The Port Huron IceHawks must hate Nick Boucher.
The Komets goaltender made 37 saves Sunday as the Komets beat the IceHawks 4-2. Boucher is now 11-2-0 during his three years as a Komet in Port Huron with a goals against average under 2.00.
``He played great,'' Komets coach Al Sims said. ``We were flying right from the start. We controlled the game, the momentum and everything. Every guy came prepared to do whatever it would take to win this game. When we do that, we're something.''
The Komets desperately needed to play well on Sunday for a few reasons. They lost 6-1 at Port Huron on Tuesday night, and this was one of their games-in-hand against first-place Muskegon in the International Hockey League standings. The Lumberjacks continue to lead the league with 63 points, Port Huron has 59 and the Komets 52. The komets have p layed three fewer games than Muskegon and two fewer than Port Huron.
The Komets were also 1-4 against Port Huron this season.
``We needed to prove to ourselves that we could win in this building if we're going to win another championship,'' Sims said. ``It was a game where we had to show a big response, and we did.''
Fort Wayne got off to a very fast start as Leo Thomas scored a power-play and a short-handed goal in the first period and Boucher made 11 saves. Port Huron cut the margin to 2-1 after two periods on a goal by Brandon Naurato, and then tied the score with 2:41 left on a goal by Tab Lardner.
The Komets responded immediately as Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock shoved home just five seconds later a rebound for his second goal in two games. Matt Syroczynski added an insurance goal with 1:15 remaining off an assist from Schrock, giving the rookie a ``Gordie Howe Hat Trick'' of a fight, a goal and an assist. It's the second time this season Schrock has done that in a game.
The Komets finished January with an 8-2-1 mark and start a 12-game February slate at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday against Dayton. Fort Wayne plays three of its next four games at home.
``If they play like they did tonight every night, I'm happy with what I have got,'' Sims said. ``We want to get more consistent, but this was a big statement for us."
