Ken Hitchcock didn’t play hockey at a high level, and he’s won a Stanley Cup.
FORT WAYNE – The Komets are coming off their most commanding victory of the season – 7-2 win over the North Division-leading Cincinnati Cyclones at Memorial Coliseum on Saturday night.
And there’s no question they want to build on it.
But can the Komets, who have been so inconsistent this season, do that?
“You’re not going to score seven goals every night, but if we play the right way, like we did (Saturday), and play with the same enthusiasm and effort, we (can),” Fort Wayne coach Al Sims said. “On the road, as you know, we’re very confident.”
The Komets are 14-7-2 on the road. Their next five games are away from the Coliseum, where they are 11-13-0. The road trip begins Wednesday in Loveland, Colo.
The Komets have until 5 p.m. today to sign players coming back from Europe, though general manager David Franke said such players don’t have to physically be in town, as is the case in some leagues. They just have to have left their team in Europe.
“We’re working on one player, but I don’t know if it’s going to happen,” Franke said.
The top eight teams in the Eastern Conference will make the playoffs. With 25 games remaining, the Komets are tied for sixth.
In the North Division, they are in third place, six points back of Cincinnati.
“They’re at the top of our (division) and one thing that’s important is that in (Friday’s 5-1) loss to Kalamazoo, we had some bounces that went against us early. It was important for us to rebound and to answer,” goaltender Charlie Effinger said. “We’d taken a few steps forward and if we’d lost two in a row at home, it would have been like starting over. By answering back against Cincinnati, maybe we can get that momentum that we had back.”
Effinger stopped 34 of 36 shots Saturday. It was an important outing since No. 1 goalie Kenny Reiter had been called up to Bridgeport of the AHL and Marco Cousineau was pulled Friday after giving up three goals on seven shots.
Forward Matt Syroczynski, who recently re-signed, scored in his second game since rejoining the Komets after nearly three years of retirement.
“Adding Matt Syroczynski, and I know he hadn’t played in three years, but I think before it’s all said and done he’ll be a contributor. We’ve got to let him get in shape, game shape,” Franke said.
The Komets’ next three games are against the Eagles (22-20-3), who are 15-7-1 at home. It will be the first meeting between the teams since they were both in the CHL in 2011. Michael Forney leads the Eagles in scoring with 21 goals and 47 points, and Trent Daavettila has 14 goals and 47 points.
