Tailing The Komets

Al Sims said, “I’m not going to say much about it, but obviously, players on the Muskegon bench were told something. I don’t know by who, but they went out there and obviously did what someone told them. They did not do that on their own.

“I think it’s very tough for Brad and Stayz to stay where they are when your best players who aren’t fighters are getting pummeled. I certainly would have loved for him to stay inthe penalty box, but he went out and got retribution for Shaf. I can’t fault the guy for wanting to stand up for his teammates. It’s a tough call.”

What Rich Kromm said when asked if he told his players what to do, “I put that line out, and they have the last change. He (Sims) put those guys out there. We didn’t say anything to them. Those guys went out there. I think certain players have different roles on the team, just like MacMillan has a role for them. I put Robinson’s line out, he puts MacMillan out there in an offensive zone faceoff. He can say what he wants. I put Big Snake out there with his line, they are turning the rotation, and he comes back with Chaulk. I didn’t say anything to Robin about that. Robin was obviously trying to send a message, they are sending messages as well.”

Kromm on what started the second altercation: “There was a level of frustration that their players like MacMillan deliberately went after our guys, and stuck the goalie to start it and then went after Tommy Galvin who isn’t a fighter. Obviously Big Snake instigated the second fight, and after that, everybody just paired off and MacMillan came out of the box twice. They didn’t see it the first time, but everybody in the building saw it but the linesmen and referee don’t see it. He floats around free, challenges Lawmaster. What else was Lawmaster supposed to do?”

Robin Big Snake: “When a guy like Bouchard who scores 50 goals a year and is a guy on this team you want to look out for, and MacMillan never comes once to ask me to fight and he goes after Bouchard, obviously he has to know something is coming for one of their players… MacMillan just has to have a little respect. He just has to think next time. I’m not a guy who can tolerate that.

“I wasn’t expecting this to happen, but it has to happen to get the respect back. I have a lot of respect for their organization. I know they won last year, and Muskegon was in the finals, so I’m sure it’s going to be a battle every time we play each other. Hopefully he thinks about it the next time he wants to go after one of our top players because we have a pretty tough team on this team as it is. I think the tough guys have to fight the tough guys.”

Colin Chaulk: “Bouchard said that MacMillan went after him so we’re going after you.  (He said that) after Big Snake was pounding me. I guess I’m glad I’m compared to a 50-goal scorer, that’s pretty cool.”

“I have confidence in the league that they will give the necessary suspensions to both sides that protects the players, the integrity of the game and the league. I have confidence that will happen.” 

“From where I was at, Muskegon sent their three guys out there that aren’t their big players, their tough players against our guys and they jumped Chaulker and they jumped Shaf. Lawmaster had Shaf on the ground hitting him and there was nobody to break it up. I know what I did was wrong, but somebody has to step in to help there. That’s unnecessary. It was unfortunate the way everything happened, and I’m sure there’s going to be a suspension dealt out, but what do you do?”

On pushing the linesman: “That was more or less… I talked to him afterward and apologized, and he understands it was nothing personal. I was kind of focused on Lawmaster. He said it caught him off-balance. I feel bad for doing that.”

On why this all started: “It might have had something to do with me hitting Bouchard a couple of times… I’m pretty sure Muskegon’s coach had a pretty good idea what he was doing sending those guys out.”

On any regrets: “Other than pushing the linesmen, that’s about it. Someone had to do something. You can’t allow guys like Big Snake and Lawmaster and whoever else they had out there to go after our Chaulk and P.C. If you’re going to play that role, at least be honest. You don’t have to jump guys. I’m sure there would have been willing combatants to come out there.”

“I’m looking at a little bit of a vacation. We’ll see what Brad Jones has to say about everything.”

This ruling from the league will be very interesting.

The Komets and Lumberjacks had a huge melee at the end of the first period Saturday night. First, there was a fight between the Komets’ Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock and the Lumberjacks’ John DiPace after an incident started when Muskegon’s Tom Galvin slashed Brad MacMillan and MacMillan responded with a shove to the face. Both of them received roughing penalties, and MacMillan celebrated on his way to the penalty box as usual.

That must have ticked off the Lumberjacks because of the next faceoff, Muskegon’s Robin Big Snake jumped Komets center Colin Chaulk and Jason Lawmaster jumped Konstantin Shafranov. Big Snake was eventually taken to the penalty box, but not after he tried several times to break away from the linesmen. Then MacMillan came out of the penalty box to jump Lawmaster after he, MacMillan, shoved a linesman out of the way. Then as MacMillan was skating to the penalty box, Big Snake came out of the penalty box but did not fight MacMillan.

According to Rule 70.4, leaving the penalty bench is subject to a 10-game suspension.

Komets may try to argue that Lawmaster was the actual instigator, but I don’t see that working.

MacMillan should also be suject to a 10-game suspension for abuse of official under rule 41.3. Big Snake could be subject to the same suspensions.

Ironically, this was the night when IHL Vice President of Hockey Operations Brad Jones delivered the 2009-2010 league rule books. He said they are both suspended indefinitely pending a league ruling which will likely come Monday.

I think they should both sit for 20 games. The league absolutely has to protect its officials.

You can read what the Quad-Cities online wrote about it here.

Komets have been out-shot 50-38 and out-scored 6-1 in the first period so far through five games. Ouch! Giving up six goals in 50 shots isn’t awful, but one goal in 38 shots is awful.

The Fort Wayne Komets played one of the strangest games in recent memory on Friday night.

All nine goals were scored on special teams as the PrairieThunder beat the Komets 5-4 in Bloomington.

“We could never get ahead of them in the game,” Komets coach Al Sims said. “We kept tying them and coming back. We had some good chances at the end to tie it but couldn’t get one in.”

The Komets trailed 2-0 in the first before rallying on goals by Leo Thomas and Sean O’Connor but fell behind again before a goal by Frankie DeAngelis made it 3-3 heading into the third period.

Bloomington got power-play goals from Bill Bagron and Ryan Finnerty to take a 5-3 lead with 7:03 left. Thomas scored his second of the night for the Komets with 4:53 left, but the Komets could not score an even-strength goal to tie.

Thomas finished with two goals and an assist, DeAngelis had a goal and two assists and Rick Varone had two assists for the Komets.

Bloomington coach Jarod Skalde was given a game misconduct penalty for abuse of officials by referee Andy Thackaberry.

There is currently a five-way tie for first place in the International Hockey League as Muskegon, Port Huron, Bloomington, Dayton and Fort Wayne all have six points. The Komets host Muskegon tonight.

Supply has been a little low of late, but we just got a new order in and I’ll be dropping some off at Komet Kuarters this afternoon. Some folks have been asking for them as potential Christmas presents.

You can read it here from Quad-Cities online.

You can read about it here.

I hear there’s another really good Icy skit coming Saturday night, maybe even better than the one last week, which I find hard to believe.

This is organized by world-famous blogger and scorekeeper Dennis Schebig:

To Flint on Nov. 6, price of $30 includes round-trip fare and game ticket. He needs at least 55 people or the money will be refunded. Tickets can be purchased at Komet Kuarters. If anyone needs more information, they can call him at 427-3227.