Komets win seventh straight road game

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, Texas – The Fort Wayne Komets can rest easy after coming away with six points during a successful three-game road trip where they defeated two of the Berry Conference’s best teams. Rest easy for a day, that is – the Komets will be back on the ice on Tuesday morning in order to prepare for a two-game series at home against the surging Wichita Thunder, a team that’s won it’s last four on the road.

After a 5-3 win over the Bossier-Shreveport on Friday night, the Komets defended a 2-1 lead throughout the third period of Saturday night’s game to sweep the ailing Mudbugs. After a late-night bus ride across Interstate 20, the Komets rolled into North Richland Hills for a short rest before they were back on the ice to prepare for Sunday’s match against the Texas Brahmas.
The NYTEX Sports Centre, which was also hosting indoor volleyball and indoor soccer for most of the day, has a reputation as one of the toughest places for a visiting team to play, with its close seating and highly vocal fans, including a core group of “rowdies” who have been supporting the team since the days Komets head coach Al Sims was behind the bench for the Brahmas.
“In the bigger rink downtown with either three or four thousand, or even five thousand (in attendance), it seemed empty because it was so big and people were far away from the ice,” Sims said. “I think in here, with everybody right on top of you, it’s a very loud building.”
The game started poorly for the Komets as they were down a score within 26 seconds of the opening faceoff. The Brahmas’ Alex Curran deflected an initial shot from fellow defenseman Darryl McArthur into the net for his fifth goal of the season, establishing a 1-0 lead which the home team held for the next 45 minutes of play.    
The Komets finally solved Brahmas goalie Wayne Savage at the 6:11 mark of the third frame when Tab Lardner found the back of the net, tallying his team-leading 14^th goal to knot the game at 1-1.
Just over a minute later, the celebration was spoiled when Darryl McArthur’s shot from the point deflected off Brian Ihnacak’s stick, top shelf over goaltender Nick Boucher’s right shoulder to make it a 2-1 contest.  The Komets remained undeterred and although the Brahmas defenders beat back several trips to the attacking zone, defenseman Frankie DeAngelis finally found an in, setting up to Savage’s glove side and rifling a shot to the back of the net for the equalizer at the 16:08 mark. Neither team scored in the final minutes of regulation, forcing the game into sudden death overtime.
Each team had a single shot in the extra frame but it was Mathieu Curadeau who found daylight and lit the lamp, sending the visiting bench onto the ice to celebrate a hard-fought 3-2 victory.
Komets goalie Nick Boucher earned his fourth straight road win stopping 22 of 24 shots faced. 
Fort Wayne has now earned points in 15 of their last 18 games, going 11-3-4, dating back to December 22nd. 
Forward Danny Lapointe, who joined the Komets two weeks ago, commented on the weekend’s results.
“We know we’ve got a great group of players who can get the job done so we’ve just got to keep moving forward,” Lapointe said. “Everyone’s positive and everyone’s happy and now we roll…we know where we’re at in the standings and every two points is so key for us, so we take every night like a new battle. We’ve got to win those games to make a run and get into the playoffs, so we approach every game like a new battle and go hard at it.”
Komets head coach Al Sims was more than enthusiastic about his players’ determination to pull out another win, capping off a successful three-in-three weekend.
“It was just unbelievable…you know, we had a rough start to the season and I think we just served notice around the league with this 3-0 road trip – two in Bossier City and one in Texas, where not many teams win, that the Komets are back,” Sims said. “I think our team went through a rough stretch – 5 and 15 to start and it built a lot of character and a lot of grit and a lot of determination in our boys. They know what it’s like to be on the losing end and they don’t want to be there again, so we’ve turned it around pretty good.”
With 27 games remaining in the regular season, Sims is optimistic about Fort Wayne’s chances to return to contention.
“I think we’re all believing now that we can do it again. I think the addition of Colin Chaulk was huge, coming back from Italy. He’s our captain; our leader the last three years…it just shows you what a difference leadership makes on a team.
As far as the attitude in the locker room as to where they’re going versus where they’ve been this season, Sims believes his players have kept up the good fight and are looking forward to showing what they can do in the final eight-week run toward the playoffs.
“I think we’re feeling good about it. I think beating Bossier-Shreveport twice and then beating these guys, who are seven games over .500; you know, I don’t think anybody really scares us in the playoffs,” Sims said. “We’re going to be a dangerous team whether we finish eighth or seventh or third or second. I know once we catch the rest of the bunch in games, it’s really going to tighten up – it’s anybody’s division right now. There are so many teams really jammed at the top with five or six points separating one to six, so I think the outlook’s really great for us.”
Contact the writer/photographer at robert.keith@prohockeynews.com