Komets Best Jackals In Offensive Duel

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FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Elmira Jackals could not earn their third consecutive victory on Saturday night at they fell 6-5 to the Fort Wayne Komets at the Allen County Memorial Coliseum. The loss dropped Elmira's record to 14-14-3 on the season.

Elmira opened the scoring just over four minutes into the game when Kyle Bushee took a pass on the right wing from Louie Caporusso, shifted to the middle and shot the puck over the blocker of goalie Charlie Effinger for his fifth goal of the season. Later, with Elmira on the power play, a turnover on the left wing wall gave Kaleigh Schrock a shot that was tipped in by J.M. Rizk to tie the game with 14:33 gone by. Elmira launched 13 shots on Effinger in the first but could not regain the lead. Marc Cheverie turned in nine saves of his own to keep the game tied.

In the second the Komets picked up two goals to Elmira's one to snare their first lead of the night. Andrew Rowe restored Elmira's advantage at 2-1 with his 15th of the season at 4:17. His linemates, Dustin Gazley and Artem Demkov, teamed up on the rush to set up Rowe. But like they did in the first, the Komets took some time to regroup and respond. A power play goal by Daniel Maggio at 15:13 tied the game at two then 46 seconds later Schrock scored off the rush to put Fort Wayne in front. The Jackals tried desperately to tie it before the intermission and launched four shots Effinger's way on a single power play late in the period but could not find the tying goal.

In the third Josh Brittain scored just over three minutes in and set the stage for a wild period. With the Komets up by two, Elmira answered back with Bushee picking up his second of the night on the power play with 6:12 gone by. Elmira couldn't stay within one because Matt Firman sifted a backhand shot from close range through Cheverie's five hole to restore the Komets' two-goal advantage at 9:01. From there the Jackals bared down and started the rally. Chaz Johnson whipped home a one-timer from the high slot at 13:53 on the power play to get it to 5-4, then Jordan Pietrus followed up at 15:39 to draw the Jackals even. As the minutes ticked down overtime seemed evident. But a soft shot by Schrock on the near wing created a rebound that Rizk pounced on and sent past Cheverie with 48 seconds to play.

Cheverie stopped 27 shots in taking his ninth loss of the season. The Jackals were 2-for-7 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.