The Fort Wayne Komets held International Hockey League leading scorer Todd Robinson off the scoresheet Friday night, but they couldn't find any offense of their own in a 4-1 loss at Muskegon.
The victory pushes the Lumberjacks eight points up on second-place Fort Wayne in the International Hockey League standings. The Lumberjacks have 10 games remaining the Komets 12, with the only remaining matchup between the two being played in Fort Wayne on April 7.
``We just have to make sure we hang onto second,'' Komets coach Al Sims said.
The schedule breaks the Komets' way with seven of the 12 remaining games at Memorial Coliseum, while Muskegon plays seven of its last 10 games on the road.
``We're starting to play 13 games in 24 nights and we've got some injuries piling up,'' Sims said. ``That's pretty tough to overcome with that kind of a schedule.''
The Komets were already playing without forwards Brad MacMillan and Leo Thomas this weekend because of injuries, and then Mitch Woods suffered a lower-leg contusion late in the first period. Sims said Woods would not be available in Dayton on Saturday or in Flint on Sunday.
Friday's game was tied 1-1 going into the third period when Fort Wayne's Justin Chwedoruk was called for hooking two minutes in. Muskegon scored on the power play when the puck bounced high into the air, Komets goaltender Nick Boucher lost sight of it and it rolled down his arm and into the goal.
``It was a killer because that was the deciding goal,'' Sims said. ``The last fivie or six minutes they got a couple more, but the second goal they got killed us. It was a pretty good game up to that point.''
Both teams had 37 shots on goal, but the Komets were unable to solve Muskegon netminder Sebastien Centomo. Guy Dupuis scored his ninth of the season in the second period for the Komets who were held scoreless in four power-play opportunities.
