]

im so tired of hearing about the ahl or the level of play in the ihl or only six teams or haveing an asterik. its all baloney. as one who has seen it all, you dont understand that you cant compare this years team with teams from another decade. the teams from the early sixties were far different from any other decade and the same can be said about any other group of teams. the ihl many times had six teams and dont forget that when they had the most teams was when they killed themselves. every decade had its glory years and glory players but i doubt guys from the fifties could play in todays league becasuse all things are different. different ways to practice, differeent training different meds different everything. the ihl is in its infancy once again and its up to us to support it and help it grow. i think the league has done a lot this year to meet its own expectations. lets wait and see whats up this off season. oh and a few notes that were left off the list of ahl differences...1.high expansion entrance fee. 2. 500,000 or more fee paid to the parent club for the use of "its" players 3. thousands of dollars paid to the players union 4. thousands of more dollars paid in travel fees 5. parent club assigning the players they want and not the ones youd like. 6. parent club naming the general mgr 7. parent club naming the coach. and lastly at 8. ticket prices in the ahl are far higher than the komets. ive researched it and yes some clubs have better prices but the majority are higher and some are as high as being over 50 bucks. so if youre gonna do a commentary you need to list both sides of the argument then you can decide which is right.

[K.M.]

I really enjoy the games this year, they are so much better then in previous years and I would go as far as to say in the last 10-12 years.

I think a big part of that obviously goes to the IHL changing the rules back to the pre-95 era before Bettman and his band of buffoons started making hockey a game of nice.

I also think Al Sims deserve a ton of credit, those who remember when he was here last time around, his teams were the same way. They were filled with tons of skill, grit, great goaltending, toughness and they won. I like that Sims doesn't rely on 1 guy to handle the toughness issues, having Bertram, Henley, Woods and Legualt makes the Komets as tough as anyone!

Its not just that the Komets are winning like they are, but more of the fact that this team plays its tail off from bell to bell. This is a very entertaining and fun team to watch and is deep as we have ever had.

[chuckitt]

even tho we won a lot of games under the chief, it had to be the most boring hockey ive seen since the days of ralphel keller. sims and the frankes have brought in what the fans wanted, a tough group of guys who play for one another and look what happened, we are the class of the league. while the other teams play euro hockey and are all about .500 teams we are playing old time hockey and kicking butt.

[Conley]

Ok. Enough of Durdin for the night! Hit the showers. Bring out woods what the heck!?

[Bruiser]

Everyone here is proud of the Komets, but the competition is clearly lacking whether you folks want to admit that or not. (Though it was nice to see some tight games this weekend.) But try watching the WHOLE game instead of just the Komets. The other five teams need to step up. I swear some of you Komet fans would be happy seeing your team destroy scrubs every night so long as they win. The Komets are great, but for this to be a truly great league, some of the other teams need to get better.

As for the AHL, it is a great league and does not lack heart or desire or any of the nonsense one of the boarders with blinders on mentioned. That is just pettiness to make himself feel better about where the Komets are. And the guy who brought up the 50 dollar tickets...give me a break. That is fair from any kind of an average. Houston has 12 dollar seats in bowl! The Komets COULD compete in the AHL with their ticket prices, but I'm not going there now.

This IHL is going now. The other teams need to step up and fans who want the AHL probably need to let that go. But let's not be simple-minded and trash a great league to make ourselves feel better about THIS one.

All I can say, this new league is NOT the UHL, and that is a step in the right direction.

And this league IS NOT the caliber of the previous Komets team to set the record of wins, but who cares at this point? Those of us with any intelligence know that this league in no way compares to the IHL of old. Let's just let this team enjoy the feat but let's not try and water down a great league of the past to somehow get in some sort of comparison with this one.

Good win tonight Komets.

[scoops]

Few things I looked at:

Four of the teams had losing records. You won't see the same this year, or shouldn't.

Alot of the starting goalies had horrible stats compared to this day and age. Players carrying high 3's to 4.00 wouldn't have a job.

Chuck Adamson played in all 70 games? Ironman.

Its difficult to impossible to compare eras of the IHL, especially 1963 to 2008. Today's league may not compare to the golden days of the old IHL but lets not put the cart in front of the horse. This is the first season of a new league. One season is not going to whipe away years and years of memorable teams and moments of the past. People my age remember the 90's. People much older than I have a fondness for the teams from the 60's through 80's. Regardless of how you or anyone else rates this current phase of the IHL, nothing will ever take away the fact that is is one of the better teams Fort Wayne has ever put together. They should be held in the highest regard with other great Komet teams of the past 40-50 years.