Fort Wayne, IN — The Komets announced Friday that legendary broadcaster Bob Chase, voice of the Komets since 1953, will be visiting his native Upper Peninsula of Michigan for the weekend to be inducted into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.  Due to the induction ceremony to be held Saturday night in Escanaba, Michigan, Chase will miss two Komet playoff games this weekend.  Chase, a native of the U.P., was born in Negaunee and raised in Marquette.

Substituting for Chase will be 35-year broadcast veteran Ed Hammond.  Hammond will be on WOWO Radio AM 1190 radio-rinkside for Komet playoff games Friday night in Fort Wayne and Saturday at Kalamazoo, games five and six of the IHL best-of-seven semi-final series, between Fort Wayne and Kalamazoo.

Hammond is currently a news and sports reporter for WMBD-AM Radio in Peoria, Illinois, and has been a radio broadcaster in the Peoria area since 1974.  The Chillicothe, Illinois native has also served as full-time play-by-play announcer for the IHL's Bloomington PrairieThunder for two seasons and has filled in for a few PrairieThunder broadcasts this season as well.  Hammond was the play-by-play announcer for Peoria for the 1993-94 IHL season and broadcast the Rivermen's Turner Cup Championship playoffs in 1985.

Friday the Komets will host the Kalamazoo Wings at 8pm in game five of the semifinals.  Game six will be played at Kalamazoo Saturday at 7:30pm.  Each game hits the air on WOWO AM 1190 15 minutes prior to opening faceoff and can also be heard online at www.komets.com Comcast KometCast.

Fort Wayne vs. Kalamazoo First Round IHL Turner Cup Playoffs at a glance
Series tied 2-2
Game 1:  Friday, April 17 at Fort Wayne 3 Kalamazoo 1
Game 2:  Saturday, April 18 at Kalamazoo 3 Komets 2 (2 OT)
Game 3:  Sunday, April 19 at Fort Wayne 5 Kalamazoo 1
Game 4:  Wednesday, April 22 at Kalamazoo 2 Komets 0
Game 5:  Friday, April 24 at Fort Wayne, 8pm (WOWO Radio AM 1190)
Game 6:  Saturday, April 25 at Kalamazoo, 7:30pm (WOWO Radio AM 1190)
*Game 7:  Tuesday, April 28 at Fort Wayne, 7:30pm (Radio TBA)
*if necessary
All Komet playoff games will be webcast free at www.komets.com at Comcast KometCast.

Komets.com.....The official website of the Fort Wayne Komets is www.komets.com.  In addition to featuring free webcasting of live Komet game radio, Komets.com also provides fans and media with up-to-date team stats, news, interactive fan features and information.  Fans can also follow all Komet games with real-time scoring via the IHL and Pointstreak by clicking the Scoreboard at Komets.com.