Comets Clinch Playoff Spot

It wasn't easy, but the Comets clinched a playoff spot for the third straight year with a 15-11 win over the Wichita Wings that also clinched the Turnpike trophy for the Comets, winning the season series 4 games to 2. 

Things didn't start out well for the Comets though.  For the third straight game, the Comets were shutout in the first quarter.  And for the third straight game they ended up falling behind.  The Wings scored 3 goals in the first period, two from Frederico Moojen and another from Daniel Villegas to end the quarter up 6-0.

The Comets responded in the second quarter though, less than 30 seconds in they'd cut the lead in half.  Brian Harris received a distribution from Danny Waltman.  Harris played a wall pass to himself, beat his defender and raced down the field.  He then fired a shot from just outside the 3 point line that beat Sanaldo. Forty seconds later and the Comets were within a point.  Vahid Assadpour played a nice through ball to Jeff Hughes.  Hughes tried to play a cross into the middle for Lucas Rodriguez.  The cross though was deflected by a Wings' defender and past Sanaldo and into the net. Thirty seconds after Hughes goal, the Comets had the lead.  Again it was through Harris who raced up the field and fired a shot from outside the yellow line that hit off the underside of the cross bar, hit the ground and bounced into the net giving the Comets an 8-6 lead.  Both teams had their chances as the rest of the quarter continued, but neither was able to find the net.

The third quarter saw the Wings coming out attacking from the start and just over 5 minutes into the quarter the Wings had equalized through Andrew Hoxie.  Both sides were looking to take the lead with KC pushing the game more as Wichita had replaced their goalkeeper at the half.  Neither team was able to find a goal in the quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter though the Wings grabbed the lead again.  Only 30 seconds in, Victor Quiroz fired a shot from outside the yellow line that Waltman could only get a hand on as it went in making the score 11-8 Wings.  The Comets pushed the game and got a power play opportunity after a Wings player elbowed John Sosa.  Missouri didn't score on the power play, but right as it expired, Byron Alvarez picked out Hughes at the back post and Hughes turned the shot in to get the Comets back within a point.  The Comets continued to push the game trying to retake the lead and with just under 5 minutes remaining they got their goal.  This time it came from a forward.  Alvarez again was the creator, winning the ball at midfield before playing the ball through to Mads Falck. Flack collected the ball, let his defender rush past him and then fired a shot in at the near post to give the Comets a 12-11 lead.  Shortly after that, the Wings pulled their goalkeeper going for the 6th attacker.  The Comets created a few chances of their own but just missed wide.  With just under 2 minutes left they iced the game.  Assadpour won a ball and fed it to Falck as he ran down the wing.  Falck took a touch looked up and then passed the ball into the empty net making it 15-11.  The Comets killed the rest off the game off, giving them the win, a playoff berth and a chance to end the season at .500 with a win on Wednesday in Chicago.