FORT WAYNE, Ind. – After being generally stifled in their 2-1 overtime win in Game 1 of the Turner Cup Final, the Fort Wayne Komets’ confidence in their offense was justified in Saturday night’s Game 2, as the defending IHL champs rang up a 7-1 win in front of 8,134 throaty supporters at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

“We created better chances and were a lot better finishing tonight,” Komets head coach Al Sims said. “From the start of the game, we got it deep, caused a lot of penalties and worked how we like to work.”

David Hukalo’s hat trick and goalie Nick Boucher’s 26 saves on 27 shots led the way for the Komets, who now enjoy a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The venue shifts to Muskegon’s L.C. Walker Arena for Games 3 and 4 Tuesday and Wednesday nights, respectively.

“You don’t get any extra points for beating a team badly,” Sims said. “(The Lumberjacks) are a better team than they showed and we expect them to come out flying in their building.”

Hukalo’s third goal fluttered into the goal with 2:14 to play to provide the final margin, giving him scores in each period and the first Fort Wayne postseason hat trick since April 13, 2003, when Sean Venedam netted a trio in a 6-0 home win over Elmira.

Only Matt Gens’ screen shot from the top of the right circle at 13:46 of the third eluded Boucher, spoiling the IHL Goalie of the Year’s bid for his second career postseason shutout. As it stood, Gens’ goal broke a 103:39 scoreless streak for the Lumberjacks, whose only offensive success of the series had been Luke Stauffacher’s strike 4:07 into Game 1 Thursday night.

The Komets had energy to spare from the opening faceoff, eventually getting the icebreaker at 4:46 from defenseman Keith Rodger, his second of the postseason. Justin Hodgman was the triggerman on the play, pouncing on the puck behind the Muskegon cage and spinning a backhand pass up the middle, where Rodger jumped forward and one-timed it past netminder Kevin Armstrong.

Fort Wayne’s Danko Mironovic was nabbed for hooking less than three minutes later, putting the Lumberjacks on the power play for the second time. However, unlike their first opportunity that yielded momentum if not a red light, this power play created plenty of excitement, except at the other end of the ice.

Late in the penalty kill, Hodgman took a lead pass from Sean O’Connor after some sloppy Muskegon puck-handling and streaked down the right side, taking on Dan Boeser one-on-one. The ‘Jacks blueliner was no match for Hodgman’s speed as the 20-year-old burst around the edge, cut inside and deked Armstong to the ice before dishing the puck into the open net.

The score was 2-0 and the highlight reel was rolling after that effort, but the Komets weren’t done yanking their fans onto their feet, as Hukalo took advantage of a poor clearing attempt by Steven Later in the waning moments of the period. Upon taking the turnover, Hukalo strode to the goal through the left circle and used a slick move to stash his fourth of the playoffs around the left post for a three-goal Fort Wayne advantage at 18:52.

After getting doubled up 14-7 in the shot department in the opening frame, the Lumberjacks evened things up a bit in the second, out-firing Fort Wayne 12-11 on the merit of a strong second half of the period. Unfortunately for the visitors, the home side had already extended its lead to 4-0 by then.

Fort Wayne’s Hukalo once again did the honors, finding the back of the net at 6:25 for the second time in the game, his third of the series and fourth of the playoffs. Receiving a pass from Konstantin Shafranov at the ‘Jacks line, Hukalo opened Armstrong’s legs with a forehand deke and ripped a 25-foot wrister through that opening in smooth fashion.

Hodgman’s early goal was the first shorthanded marker of the Turner Cup Finals, and the Komets also added the first power-play tally 5:27 into the third on Sean O’Connor’s first of the playoffs. O’Connor collected and deposited a fat rebound resulting from Rick Varone’s sharp-angle shot from the left of Armstrong.

“Special teams were huge for us tonight,” Sims said after his Komets went 2-for-7 on the power play while holding Muskegon off the scoresheet in five tries with the extra skater.  “They helped us create momentum and keep it.”

Mark Versteeg-Lytwyn snapped a high 30-footer over Armstrong’s blocker to run the score to 6-0 with 7:52 to play.

Game 3 is slated to begin at 7 p.m. from the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. If the Lumberjacks win at least one of the next two, the series will return to the Hoosier State for Game 5 Friday.

Contact matt.gajtka@prohockeynews.com

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