Coach Al Sims and captain Colin Chaulk retired, and now so has the goaltender who backstopped them to four championships between 2008 and 2012.The Komets lost their hottest player, Corey Elkins, the ECHL's reigning Player of the Week, when he was called up the Norfolk of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.
And they lost their leading goal-scorer, Thomas Beauregard, to an upper-body injury.
So it's not surprising that the offense struggled in a 4-1 loss at the Ford Center in Evansville.
The IceMen (14-21-3) got goals from Daniel Tetrault from the right circle, Kevin Baker on an odd-man rush, Aaron Gens on a blue-line shot and Dylan Clarke.
Fort Wayne (19-16-2) got a goal from Jean-Michel Rizk, after a one-handed pass across the slot from Matt Firman.
Before the game, the Komets activated Matt Kennedy, who had missed 26 of the previous 27 games with injuries.
With more players expected to be called up by the Anaheim Ducks and Norfolk, because the NHL lockout has ended, the Komets have made some preemptive moves.
Brayden Metz and Peter Cintala have been called up from Dayton of the Federal Hockey League, the Demonz' coach tweeted, while there have been reports that Jeremy Gates, Ron Cramer and John Dunbar are en route from Pensacola of the Southern Professional Hockey League.
