WICHITA, Kan. – Chris Auger scored two goals and added an assist as the Fort Wayne Komets used a three-goal second period to pull away and eventually beat the Wichita Thunder 6-3 in game two of the Central Hockey League Ray Miron President’s Cup Final before 4,703 fans at Intrust Bank Arena on Sunday afternoon. 
Auger ran his point total for the series to five through just the first two games while scoring two goals for the third straight game. Forward Mike Vaskivuo contributed one goal and two assists while Leo Thomas and Colin Chaulk added two assists each as the Komets took a 2-0 series lead, becoming the first team to beat Wichita twice on their home ice in this post-season. Fort Wayne cashed in on one of two power play chances in a relatively penalty free game. Wichita converted one of three man advantage situations, marking just their fourth in the playoffs.
Fort Wayne%27s Nick Boucher stopped 27 of 30 shots faced in Sunday%27s win.
The Thunder, looking to reverse the fortunes of their game one loss, jumped on the board first for the third time in the post-season at the mid-way mark of the opening period. At 9:40 of the first Kevin Seibel batted the puck out of the air and past Fort Wayne’s Nick Boucher during a scramble in front to make it 1-0. That lead, however, didn’t last long as Jean-Michel Rizk scored on an open net at 12:53 after Thunder goalie Adam Russo came out to play the puck near the right circle. After taking a 1-1 tie into the intermission, Fort Wayne exploded for three goals in the second. Daniel Maggio hammered home a shot from outside the right circle off the draw to put the Komets up 2-1 at 7:36. Auger added his first of the night on the power play at 10:31 when he took a feed from Thomas in front of Russo and put it into the net. Russo was pulled from action after Vaskivuo scored on a rebound from just outside of the crease at 14:58 to make it 4-1. Chris Chappell scored Wichita’s lone power play marker at 17:34, putting in a rebound from point blank range to send the teams to the locker rooms with the score 4-2.
Fort Wayne%27s Bryant Molle and Wichita%27s R.G. Flath race for the puck.
Thunder backup Bryan Hogan then surrendered two goals in a 16-second span during the final period as the Komets pulled away. Bobby Chaumont poked in a centering pass from Brett Smith during a two-on-one break at 9:30 to make it 5-2. Auger added his second of the night at 9:46, wrapping around the net and scoring to Hogan’s left side, making it 6-2. Erick Lizon added his first post-season goal in the 16-minute mark, but it would not be enough to spark a comeback as the damage was already done. The series now shifts to Fort Wayne, Indiana for game three on Thursday night. Face-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm EDT with a 8:15 pm EDT start time for game four on Saturday night. Game five, if necessary, will take place in Fort Wayne on Monday, May 7. Contact the writer at:
john.hall@prohockeynews.com Contact the photographer at:
les.stockton@prohockeynews.comRelated
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