X-rays on Bobby Hughes and Mickey Lang today were both negative and both are still hoping to be able to play this weekend. Lang is especially excited to play in Las Vegas since he grew up in Reno.
Hughes has a sore ankle from blocking a shot Saturday night, and Lang suffered an undisclosed injury in practice today.
If the Komets were 1-1 right now instead of 0-0-2? That's essentially where they are. Would you feel better if they just stopped the game after overtime with a tie?
Odd that they aren't better in shootouts considering how often they practice it. There's always some prize for the winning shooter and goaltender, too, and lots of trash-talking going on as the tournament winds down. Based on what I've seen in practice, Gary Graham picked the right five shooters, too, but none of them scored. Strange. At least it's helped prepare the goaltenders.
Komets should have blown Cincinnati out early but couldn't thanks to Rob Madore. Cyclones could have punished Komets more if they had scored on any of nine power-play chances.
Matt Firman and Nik Pokulok have been placed on reserve so the Komets can activate Mike Vaskivuo and Jace Coyle. Because they are not on injured reserve, Firman and Pokulok can be activated at any time.
Sunday's game in Evansville is the first on MyTV which is Ch. 18 on Comcast.
Komets goaltender John Muse has only been gone two days, but he's already the No. 1 goaltender in Charlotte of the AHL. The Checkers lost one goaltender to injury and another was recalled today after a Carolina goalie got hurt last night.
Good thing Max Strang was waiting in Bloomington for the Komets to call. He's looked really sharp the last two days in practice.
Also, Mike Vaskivuo and Jace Coyle will be activated for Saturday's game. Vaskivuo will be playing center, not wing.
Photo by Gannon Burgett
The Komets announced Wednesday that goaltender John Muse has been loaned to the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL and right wing Shawn Szydlowski has been assigned to Fort Wayne by the AHL's Rochester Americans.
It didn't take Gary Graham long to mix up his lines. Today he went with King, Hauswirth and Firman; Auger, Fleming and Dunbar; Marino, Hughes and Lang.
``I like our balance still,'' Graham said. ``You look at the chemistry between Auger and Fleming and they just have to play together. I want to see how it looks this weekend.
