We've Got A Game Seven!

There's something to be said for teams that find their backs against the wall in the playoffs. We've seen some NHL teams push back after falling behind 2-0 in series, but there is some excellent drama brewing in the ECHL as the Fort Wayne Komets returned home needing a win to keep their playoffs alive after the Iowa Heartlanders had built a 3-2 series lead through five games. The series had featured overtime goals, big hits, phenomenal saves, and highlight-reel goals, but the Komets were facing elimination tonight as they stepped onto home ice.

As the title of this article states, the Komets captured victory with a statement game tonight as they were all over the Heartlanders in this game. Fort Wayne outshot Iowa by a 16-5 count in the first period, and two of those shots found twine including this beauty shorthanded goal by former Alberta Golden Bears forward Nolan Volcan!
How many times did we see Volcan do something like that in Canada West? It's good to see the former Golden Bears sniper finding his game in the playoffs with his first ECHL playoff goal in his fourth game this spring. And he did it shorthanded! Congratulations go out to Nolan for his first professional playoff goal in helping Fort Wayne to victory!

After going up 3-0 midway through the second period, Iowa did break the shutout of Edmonton Oilers prospect Nathaniel Day, but that was the only puck to get by Day on this night. Fort Wayne would add three more goals for a 6-1 win in Game Six, and they'd force a Game Seven on Tuesday night at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. It comes down to one game to advance to the Central Division Final where the Toledo Walleye wait for the winner.

It might have been a bit of an emotional game for the Komets who came out on fire and never let up after losing one of their top players in Odeen Tufto late in Game Five in Iowa to a broken left leg. From all reports, Tufto had successful surgery on Saturday, but he'll be forced to watch rather than participate for what sounds like the remainder of the playoffs. Tufto's absence allowed the Komets to make a few player moves, and Volcan was added to the roster for this pivotal game where his inclusion proved vital.

Coming into this game, though, the Komets had not played well for a full sixty minutes. Iowa had opened the scoring in each of the five previous games, but there were too many mistakes in Games Four and Five that allowed the Heartlanders to swing the series from a 2-1 series deficit to a 3-2 series lead. Komets head coach Jesse Kallechy wasn't impressed by his team's lack of focus when it came to Game Five.

"It's tough because we haven't made some of the mistakes we've made all year and now it’s the difference," Kallechy told James Krause of The Journal Gazette following the game on Thursday. "When we make a mistake, it's big and it's in the back of our net and that's kind of been the series for us."

Whatever was said or done at practice and in the days leading up to Game Six seemed to refocus the Komets entirely as they outshot the Komets in all three periods en route to a 36-19 edge in shots. The Komets did run into some penalty problems in the third period, but the penalty-killing units were solid in not giving up a goal, and both sides were sending messages for Game Seven with scraps. Between the score and fisticuffs tonight, Game Seven should be fun!

Despite suffering the 6-1 loss tonight, Heartlanders head coach Derek Damon seemed pretty upbeat for the one-game-takes-all opportunity.

"It's the best two words in hockey: Game 7," Damon told Jeff Johnson of The Gazette. "It's what you live for as a player. It's what you live for, to be a part of it. I've been through quite a few in my day as a player, this is my first as a coach, so I'm excited. It's a big opportunity. This group is a special group, and I know that we are going to be ready to play a big game on Tuesday."

Both teams will likely be ready for a battle on Tuesday night in Fort Wayne, and it might be coincidental that the game is taking place at the War Memorial Coliseum. Expect both teams to bring their best as they play the winner-takes-all game of this series, and may the best team win because a rested Toledo Walleye team lurks on the horizon!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!