Fort Wayne Komets Press Release

Fort Wayne, IN --- Joe Franke, the Equipment Manager/Trainer of the Fort Wayne Komets Hockey Club since 1979, snagged his first pro hockey win in his first ever pro hockey appearance tonight.

Franke, 42, and a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, earned a 4-3 shootout win over the visiting Elmira Jackals after entering the game at 8:57 of the 3rd period when starter Pokey Reddick had to remove himself due to dehydration. The game ended in a 3-3 tie after regulation as Franke stopped 4 of 6 shots in the remaining 11:03 of the final frame. Franke went on to stop 3 of 4 Elmira attempts in the shootout as his teammates netted 3 of 4 shots in the extra frame for the win.

The Komets, playing their 51st season of pro hockey in Fort Wayne, had to find a quick backup for veteran netminder Reddick for tonight's contest against the visiting Elmira Jackals after goalie Tom Lawson was recalled to Milwaukee of the AHL earlier today. Franke has been on the bench only a few times in the past as an emergency backup for the Komets but never has been called into duty before.

To add icing on the cake for Franke, the 42 year old also dished an assist on the Komet's 3rd goal of the game when center Colin Chaulk scored to put the Komet's up 3-2 at 16:17 of the 3rd.

Franke snagged the shootout win in front of 6,497 Fort Wayne fans and helped the Komets snap a 5-game winless skid at home (0-3-2) and move into 2nd place of the UHL's Eastern Conference, 2 points behind first-place Port Huron.

The Komets are off until Friday, Dec. 20 when they skate at Missouri at 8:15pm. The Komets will host back-to-back home games again next weekend as Quad City visits Saturday, Dec. 21 at 7:35 and Rockford is here Sunday, Dec. 22 for a 5:05pm faceoff.

Webposted December 15, 2002