The Richmond Riverdogs have officially closed up shop, and the Missouri River Otters are moving all their equipment out of Family Arena today to put it in storage. They have no lease for next year, and no one is expecting anything for next year.
According to UHL Vice President of Media Relations Brian Werger, the league is not expected to add further penalty to Komets center Andrew Luciuk for his actions in Game 2.
The Richmond Riverdogs have officially closed up shop, and the Missouri River Otters are moving all their equipment out of Family Arena today to put it in storage. They have no lease for next year, and no one is expecting anything for next year.
He is extremely happy to be here, though he got lost on 469 and didn't recognize Jefferson Pointe, either. He met with coach Greg Puhalski and the Frankes today and told them he'd do whatever they needed from him. He said the only reason he wasn't here earlier was because of his wife's recovery from surgery, but she's doing well and he was able to fly his mother-in-law out over the weekend.
Eddie Campbell will be in Fort Wayne this afternoon to play in Tuesday's game. Hopefully that starts your Monday off a little better than expected.
I'm also wondering if the league will review Andrew Luciuk's actions against Rockford goaltender Michel Robinson. A Rockford player dumped Luciuk near the blue line with no call, ticking off Luciuk who got up and charged the net. He slashed Robinson who fell over in the ensuing scrum. I wouldn't be shocked if there was some further penalty.
And a good one. Michel Robinson is going to miss the next two games what an ankle injury, one that is serious enough to require an MRI on Monday. Usual back-up goaltender Ronnie Vogel is on injured reserve with undisclosed injuries, meaning rookie Scott Dickie is starting. He faced 10 marshmellows on Sunday night, but the Komets never got close enough to test him.
Here's the key stats of the night. Shots on goal by Fort Wayne: Defensemen 15; Forwards 20.
Good scoring chances, about five.
The Komets didn't crash the net, forecheck much or do anything really as a group of forwards. Luciuk had four shots but every other forward had three or less.
This was a bad as the Komets could play, and the thing is, Frenchy has played pretty well. Of the 11 goals against him, about eight have come within five feet of the net where he couldn't do anything about them.
Two Komets goals may win this because Kevin St. Pierre looks very sharp early. He's coming out to challenge Rockford shooters on everything and is controlling his rebounds. One time the puck from a long shot landed on the side netting and the goal judge turned the light on, the fans celebrated and the horn blew, but Frenchy never even flinched.
Somebody said there would be 19 shots at the first period and the IceHogs have 10 and the Komets 9, thank you very much. Man, I have to get a life. LOL.
The Komets sent defenseman Troy Neumeier home Friday night, but currently no other details are available. They are pretty tight-lipped about injuries during playoffs.
This was as bad as I've seen the Komets play defense since their 5-11-2 start, but they still had a chance to win the game. They were up 4-3 and Robinson was fighting the puck like it was a swarm of bees, but they started settling for long-distance shots.
The line of Big Snake, Johnson and Tifu pretty much dominated, but not so much because of the physical stuff, but by playing smart, positional hockey. They also let the Komets back in the game with some of their bone-headed penalties, including a Big Snake diving call that got booed even by the French judge.
I just got back to the hotel from what might have been the strangest Komets playoff game I've seen in 15 years. Every one of Rockford's goals was strange. 1. No forward comes back to tie up Chaz Johnson in front; 2. 2 on 1; 3. Shot hits Neumeier in the face and bounces directly to a Rockford forward; 4. Another 2 on 1; 5. breakway; 6. Puck bounces off a player on one side of the net to the one on the other side who bounced it off the far post back across the crease to bounce off the near post and in. 7. Empty net.
