Although the netminders were different, for the second straight game, the Wolves found themselves in an unlikely goaltenders’ duel Wednesday at the Horizon.
And again, the Wolves landed on the short end of a 3-2 score. This time, they were victimized by the Ft. Wayne Komets and goalie Peter Ing, who entered the game with a 5.52 goals-against average yet stopped 35 of 37 Wolves’ shots.
If anything, the loss was more frustrating for the Wolves than Saturday’s at-home setback to the Minnesota Moose. After falling behind 2-0 early in the third period to Ft. Wayne, the Wolves came back to tie it at 2 on goals by Steve Maltais and Rob Brown.
However, Komets center Konstantin Shafranov, left open by a Wolves coverage breakdown, snapped the deadlock with a power-play goal from the edge of the crease with 2 minutes 32 seconds remaining.
“We’ve had a lot of net to shoot at and haven’t hit it,” said Wolves goalie Wendell Young, who stopped 38 of 41 Komets shots. “Each time that happens and you don’t score, it demoralizes you.”
The Wolves still lead the International Hockey League’s Midwest Division despite losing their last two home games.
“We had a chance to get up and pull away from people,” Wolves coach Gene Ubriaco said. “We just blew a couple of games.”
After a scoreless first period, Ft. Wayne’s Andy Bezeau beat Young at 17:10 of the second period with a screened shot to make it 1-0.
Sergei Stas opened a 2-0 Ft. Wayne lead at 1:34 of the third period when his 40-foot attempt handcuffed Young.
Maltais cut it to 2-1 at 12:41, tipping in his league-leading 20th goal. Brown tied the game at 2 with a 50-footer during a power play at 14:40 of the final period.
