The Allen Americans and Fort Wayne Komets meet at center ice during warmups on Sunday / Photo by Cheryll Iddings (PHN / eye2eyeportraits)
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Allen Americans are heading home with a 2-0 series lead over the Fort Wayne Komets after an overtime goal by Gary Steffes lifted Allen to a 3-2 win in game two of the ECHL Western Conference Finals on Sunday. Steffes’ goal 56-seconds into the extra frame silenced the crowd of 5,779, drawing an end to a penalty-filled contest.
The two sides combined for 64 penalty minutes in a contest that began with players from each side meeting at center ice to exhange words during warmups.
The first period alone produced three fights and 44 penalty minutes.
Chad Costello put Allen on the board first, scoring on the power play at 8:50 of the opening period on an assist from Eric Roy and David Makowski to make it 1-0. Standing inside the left circle, Costello buried a one-timer into the left side of the net for his fourth goal of the playoffs. Allen carried the lead and a 9-8 shot advantage into the lockerroom at the first break.
Fort Wayne’s Brett Perlini looks on as Allen’s Joel Rumpel attempts to stop the puck / Photo by Cheryll Iddings (PHN / eye2eyeportraits)
Garrett Meurs tied things up 22-seconds into the second period, scoring his first goal of the postseason on assists from Gabriel Beaupre and Brett Perlini. Meurs was in perfect position just inside the right circle to re-direct a shot past Allen’s Riley Gill to make it 1-1.
Gill left the game four minutes into the second period, suffering an apparent injury. No official word was given concerning his condition.
Just over eight minutes later Troy Bourke netted his seventh goal of the playoffs to give the Komets their first lead of the night. Bourke’s power play goal came on a slapshot from the right circle off a pass from Jordon Southorn, with Shawn Szydlowski getting the secondary assist on the play.
Vincent Arseneau closed out the period with his fifth postseason goal at 19:30 to pull both sides even once again. Standing on the doorstep of Fort Wayne’s Pat Nagle, Arseneau collected a rebound and lifted it into the net from the right side. Steffes was credited with the assist on the marker.
Fort Wayne posted a 10-8 shot advanatage in the third period, but neither side could break the deadlock and the game went into overtime.
Streaking towards the net 56-seconds into the overtime period, Steffes took a pass from Danny Federico and tapped the puck home to claim the win for the Americans.
The Allen Americans celebrate their 3-2 OT win over the Fort Wayne Komets on Sunday / Photo by Cheryll Iddings (PHN / eye2eyeportraits)
The series now shifts to the Allen Event Center for game three on Thursday. Game four is scheduled for Saturday night, and game five, if necessary, will take place on Sunday.
Contact the writer: John.Hall@prohockeynews.com
Photos courtesy of Cheryll Iddings (PHN) Eye2eyeportraits
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