FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Shawn Szydlowski scored twice and chipped in an assist as the Fort Wayne Komets utilized an effecient offensive effort en route to a 6-4 win over the visiting South Carolina Stingrays in game three of the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals in front of a rowdy crowd of 7,777 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday night.
In a game that saw South Carolina out-shoot Fort Wayne 49-24, the Komets made the most of the shots they sent towards Stingrays netminder Hunter Shepard, scoring six times while scoring twice on four power play attempts. The Komets netted three goals in the opening period, as they held a 14-10 shot advantage, scored once on four attempts in the second and twice on six attempts in the third.
Fort Wayne goalie Dylan Ferguson took on a heavy workload as South Carolina out-shot the Komets 39-10 in the final two frames. Ferguson would only allow two Stingrays goals in the final period, after turning away all 20 shots he faced in the second. He finished the night with 45 saves to claim his sixth win of the post-season.
Dan DeSalvo put the Stingrays on the board first, quickly finding the net with a power play goal just 2:35 into the first period. Cole Ully and Max Novak were credited with assists on the goal.
Stephen Harper evened things up for the Komets, scoring a power play goal of his own from A.J. Jenks and Brandon Hawkins at 7:01 to make it a 1-1 game.
Anthony Nellis gave the Komets the lead 1:39 later, scoring an even strength goal with assists from Szydlowski and Alan Lyszcarczyk to make it a 2-1 Fort Wayne lead.
DeSalvo struck again two minutes later with his second power play goal of the night on assists from Ully and Matthew Weis to tie it up 2-2.
Szydlowski closed out the opening period scoring, netting his first of the night at 12:30 from Olivier Galipeau and Anthony Petruzzelli to give the Komets a 3-2 lead. That score would hold as the two sides entered the first intermission.
Hawkins increased the lead to two goals mid-way through the second period on assists from Randy Gazzola and Marcus McIvor and the Komets would take a 4-2 advantage into the second intermission.
Matthew Boudens increased the Komet lead 30-seconds into the third period, getting around a defender on the left wing before tucking the puck into the net to the left of Shepard to make it 5-2. The goal, assisted by Hawkins and Ferguson, would serve as the game-winner.
South Carolina struck back just over a minute and a half later when Caleb Herbert slammed home a rebound past Ferguson to pull back within two goals.
Szydlowski added his second of the night, firing a shot through traffic from the high slot to make it 6-3. Assists were given to Lyszcarczyk and Galipeau on the power play goal.
Mark Cooper closed out the scoring, hammering home a shot from the slot at 18:29 to pull the Stingrays within two goals.
The two teams will be back at it in Fort Wayne on Friday night as the Komets look to close out the series and claim their first Kelly Cup. Face-off is set for 7:00 pm CDT.
Contact the writer: John.Hall@prohockeynews.com
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