The Fort Wayne Komets won game two with a final score of 7-1 over the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Â This is the final round of Turner Cup playoffs and gives the Komets a two game lead in the series.
Press release from the Komets:
The Komets chopped the visiting Muskegon Lumberjacks 7-1 Saturday night in Fort Wayne in front of 8,134 Turner Cup playoff fans.
The win gives Fort Wayne a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-seven finals for the IHL championship.
David Hukalo netted the hat trick for the Komets to extend his point-scoring streak to four games (4 goals, 4 assists). It was the first time in six years a Fort Wayne player scored three goals in a playoff game. Sean Venedam was the last Komet to accomplish the feat in a 6-0 home win over the Elmira Jackals April 13, 2003.
Hukalo has pulled into a tie with Muskegon’s Todd Robinson at the top of the IHL playoff scoring with 11 points (6 goals, 5 assists) after eight games.
Also scoring for Fort Wayne were Keith Rodger, Justin Hodgman, Sean O’Connor and Mark Versteeg-Lytwyn. Scoring the lone Muskegon tally was Mat Gens in the third period after Fort Wayne had mounted a 6-0 lead.
The Komets scored twice on seven power play chances while holding Muskegon scoreless on five man advantages.
IHL playoff leading goaltender Nick Boucher registered the win making 26 saves on 27 shots in his eighth straight playoff appearance. Lumberjack netminder Kevin Armstrong suffered his third playoff loss allowing seven goals on 46 Fort Wayne shots.
The Komets extended their playoff winning streak to four straight games and have won all five Fort Wayne post-season games to date for an overall home winning streak of 13 games. The Komets are unbeaten in their last 17 home games (15-0-1-1).
The Komets will continue the run for their second consecutive IHL Turner Cup Championship when the series continues for games three and four at Muskegon Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm each night. If a fifth game is necessary, it will be played in Fort Wayne Friday at 8pm. If needed, game six is slated for Saturday, May 9 at Muskegon at 7pm and a game seven would be skated at Fort Wayne Tuesday, May 12 at 7:30pm.