The Fort Wayne Komets went in short-handed and then gave up three goals when they were short-handed in a 6-4 loss at Muskegon on Friday.
The Komets, who already have Jake Pence and Dominic Osman on the injured reserve list, were without center Colin Chaulk, who was home with the flu, and forward Olivier Legault, who has a sore tailbone. Injured defenseman Brandon Warner dressed but was unable to play.
Komets coach Al Sims moved Jay Holladay from defense to forward and played with five defensemen.
The Komets still got two goals and four points from P.C. Drouin, three assists from Mathieu Curadeau and a goal and an assist from David Hukalo. Defenseman Guy Dupuis also had a goal and an assist.
Each team scored three power-play goals. Todd Robinson led the Lumberjacks with four assists and Luke Stauffacher scored two goals. The win allowed Muskegon to tie the Komets for first place in the International Hockey League with 10 points after seven games.
“We played well, but we only had one line that was together as what had been a regular line,” Sims said. “We need our other lines to chip in, or it's tough for us to get to four or five goals. We need some more bodies. You can't continue to play with 13, 14 guys. It's hard on your team, especially with the traveling.”
Sims said Chaulk told the coach he expected to play tonight at home against Bloomington. The Komets are at their maximum 21-man roster position, but they may petition IHL President Paul Pickard for some emergency relief for tonight's game and re-sign Fort Wayne-native Ryan Potts.
“We need to get healthy, that's all,” Sims said. “It's good for character and knowing what it's like to win when you are under-manned to go through things like this. We just have to find a way.”
