FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Fort Wayne Komets netted four third period goals to tie Wednesday’s contest and force overtime. In the extra frame, Mathieu Curadeau potted the game-winner on the power play, forcing game #4 set for Friday. The Komets ended the night 4-for-8 on the power play and also converted a shorthanded tally.
Second-year defenseman Dave Grimson and center Konrad Reeder did the heavy lifting for the Rush in the opening frame, leading Rapid City to a 2-0 lead after the first. Just over eleven minutes into the game, Grimson fired a slap shot from the left point that deflected off of a body and past goaltender Kevin Reiter.
Then with 2:05 left, Grimson again blasted a shot from the left point, but this time Reiter stopped it, only to have Konrad Reeder poke home the rebound for the power play tally. The Rush held a 7-3 advantage in shots through the opening 20 minutes.
Despite a 19-7 shot advantage in the second period, the Rush scored the lone goal in the middle period. While on the power play, Les Reaney slid a pass to the goal mouth where Colt King jammed it home for his fifth playoff marker and a 3-0 lead for Rapid City.
Fort Wayne again dominated the shots in the third period, but this time, the Komets converted on their chances. Fort Wayne found the net four times in the third period, all goals came on special teams. Collecting Fort Wayne’s first goal was Kaleigh Schrock on the power play 3:43 into the frame, tipping home a shot from defenseman Frankie DeAngelis.
Andrew Smale buried a Les Reaney pass at the goal mouth at 7:08, regaining the three-goal lead for Rapid City. Then at 10:52, Michael Ratchuk netted a shorthanded goal, the first of four straight for the Komets. Schrock poured in his second power play goal of the game at 15:22 when he jammed home a rebound from behind Tim Boron.
With just 3:30 left in regulation, P.C. Drouin roofed a shot to the top-left corner for a power play goal to force overtime.
Unable to convert on three different power play chances, the Rush yielded an opportunity to the Komets who were able to capitalize at the 10:53 mark. From the left circle, Mathieu Curadeau snapped a shot under the blocker of Boron for the overtime game winner.
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