FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 15, 2011
 

KOMETS ANNOUNCE 60th ANNIVERSARY SCHEDULE
2011-12 Home Opener October 22

30 weekend and holiday home games featured 

Fort Wayne, IN -- The Komets will open their 60th anniversary season Saturday night, Oct. 22, at 7:30pm against the Evansville IceMen.  The Central Hockey League released the 2011-12 schedule Monday.  Each of the 14 CHL teams will skate 66 games, 33 at home and 33 on the road.  The Komets' 23-week calendar will run from Oct. 22, 2011 thru Mar. 25, 2012, with a break for the CHL All-Star Game Jan. 11 at Arizona. 

The Komets will host home games each of the first three weekends before making their first road appearance Saturday, Nov. 5 at Evansville for the IceMen's debut in a new downtown facility.

The Komets will face Evansville the first three out of four games to start the season.  The Komets will see Dayton the most at 14 total meetings.  Dayton and Evansville make the most trips to Fort Wayne at seven each.  The Komets will face Evansville 13 times, Bloomington 11, and Quad City nine.  Rapid City, with one visit to Fort Wayne on the docket, will face the Komets on five occasions while Missouri rounds out the Turner Conference with two Komet meetings.

The Komets have a dozen games against Berry Conference opponents with three matches each against Arizona and Tulsa.  Laredo and Wichita follow with two meetings each.  The Komets skate against Texas and Allen once each, with the Brahmas and Americans making Fort Wayne debuts.  The Komets will again not face Rio Grande Valley during regular season play.

During the year the Komets will play 10 three-in-threes (three games in three nights), five four-in-fives and six home back-to-back double-headers.  The longest home stand will be six home games in a span of 15 days (Mar. 9 thru Mar 23) and the longest road tour is 15 days with five road games following Thanksgiving from Nov. 25 to Dec. 9.  The busiest month of the season is February with 15 games over 27 days.

Bloomington, entering the season with a new nickname of the Blaze, will visit for traditional Fort Wayne holiday games on Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.  The Komets will dare to host a rare Friday the 13th game on Jan. 13 against Bloomington and the Blaze will also visit for a rare leap day Fort Wayne home game on Feb. 29.  The Komets will skate at home on St. Patrick's Day for the first time since 2007 when the Laredo Bucks make their first ever appearance in Fort Wayne for a pair of weekend games Friday, Mar. 16 and Saturday, Mar. 17.

Friday and Saturday's are the most popular home nights for the Komets will 11 each this season.  Five Sunday home games along with three Wednesday and two Thursday dates are on Coliseum ice.  The Komets are slated for play eight Tuesday games total, one at home and seven on the road.  It's the most Tuesday games for the Komets since 1998-99 when the IHL scheduled Fort Wayne for 10 Tuesday games (one home, nine road).

The Komets cap the regular season with a "three-in-three" set against Dayton starting with a visit from the Gems Friday, Mar. 23 followed by a trip to Dayton Saturday, Mar. 24.  The season concludes with the Komets hosting Dayton Sunday, Mar. 25.

The entire Komet schedule for 2011-12 can be seen online at www.komets.com, or by clicking here.

Exhibition game dates announced -- The eight-time champion Komets will skate two exhibition games prior to the opening of the 2011-12 regular season.
  Both tune-ups will be against the Dayton Gems with the first preseason tilt scheduled for Friday, Oct. 14 at Hara Arena in Dayton at 7:00pm.  The Komets will reciprocate by hosting Dayton Sunday, Oct. 16 at 5pm at the Memorial Coliseum.

60th Anniversary season tickets on sale
– 60th anniversary season season tickets are on sale at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way.  For more information visit the Komet office, call 260-483-0011 or click here Many events and promotions are planned for an unforgettable season.  There will be recognition of past Komets throughout the year with special ceremonies, autograph sessions and presentations planned.  New members will be inducted into the Concast Komet Hall of Fame along with exciting new endeavors both live and on the coliseum video board. 
Caution: Fans should watch out in particular for the return of Captain Komet.  

--FWK•60--