General manager David Franke said the Komets “are trying to set a tone” with their first two player signings for next season, forward Matt Firman and defenseman Mathieu Gagnon.FORT WAYNE – The fans in Wheeling, W.Va., must be wondering what the heck got into Jean-Michel Rizk.
He played for the Nailers in 2011 and was scoreless in seven games.
Since then, he’s morphed into a bona fide star with the Komets. This season, he has 14 goals and 23 points in 36 games. And that’s mostly been done from the third line, where he’s been depended upon to shut down opposing star players.
That Rizk is second on the team in goal scoring – Thomas Beauregard has 15, one of which came with San Francisco – is just an unexpected bonus.
“I think I’m just getting the bounces,” Rizk said. “I haven’t tried to change anything. Maybe I’m clicking more with my linemates; we’re making sure we’re a little more comfortable together, and that helps a lot. Without those guys, I can’t do much. They’re getting me the puck and getting me some chances to score. It’s just law of averages.”
In the last six games, four of which were Komets victories, Rizk has five goals and nine points.
Rizk was a seventh-round draft pick of the Minnesota Wild in 2004. He played six games with Flint in the UHL in 2007 before playing for former Komets coach Greg Puhalski at Wilfrid Laurier University.
He joined the Komets in 2011 and had 20 goals and 31 points in 55 regular-season games. In the playoffs, he blossomed with seven goals and 14 points in 18 games en route to a CHL championship.
Ever since attending training camp with the American Hockey League’s Norfolk Admirals last fall, he’s been a more confident player.
“Rizker is really finding his game, and confidence is a big thing for him, too,” Komets coach Al Sims said.
The Komets (19-15-2) play at Evansville (13-21-3) tonight. Then they play three games against the Cincinnati Cyclones (20-12-2), Friday through Sunday.
With Fort Wayne two points back of Cincinnati and Toledo for first place in the North Division, and every team’s lineup in flux because of the end of the NHL lockout, it’s an important week.
“We’ve got to catch up,” Rizk said. “It will be good for us to play so many against Cincinnati. They are important points, and it’ll get us ready for later in the season. They are a tough team.”
Note: Corey Elkins was picked as ECHL Player of the Week, after three goals and six points in four games.
