There's a feature today on the art of faceoffs that you can read here, and this week's video clip is up here from Pat, Randi and Tim.
Komets look kind of flat again, and Flint leads 3-2. I think the Generals have had three good scoring chances all night and they have scored on all three. They were all directly the result of a Komets turnover at their own blue line or an odd-man rush when a forward didn't get back.
For those who are wondering, Mitch Woods is dressed, but has a sore knee.
So far there have been 17 penalties called. Two guesses who the ref is and the first one doesn't count. Figured you'd know that one.
Former Komet great Al Dumba is in town checking out his son Jared who plays for the Generals.
I can't believe this one. Since the Komets lost 9-3 at Flint on Dec. 28, they have gone 28-5-2, and David Hukalo and Mathieu Curadeau, their top-line penalty killing forwards, have been on the ice for only five power-play goals against. That's remarkable.
P.C. Drouin who had so many chances early in the game but couldn't score, gets the last chance late to tie the game and then scored the first goal in the shootout.
Al Sims on General Manager David Franke celebrating on the horn: ``I thought David had a heart attack and fell on the horn there at the end because it had to be going for at least a minute. I said, God, somebody get David's body off the horn. It was unbelievable.''
The Komets are getting sucked into playing Kalamazoo's style, and it's 1-1 after two periods. The Wings are doing a great job of clogging up the middle with their defense, causing the Komets all kinds of problems and slowing them down. Nick Boucher has made some excellent saves so far, and Jeff Reynaert has been just as hot for the Wings. Referee Kevin Graber is letting them play, and the Komets need to quit griping about it.
He'll miss at least the next four games. The Komets activated Terry Marchant off IR to take his spot.
It's always fun for me to watch when Kalamazoo comes to town because that mean's Karlander vs. Marchant in the faceoffs. The game within the game type thing.
And, no, before someone asks, I don't vote on the league awards and haven't for three or four years. To me, it's an ethical question.
You know how Bob always talks about the coliseum being ``the big ice'' and the Michigan teams always having ``the smaller ice?'' I've been trying to do some research on that to find out exactly what the dimensions are. We know for fact that Port Huron is smaller, about 185 X 85. Team officials in those other cities have told me that Flint and Kalamzoo are exactly regulation, 200 X 85, and that Muskegon might be a tad smaller, but not by much, maybe a foot or two. The funny thing is, somebody from Muskegon told me that Kalamazoo is definitely smaller.
I was talking with Eddie Long this week about a couple things and this is what he has to say about this year's team tying the 1963-64 team's record for consecutive home wins:
This is from Colin Chaulk for all of those out there who have kids who'd like to learn the game.
Here is a list of what will be taking place so far this spring and summer at the Hockey House and McMillen arena.
I'm guessing you've heard by now the NHL wants to put the Rangers and Red Wings together as the last event held in Yankee Stadium. I gotta admit I kind of agree with this sentiment. All of which means it will probably happen since the money will win out over tradition.
This is about how Jake and his wife Hope volunteer at the Salvation Army.
You'll be able to hear former Komets great Grant Richison on the commentary. He drew rave reviews from the Game of the Week staff, and it sounds like Mike Emrick might have a challenger for his job.
All kidding aside, it really was great to see Grant on Saturday night and shoot the bull a little bit. Kelly Hurd was also at the game, and it's amazing how that man never seems to age. BTW, Kelly just got a promotion in the fire department, so now Kevin Bertram has to be extra careful with his comments about Hurdsy.
According to IHL Vice President of Hockey Operations Brad Jones, defenseman Sergei Durdin was suspended and fined for Sunday's game as the result of his knee-to-knee hit with Port Huron's Brent Hughes and that's the extent of the discipline.
The Komets have now won eight games in a row after beating Port Huron 3-1 on Sunday, which also clinches a playoff spot. Their lead over Flint is 27 points with 16 games left in the Fort Wayne schedule. The magic number for clinching the Huber Trophy as IHL regular-season champions is down to nine points.
The Komets got goals from David Hukalo, Evgeny Saidachev and Mitch Woods.
Fort Wayne played without defenseman Sergei Durdin who had a suspension after his knee-to-knee hit with Port Huron's Brett Hughes on Saturday night. Hughes may be done for the season.
Some random thoughts:
* The Komets think by the time all the money is gathered, around $10,000 will have been raised tonight for the families of fallen soliders. That's fantastic.
* Grant Richison looks like he could still play.
* How much has Jake Pence improved. He's probably been the Komets' best defenseman during the last two or three weeks.
* Bet Sergei Durdin is going to have to sit out a bunch of games for that knee-on-knee hit with Brent Hughes.
The Komets lead 4-1 after two but they could be in a bit of trouble. With defenseman Sergei Durdin serving a five-minute major for kneeing (it was ugly), Komets defenseman Kevin Bertram was called for boarding, giving the IceHawks 1:58 of a two-man advantage to start the third period. Durdin will likely be suspended for a while after this one.
Bertram also had to know that referee Scott Bokal was looking to make a call like that. The Komets have had a five-on-three earlier in the period and scored twice on it to take a 3-1 lead, and then scored just after a power play ended.
Port Huron certainly isn't intimidated by the sellout crowd of 10,462, and the IceHawks are doing a pretty good job of skating with the Komets. A turnover in the Fort Wayne zone led to the IceHawks goal by center Jeremy Tucker. The Komets' goal came from a nifty series of plays that culminated in Evgeny Saidachev's seventh goal of the year.
I thought the Komets looked like they ran out of gas a little during the second half of the first period. The Komets played last night in Muskegon, and the IceHawks had the night off.
