I was thinking about something today that I think is pretty cool. Even though this year has not been the best start, we've already seen something this year we've never seen before in Komets hockey, three-straight shutouts. That got me thinking of all the things I've gotten to see over the years from this team that I never thought I'd get to see. Such as:
* Two Game 7 OTs. That's incredibly lucky considering most fans go through their entire lives never seeing one. And we got to see the Komets win both of them, another miracle.
* Watching a team come back from being down 3-1 in a playoff series. Ditto.
* The 12-0 sweep. We were talking in the newsroom the other day that that might be the ultimate sports highlight in Fort Wayne's history, and we got to see it all. How lucky were we? The coolest thing for me about that? I know I covered it to the very best of my ability, and I couldn't go back today and write one thing better that I did then. That's an weird feeling.
So here's the question: What have the Komets done over the years that you never ever thought you'd get to see? Or maybe any other sporting event that touched you like that?
A few more for me were the 1985 Bears, the 2002 Red Wings gathering all of those hall of famers, Miracle on Ice, seeing IPFW play in a volleyball final four -- IPFW leading Stanford or USC or UCLA in an NCAA Tournament? In your dreams -- and talking to Lloy Ball in Athens last summer during the Olympics. That was really fun because it was 4 a.m. here and he's giving me play-by-play of a match that was going on which would decide of the US got to go to the medal round. That's about as much fun as you can have at 4 a.m. in Fort Wayne that doesn't include something indecent.
So, give me your best stuff. What do you think?
Comments
The 3-1 deficit and Venny's 3rd straight hat-trick on home ice (4 goals that game).
Bringing in an 40 something year old equipment manager as back-up goalie then to win the game in the shootout and that lead to a Championship.
The Joe Franke memory sticks out first. What a classic. Best inspirational moment.
Remember back when the K's first joined the UHL (I think) and the referee got hurt one night. In comes Wade Stucky with his head so swelled up that he barely fit through the zamboni entrance. The memorable part was people started throwing bottles and anything else they could get their hands on out onto the ice. Even the warnings and subsequent penalties he called for delay a game couldn't stop it. I don't think he worked another game as a linesman the rest of the year here. It was without a doubt the worst officiating I had ever scene.
Dusty scoring the OT winner for the cup. Probably one of the most memorable goals I have scene here.
Icy blasting into the boards on the 4 wheeler delaying the game for awhile. Best intermission display I have witnessed.
Ice scaper night against Indy was the best game promotion I have scene.
Muhammad Ali's visit was probably the greatest pregame ceremony I have ever scene. I actually had a tear or two well up just watching him.
From back in my days living down there. 2 great memories. The 10-2 win over Indianapolis where they scored 5 goals each against 2 goalies who went on the the NHL (Jani Hurme and Mark Lamothe) and the game against the Vipers where there were 3 fights in the first 10-12 seconds. Everytime they dropped the puck the gloves came off. Boy did I enjoy calling back up to Michigan after that one!!
My best memory was watching the Komets win not 1 championship but 2 in my lifetime. Not every team nor fan gets to see 1, but I have seen 2. I wasn't at the Franke game, I was working at the Journal Gazette sports dept then. I remember when I called my sister and asked how the game went, she told me Joe Franke played in net and won in a shootout. The newsroom was scrambling after I passed that along. Then the calls from the coliseum started coming. Another memory I have was when Muhammad Ali was in Fort Wayne, that was pretty cool.
I just remembered a couple of others.
Scott Gruhl scoring two-short handed goals in 10 seconds, and then seeing either Paul Willett or Kelly Hurd do it 10 years later.
The miracle that is Bob Chase.
The fact that original Komets Eddie Long and George Drysdale still go to the game.
The Prokopec-McBain fight. Actually surpassed the buildup, and then what I remember most is the two guys shaking hands afterward.
Fletch finally getting revenge against Lyndon Byers.
The MiG Line.
Fletchie's return.
Gruhlie breaks minor league goal-scoring record.
So many great memories.
muhammad ali standing at center ice shadow boxing
wth hundreds of cameras flashing all over the building is something that i will never forget.
Scott Gruhl scoring two goals on one shift to tie and then break the all time IHL goal scoring record against a team who would qualify for the NHL playoffs.
12-0
Going with friends to the Toledo Sports Arena for a St Patricks Day game. Their coach, Teddy Garvin walks out wearing an old derby & three piece suit carrying a cane. The 'Diggers came out in their green jerseys, the palce went completely crazy and they kicked our a$$.
The Robbie Laird, Al Dumba, Terry McDougal line...each player scored over 100 points.
Although we didn't see them in the Coliseum, I will always long for the old USSR teams in the Olympics. They were poetry in motion.
Miracle on Ice...again, only saw it on TV, but I count it!
How could we ever forget the Anderson game?
Obviously it didn't happen here or involve the K's, but the 2004 Boston Red Sox coming back from being down 3-0 in the ALCS against the Yankees, no less, was quite a spectacle. Now I just have to wait a few more weeks to see my Steelers win another Super Bowl ;)
Chad, you've already had your one miracle of a lifetime. Give it up, buddy.
For me, getting to witness two Championships (1993, 2003) Getting to be on the ice for the celebration (2003) Not to mention how quick I got down there from my section! (That was a miracle itself!) The 1992 Ice Scraper game....the night the Komets scored 12 against a Utah team and ALL THREE of their goalies! The game in Milwaukee where the goalies fought...that was back in '89 or '90
Some more great memories....the games that the Komets played against the touring Russian teams and how they beat up on a squad that had so many future NHL millionaires. And the game that they had against the Kiev Sokol team ('89 or '90) that ended in a 0-0 tie....a well played game that only 1800 people went to see.