The Tahoe Knight Monsters faced the Fort Wayne Komets in their forty-third game of the season on Sunday. The timing couldn’t be more crucial for both sides. Tahoe, the ECHL affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights, sat third in the Western Conference’s Mountain Division with a 22-16-4 record. However, they entered this matchup looking to halt a slide, having dropped their last four games, including their last meeting with Fort Wayne. On the other side, the Komets were surging. The ECHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers held second place in the Central Division with an impressive 23-10-6 record. Fort Wayne was riding a five-game winning streak and was coming off defeating Tahoe in their previous game. Even more impressive, the Komets had posted back-to-back shutouts, showcasing a defense and goaltending group that was completely locked in. This game pitted a Tahoe squad desperate to stop the bleeding against a Fort Wayne team that was firing on all cylinders, making it a major momentum matchup for both clubs.
The Tahoe Knight Monsters were looking to snap a four-game losing streak, with their most recent loss coming against this same Fort Wayne squad. During this skid, Tahoe had struggled to generate consistent offense while also tightening things up defensively late in games. Fort Wayne came in trending the opposite direction. They were riding a five-game winning streak and had been one of the hottest teams in the conference over the past two weeks. Defense had been the calling card for Fort Wayne. The Komets had recorded back-to-back shutouts entering this game, showing strong structure in their own zone and elite goaltending performances. This was the second straight meeting between the two teams, giving it a bit of a mini-series feel. Tahoe would be looking for adjustments after being held in check offensively last game, while Fort Wayne would try to continue dictating pace and keeping games low-scoring. Tahoe’s power play would be under pressure against a Komets penalty kill unit that has been sharp during their win streak. On the other side, staying out of the penalty box would be critical for the Knight Monsters to avoid giving Fort Wayne extra momentum. With Tahoe trying to stop a slide and Fort Wayne trying to extend its surge, this matchup carried important momentum implications for both clubs as the playoff race continues to take shape.
#34 Jordan Papirny got the start in net for the Tahoe Knight Monsters. It was his twentieth game in net this season for Tahoe. #35 Samuel Jonsson
got the start in net for the Fort Wayne Komets. It was his sixteenth start this season for Fort Wayne.
Eight minutes into the game, the Tahoe Knight Monsters scored the opening goal. The goal was scored by #12 Blake Wells. His goal was assisted by #96 Brennan Kapcheck and #48 Anthony Collins.
With under eight minutes left in the first period, #14 Connor Marritt scored to give the Knight Monsters a two-goal lead. His goal was assisted by #12 Blake Wells and #5 Kaelan Taylor.
With under seven minutes left in the first period, Anthony Petruzzelli of the Fort Wayne Komets was called for holding. With under two minutes left in the first period, #19 Luke Adam scored to give the Tahoe Knight Monsters a three-goal lead. His goal was unassisted.
The Tahoe Knight Monsters were leading the game 3-0 after the first period.
Thirty-eight seconds into the second period, the Fort Wayne Komets were awarded a penalty shot. The penalty shot by #7 Josh Groll was saved by #34 Jordan Papirny. Three minutes into the second period, #94 Kevin Wall scored to give the Tahoe Knight Monsters a four-goal lead. His goal was assisted by #76 Trent Swick and #7 Linden Alger.
Seven minutes into the second period, Fort Wayne was called for too many men. On the power play, Casey Bailey of Tahoe was called for tripping. With under four minutes left in the second period, the Fort Wayne Komets got on the board. #74 Kirill Tyutyayev scored the goal. His goal was assisted by #42 Alex Aleardi and #88 Matt Copponi.
The score was 4-1 with the Tahoe Knight Monsters in the lead heading into the third period.
Three minutes into the third period, #10 Mike O’Leary scored for the Tahoe Knight Monsters. His goal was assisted by #65 Devon Paliani and #3 C.J. Valerian.
