Fort Wayne Komets Beat Port Huron Flags 5-2 - UHL

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MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com -

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - (PORT HURON, MICH.) – The Port Huron Flags suffered a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Fort Wayne Komets on Friday night, but ultimately sustained their position in the post-season push, with Elmira, Chicago and Flint all taking key losses as well.

Right out of the gate, the Flags took control of the game, when they capitalized on the first man-advantage of the night. Andrew Lackner was called for cross-checking, and Scott Wray capitalized, sending the puck past Dan McWhinney at 3:35. Assisted by Kris Vernarsky and Steve Hildenbrand, it was Wray’s sixth marker on the season in a Port Huron uniform. However, Pascal Morency leveled the tables when his backhand snuck in under Noah Ruden’s skate at 7:50, with assists being credited to Daniel Goneau and Lackner. Terry Marchant swung the momentum for the visitors at 15:27, when he picked up a well-timed pass from Kevin Hansen and stuffed it in the net. J.C. Ruid earned the second assist, as the Komets took a 2-1 lead. Then, with 20 seconds left in the period, Bruce Richardson took a face-off at the far circle in the Flags zone, while Port Huron was on the penalty kill. Richardson dropped the puck back to Mario Larocque who buried a wrister and gave the Komets a 3-1 lead to close out the first period. Port Huron outshot Fort Wayne, 17-14, but McWhinney came up with several big saves to keep the Flags offense at bay.

Martin Gascon made it a 3-goal game when Jonathan Goodwin’s shot left Ruden sprawling and Gascon was there to chip home the rebound. A second assist was given to J.F. Labarre at 5:16 in the middle frame, as the visitors seemed to have the Flags’ number. Fort Wayne’s 16 shots on goal bested Port Huron’s 11.

Hildenbrand chipped away at the deficit at 16:23 in the final frame, when he took advantage of a power play to set off the goal lamp, assisted by Vernarsky and Colt King. A gamble by the Flags backfired when Ruden came off the ice for the extra attacker with over two minutes left on the clock. Larocque cut off a pass in his own zone and whipped the puck the length of the ice to grab the empty-netter at 17:34.

McWhinney made 41 stops on 43 attempts to earn the win, while Ruden went 31-for-35 on the loss. AT&T’s First, Second and Third Stars of the Game were awarded to Larocque, Gascon and McWhinney, respectively.