Rizk Delivers OT Win Over Toledo

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FORT WAYNE, IN. –Toledo scored two third period goals to tie the game, but fell 5-4 in overtime at Fort Wayne. Toledo has an overall record of 30-19-4-4 and is 15-11-2-1 on the road this season.

The Komets would start the scoring early in the first period as Jamie Milam’s shot deflected past goaltender Kent Simpson at 1:45. Toledo would tie the game when Byron Froese fired a shot past Jeff Deslauriers at 13:01. Wes O’Neill and Joey Ryan collected the assists on the 8th goal of the season from Froese. Toledo held a 15-9 shot advantage following the first period of play.

“We needed to dictate the pace tonight and use our speed to our advantage,” said Head Coach Nick Vitucci. “Puck luck was not on our side tonight with all of the deflections against. Credit this team for not giving up at all. We fought all the way to the end.”

Toledo killed off an early 5 on 3 advantage for Fort Wayne, but the Komets would regain the lead at 2:56 with a 5 on 4 goal. Thirty-three seconds later a wrist shot from the blue line eluded Simpson and the Komets held a 3-1 lead. Willie Coetzee would collect his 22nd goal of the season at 7:22 of the period. Trevor Parkes was stopped on a breakaway but Coetzee fired in the rebound. The Komets would get another deflected goal before the end of the second to lead 4-2 after two periods.

Trevor Parkes' wrist shot at 5:46 of the third period pulled Toledo to within one. The Walleye would tie the game with a power play goal 15:22 on the second goal of the night for Willie Coetzee. The Komets JM Rizk beat Simpson with a wrist shot at 3:05 of overtime for the winner.