Sims: We need to come out flying

Brad MacMillan scored by firing the puck from the goal line off the back of the Dayton goaltender and in, and then Colin Chaulk scored the game-winning goal by bouncing one off the goaltender's side and in as the Komets beat Dayton 4-2.

The win moves the Komets within two points of Port Huron for second place after the IceHawks lost at home against Quad City. The Komets have still played three fewer games than Port Huron and can tie the IceHawks for first place with a win at home tonight against Flint which lost at home Friday night to Bloomington.

``It was a good game, a tight game just like it always is with these guys,” Komets coach Al Sims said. “It came down to whomever got the third goal, and we managed to get it first.”

The Komets killed off all seven of Dayton's power-play chances while scoring on one of their own six chances with Chaulk's goal. Tim Haun made 31 saves for the Komets who out-shot the Gems 38-33.

Leo Thomas scored first for the Komets, his 24th of the season, and MacMillan scored his seventh to match his career-high in the second period. Chaulk scored his 16th and set up Matt Syroczynski's 15th in the third period.

“It was kind of a helter-skelter game because the ice is terrible here,” Sims said. “You never know in this rink. You have to chase down every puck because you never know what kind of bad bounces you are going to get.”

The Komets have won three games in a row and five in a row on the road. Tonight will be their first home game after three straight road games.

“We just need to make sure we show up in the first period,” Sims said. “In the last two times we haven't given ourselves much of a chance being down 2-0 both times. We need to come out flying.”