Sunday marked the long awaited Komets debut of Daniel “Diamond Hands” Amesbury as the Komets took on the Kalamazoo Wings. As a reminder, the Komets entered the weekend looking to extend their five game point streak.
Friday February, 2nd : Cincinatti Cyclones @ Fort Wayne Komets
Both teams looked to get to a fast start on Friday. Good offensive pressure lead to a plethora of shots on goal, a combined 27 to be exact. Despite the quantity of shots on goal, neither team managed to put one in the net leaving the score tied at zero at the conclusion of the opening period.
The second period is when each team finally got on the scoreboard. The Komets drew first blood just over eight minutes into the period on a power play goal by Shawn Szydlowski (assisted by Jack Duggan and Ture Linden). Less than a minute later the Cyclones would tie with a goal of their own by Colton Kalezic. Both teams would go scoreless the rest of the period setting up a final period tied at one goal a piece.
Two minutes into the third and final period the Cyclones would jump out to a one goal lead thanks to Kalezic’s second goal of the game. The Komets would go on to outshoot the Cyclones the rest of the way, but ultimately came up short. Thus, the five-game point streak came to an end.
Final score: Komets 1, Cyclones 2
Saturday February, 3rd : Fort Wayne Komets @ Cincinnati Cyclones
After a slow day offensively the two teams would meet up again on Saturday, this time in Cincinnati. Similar to Friday’s game the teams got off to a slow start, however it was the Cyclones that got the scoring started nearly 14 minutes into the game. No other goals were scored as the first period coming to an end with the Komets being outshot and outscored.
The second period looked like a different game. Just over a minute in, the Komets got on the scoreboard with a goal by Ture Linden (assisted by Xavier Cormier and Jack Dugan). Just over two minutes later the Connor Carcoran added a power play goal (assisted by Shawn Szydlowski and Xavier Cormier) to give the Komets their first lead of the game. As a team, the Komets would go on to score three more goals in the second period (Nolan Volcan, Ethan De Jong and Noah Ganske) to give them a commanding 5-1 lead.
The Komets would add on in the third period with goals by Jack Dugan and Ture Linden. Tyler Parks earned the win in the goal making a save on 22 of the 23 shots on goal by the Cyclones.
Final Score: Komets 7, Cyclones 1
Sunday February, 4th : Kalamazoo Wings @ Fort Wayne Komets
As the Komets took the ice on Sunday there was a buzz among the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. The day had finally come for Daniel Amesbury to make his Komets debut. Amesbury wasted no time introducing himself to the Komets faithful with a huge hit stick 15 seconds into the opening period. Then, less than seven minutes later the gloves were off. While there was plenty of action in the opening period, the score remained tied at zero. The two teams combined for more penalty minutes (20) than shots on goal (16).
💎🥊 @AMES2BURY CHUCKIN KNUCKS#LetsGoKomets pic.twitter.com/aIALEzPuUM
— Fort Wayne Komets (@FWKomets) February 4, 2024
The Komets began the second period on a power play thanks to a late penalty on the Wings in the first. It appeared as if the Komets cashed in less than a minute into the period before the goal was waved off and confirm by replay as a non-goal. Then, four minutes later the Wings officially kicked off the scoring for the night with a goal by Luke Morgan. The Komets would answer a minute later with a goal of their own from Jack Dugan (assisted by Xavier Bernard and Ture Linden).
The scoring in the second period didn’t end there as the wings jumped back in front with a goal just over 12 minutes in. Once again the Komets were quick to answer with a goal two minutes later from Jake Chiasson (assisted by Jack Gorniak and Ethan De Jong). The Wings rounded off the scoring in the second period with a power play goal coming just over a minute later.
The third period got off to a slow start with neither team being able to find the net. The Komets had a prime opportunity to tie the game when they earned a power play opportunity with just over seven minutes remaining. However a success penalty kill by the Wings would keep the score the same. Then, with four and a half minute remaining the Wings put the nail in the coffin with yet another goal to give them a 4-2 lead.
Final Score: Komets 2, Wings 4