K-Wings defeat Komets, move into 1st place tie with Icehawks

“This is deja vu all over again”

The great Yogi Berra may have said it, but it was the Fort Wayne Komets who were living it on Monday night in their game against the Kalamazoo Wings.

Back on November 22, the K-wings erased a two goal defect in the third period and won the game in overtime by a score of 3-2. Tyler Willis scored the equalizer with nine seconds left for the K-wings.

Last night the Komets took a two goal lead into the final stanza only to have K-wing forward Rick Cleaver score twice to force the game into overtime. Cleaver scored the game tying goal with thirty seconds left in the game.

With the Komets leading by a score of 1-0 early in the first, Mark Nebus notched his team leading 16th goal of the season on a Tommy Lange rebound to tie the game at 1-1.

The Komets regained the lead again late in the first period with Brian Boulay scoring his first goal of the year.

Just 34 seconds into the second period, the Komets added to their lead on a Sean O’Conner goal.

The power was with K-wings rookie Rick Cleaver in the third period as he scored a pair of power play goals to send the game into overtime.

With neither team scoring in the overtime stanza, the game went to the overtime shootout.

The shootout went 14 rounds before the K-wings were able to claim victory. Anthony Battaglia scored two goals in the shootout, with his second goal being the game winner. Tommy Lange and Mark Nebus also scored for the K-wings. The K-wings won the game by a score of 4-3. With the win the K-wings move into a first place tie with the idle Port Huron Icehawks.

The Komets out-shot the K-wings 32-17.

The K-wings return home tomorrow night for the annual New Years Eve game against the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Game time is 7:30 PM.

By: Mark C. McGlothlen
Special to the Commercial-News