Fort Wayne Komets Fall Short Against Florida Everblades
By Kris Hill
Komets Playoff Hopes In Serious Jeopardy
Photos by Swikar Patel | The Journal Gazette
The Komets’ Matt Firman attempts a shot on Florida goalie Jesse Deckert during the first period Friday night.
Fort Wayne, IN – The Fort Wayne Komets’ (29-29-3) playoff ambitions are pretty much just a pipe dream in their first season in the ECHL. Last night they took on the defending ECHL champions and former Ducks affiliate Florida Everblades (31-20-10). Jeff Deslaurierscontinued to be a workhorse between the pipes starting in his seventh straight since being sent down.
First Period:
The Everblades kicked off the scoring on Mike Merrifield at the 14:25 mark with a shot from the right circle. Deslauriers did not allow another goal in the period and neither team converted on the power play.
Second Period:
The K’s Jamie Milam netted the equalizer at the 2:59 mark, but that would be the closest Fort Wayne would get to a lead. Florida scored twice to end the middle frame.
Third Period:
Florida then netted another goal before Matt Firman netted his 11th of the year. The Everblades scored again at the 10:47 mark. Tyler Butler notched his second of the year with 5:44 left in the game. The visitors sealed the game with an empty-netter with just over two minutes left.
Team Statistics:
Score by Period:
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida Everblades | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
Fort Wayne Komets | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
SOG:
| SHOTS | 1 | 2 | 3 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida Everblades | 9 | 10 | 8 | 31 |
Fort Wayne Komets | 11 | 3 | 9 | 26 |
Power Play Efficiency
| Prd | Florida Everblades | Fort Wayne Komets |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| 2nd | 0-0 | 0-1 |
| 3rd | 0-2 | 0-0 |
| Total | 0-3 | 0-3 |
Three Stars:
| Star | Team | Pos/Name | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
Florida Everblades | F Corey Trivino | 1 GA, 25 SVS, 0.962 | |
Florida Everblades | LW Mathieu Roy | 2 GA, 29 SVS, 0.935 | |
Florida Everblades | D Mike Ratchuk | 1 G, 0 A, Even, 4 Shots (GWG) |
The Komets face the Everblades again tonight at 7:30 p.m. EST.
Game 2 Preview:
Team Stats:
Florida Everblades | Stats | Fort Wayne Komets |
|---|---|---|
| 61 | GP | 61 |
| 31 | W | 29 |
| 20 | L | 29 |
| 10 | OT | 3 |
| 72 | P | 61 |
| 0.590 | P% | 0.500 |
| 216 | GF | 170 |
| 214 | GA | 203 |
Team Records:
Florida Everblades: 31-20-10, 72 Points (2nd in the South Division, 5th in the Eastern Conference)
Fort Wayne Komets: 29-29-3, 61 points (4th in the North Division, 11th in the Eastern Conference)
Broadcast Info:
TV:
Radio: