PHN’s Best Shots of the Game: Komets spoil Mallards home opener

MOLINE, Ill. – Jamie Schaafsma scored a pair of goals- including the game winner- and Shawn Szydlowski and Jason Binkley provided a goal and two assists apiece as the Fort Wayne Komets (1-0-0) ripped off four straight goals on the way to a 6-2 opening night victory over the host Quad City Mallards (0-1-0) Friday night.

The Komets spoiled the Mallards’ twentieth season opener by scoring four times in the second period. Fort Wayne was on the power play when Gabriel Beaupre’s blue line blast broke a 1-1 tie at 2:42 of the second. Just 39 seconds after the Mallards’ Mike Monfredo knotted the contest by scoring on the power play from the right wing circle at 7:45 of the middle frame, Schaafsma put the Komets in front for good from the doorstep. Binkley stretched the gap to 4-2 by sweeping the puck home from the right wing circle at 14:58. At 17:33 Garrett Thompson delivered the fifth Fort Wayne goal on a 3-on-2 rush.

After C.J. Motte replaced Adam Vay in the Mallard goal at the start of the third period, Schaafsma converted Szydlowski’s centering pass to cap off the night for the Komets just one minute and 52 seconds into the third.

Early on it seemed the game might take a different course. Justin Kovacs’ one timer from the slot gave the Mallards a 1-0 lead at 10:41 of the first period. However, Szydlowski replied with a wrist shot from the left wing circle at 15:38 of the first and the Komets never trailed again.

The Mallards Friday night were without newly minted team captain Chris Francis- who is on bereavement leave- but did get a goal from Monfredo, who is an alternate captain for a second straight season and an assist from rookie Alex Petan, who has also been named an alternate captain.

The Mallards and Komets meet again tomorrow night in Fort Wayne. The Mallards next play at home Wednesday night, October 26 against the Missouri Mavericks. That game and all Mallards Wednesday night home games this season will face off at the special early start time of 6:35 p.m.