FORT WAYNE, Indiana – The Fort Wayne Komets (21-17-1-1) avoided another late-game collapse as Mike Hoban blasted home the game winning goal in overtime to defeat the Cincinnati Cyclones (22-12-3-1) by a 3-2 final score in front of 6,309 at Memorial Coliseum on Sunday evening.
Just like last night, the Komets were able to grab an early lead in the opening period. At the 5:42 mark, Brayden Metz picked up a rebound in the Cincinnati slot and lifted in his first goal of the season over Brian Foster (OTL, 20 saves, 13-5-3-0) to give Fort Wayne a 1-0 edge. The home team would carry the cushion into the first intermission.
The Komets extended their advantage in the middle stanza when Jon Dunbar potted another rebound left by Foster for his first goal of the year at 13:30 on the power play, making it a 2-0 game. Cincinnati was finally able to answer with a power play goal of their own when Mathieu Aubin blasted home his ninth goal at 15:27 – cutting the Cyclones deficit to one after 40 minutes.
Once again, the Cyclones offense found a way to cash in during the third period. At the 9:33 mark, while killing a penalty, Brian O’Hanley rushed up ice and fired a shot on Kenny Reiter (W, 41 saves, 11-6-0-1) who made the save but left a rebound out in front of the cage; Mike Pelech, who was with O’Hanley on the rush, jumped all over it and buried his eighth goal of the year to knot the score at two. It was the fifth time this year that Cincinnati has scored shorthanded. After killing off another late penalty, Cincinnati forced the game into overtime.
In the extra session, the Cyclones had the first three shots but Reiter was equal to the task on all of them. Then, at 3:35, Fort Wayne’s Mike Hoban rushed up the right wing and fired a low shot from just inside the blue line that snuck through the legs of Foster for the game-winning lamp lighter – which gave the Komets a 3-2 victory. It was the first time in the season series that the home team has earned the triumph.
The Cyclones Radio Network Stars of the Game are as follows:
First Star: Kenny Reiter (Winning goalie, 41 saves)
Second Star: Jon Dunbar (1 goal for Fort Wayne)
Third Star: Brayden Metz (1 goal for Fort Wayne)
The Cyclones will return to the ice at U.S. Bank on Tuesday, January 15 when they host the Elmira Jackals for the final time this season at 7:30pm.
