Komets Give Up Season-High 8 Goals in Loss to Wheeling

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The Komets suffered a 8-5 loss to the Wheeling Nailers on Wednesday, giving up a season-high 8 goals and snapping their six-game winning streak. The loss puts Fort Wayne two points behind Toledo for first place in the ECHL's Central Division, though the Komets do have a game in hand.

Why it matters

The Komets' loss to Wheeling is a setback in their push for the top spot in the Central Division, though they have clinched home ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs. The high-scoring defeat also raises questions about the team's defensive play heading into the postseason.

The details

Fort Wayne quickly fell behind 2-0 early, but Matthew Brown cut the deficit to 2-1 by the first intermission. Wheeling then scored three unanswered goals in the first 10 minutes of the second period to break the game open. The Komets subbed in Nathan Day for Samuel Jonsson in net for the remainder of the game. Austin Magera scored to make it 6-2, but Wheeling added another goal before the second intermission. The Komets mounted a third-period comeback, with Matt Copponi, Brady Stonehouse, and Thomas Sinclair scoring to make it 6-5, but Wheeling sealed the win with a late goal and an empty-netter.

• The Komets fell behind 2-0 within the first 10 minutes of the game.
• Wheeling scored three unanswered goals in the first 10 minutes of the second period.
• The Komets subbed in Nathan Day for Samuel Jonsson in net in the second period.
• The Komets scored three goals in the third period to make it 6-5, but Wheeling added a late goal and an empty-netter.

What’s next

The Komets look to bounce back on Friday with their first of two games against the Iowa Heartlanders. The first puck drop is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. at Memorial Coliseum.