Komets host Wings for Thanksgiving

Fort Wayne, IN --  The Komets will celebrate Thanksgiving week with three games in three nights beginning with the traditional Fort Wayne Thanksgiving home game Thursday at 7:30pm at the Memorial Coliseum. It will be the 51^st consecutive and 52^nd overall Komet home Thanksgiving game since the tradition of consecutive Thanksgiving night home games began in 1962. The very first Komet home Thanksgiving game was played on Nov. 28, 1957 when the Komets lost to Toledo 7-3. The Komets are 32-15-4 on Thanksgiving at home and have won the last four straight Turkey Day games.

The Kalamazoo Wings (7-7-0, 14 points) visit this year for Thanksgiving. It will be only the second time the Wings have celebrated the holiday in Fort Wayne. The first time was in 1983 when the Komets were clipped by the K-Wings 3-2. 

Thursday’s game will be the fifth of 16 meetings this season between the Komets and Wings. The Komets are 1-2-1 after the first four meetings. Kalamazoo has lost the first two games of a three-game set at Orlando and will skate the third game Tuesday before traveling to Fort Wayne for Thanksgiving and the first of the home-and-home series.

Friday the Komets skate at Kalamazoo at 7:30pm. It will be the fourth of 10 trips to Kalamazoo where the Komets are an even 1-1-1 after three visits.

Saturday the Komets return home to host the Toledo Walleye (8-6-1, 17 points) at 7:30pm. The Walleye edged the Komets 2-1 in their first Fort Wayne visit last Friday. Saturday’s game will be the second of seven visits by Toledo this season. The Walleye skate at Cincinnati Wednesday and host the Cyclones Friday before making the trip to Fort Wayne Saturday.

About last week—The Komets hope to rebound from dropping both home games played last week extending their winless streak to three games. After suffering the setback Friday to Toledo the Komets were shut out by Evansville Saturday night 5-0. The Komets are 7-5-1 after 13 games for 15 points and trail division leader Cincinnati (8-3-2, 18 points) by three points.

Komet leaders—Marino (RW) continues to lead the Komets with 19 points after 13 games. Marino is tied with Josh Brittain (LW) for most goals at six and tied with Colin Chaulk (C) for most assists with 13. Komet goaltender Kenny Reiter (2-1-1) had his unbeaten streak snapped at three games after suffering his first regulation loss Friday night against Toledo.   Reiter made 30 saves on 32 shots in his only appearance of the week and leads ECHL goaltenders with a 1.37 goals-against average and a .953 save percentage in five appearances.

Milestones ahead—The Komets will skate the 5,000^th Fort Wayne game, all time including regular season and playoffs, Wednesday, Nov. 28 when they visit Gwinnett. It will be the first time the Komets have traveled to Gwinnett, Georgia since the Fort Wayne club was established in 1952…..Colin Chaulk (C) has registered 995 career points (regular season)…..Thomas Beauregard (RW) has scored 99 ECHL all-time career (regular season and playoffs) goals in 190 ECHL career games…..defenseman Tyler Butler has scored 99 pro goals.

  
COATS FOR KIDS CONTINUES THURSDAY AND SATURDAY—The annual Komets Coats-For-Kids holiday drive, sponsored by Kroger and 21 Alive, is underway and will continue with this week’s Komet home games Thursday against Kalamazoo and Saturday against Toledo. The Komets, Kroger and 21 Alive are asking for donations of gently-used or new Kid’s Coats (sizes 6-14) plus new mittens, hats and scarves. Fans will get 10 free chuck-a-pucks from Kroger when bringing an item to one of the Coats-For-Kids games this week.

Hottest ticket in town-- Single game tickets and season tickets are on sale.  Single game tickets can be purchased at the Coliseum Ticket Office and online at www.ticketMaster.com.  Season tickets are on sale at the Komet office, 1010 Memorial Way, Fort Wayne.  For information visit www.komets.com, or call 260-483-0011.