Seven minutes into the third period, Trent Swick of Tahoe was called for high-sticking. On the power play, #9 Blake Murray scored for the Fort Wayne Komets. His goal was assisted by #72 James Stefan and #88 Matt Copponi.
With under seven minutes left in the game, #15 Jake McGrew scored for the Knight Monsters. His goal was assisted by #44 Mike Van Unen and #16 Jake Durflinger.
With under five minutes left in the game, Dustyn McFaul of Fort Wayne was called for kneeing. At the end of the game, Nick Deakin-Poot of Fort Wayne was called for high-sticking. At the same time, Devon Paliani of Tahoe was given a ten-minute misconduct for inciting. The final score was 6-2, Tahoe Knight Monsters.
After a tough night on Saturday, the Tahoe Knight Monsters bounced back on Sunday. Kicking off February with a dominant victory over the Fort Wayne Komets. Unlike the day before, the Knight Monsters flipped the script entirely, coming out with speed, energy, and finish right from the opening puck drop. Tahoe’s offense exploded in the first period, tallying three goals to take command early. Blake Wells, Connor Marritt, and Luke Adam each found the back of the net, giving the Monsters a three-goal lead after just twenty minutes and providing a stark contrast to their sluggish start the night before. In the second frame, goaltender Jordan Papirny continued his strong play, including a key penalty-shot stop that preserved the multi-goal lead. Later in the period, Kevin Wall notched his tenth of the season, extending the lead before Fort Wayne finally broke through with a Kirill Tyutyayev tally to cut the deficit. The third period saw the Knight Monsters keep their foot on the gas. Mike O’Leary added a goal early, and although the Komets responded with a power-play strike, Tahoe answered back once again when Jake McGrew cleaned up a rebound to score, sealing the victory and sending the road crowd home satisfied. This win not only gave Tahoe a split of the two-game weekend series against a tough Fort Wayne squad, but it also put them in a positive frame of mind heading into a return home for midweek action. The balanced scoring, strong goaltending, and quick start all point to a team that has the talent to respond and compete night in and night out, even after setbacks. Tahoe now shifts focus back to Tahoe Blue Event Center action, looking to carry this momentum into their next matchup and continue building consistency as the season progresses.
The Fort Wayne Komets had 3 more shots on goal. The Tahoe Knight Monsters had 32 total shots on goal. The Fort Wayne Komets had 35 total shots on goal. The Tahoe Knight Monsters had the better shots percentage. The Tahoe Knight Monsters had a 19% shots percentage. The Fort Wayne Komets had a 6% shots percentage. The Tahoe Knight Monsters had one more power play. The Tahoe Knight Monsters were 0-for-3 on the power play for 0%. The Fort Wayne Komets were 1-for-2 on the power play for 50%. The Tahoe Knight Monsters had 6 more penalty minutes. The Tahoe Knight Monsters had 14 total penalty minutes. The Fort Wayne Komets had 8 total penalty minutes. #34 Jordan Papirny saved 33 of 35 shots for a save percentage of 94% for Tahoe. #35 Samuel Jonsson saved 26 of 32 shots for a save percentage of 81% for the Fort Wayne Komets.
The Tahoe Knight Monsters have a record of 23-16-4 with 50 points in 43 games. The Tahoe Knight Monsters are in tenth place in the ECHL. The Knight Monsters are still in fifth place in the ECHL Western Conference. The Knight Monsters are still in third place in the ECHL Western Conference Mountain Division. The Knight Monsters are still fourteen points away from the top spots in the ECHL, the ECHL Western Conference, and the Mountain Division. The Knight Monsters are still nine points away from second place in the Mountain Division. The Knight Monsters are now two points ahead of fourth place in the division. Tahoe are eleven points into a playoff spot. They are not in danger yet of slipping out of a playoff spot.
The Tahoe Knight Monsters are set to face the Utah Grizzlies in their forty-fourth game of the season. The puck is dropping on Wednesday, February 4th, 2026, at 7:00 PM.
Zac Electrifly 
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