Having not seen the Komets play, in person, in more than three weeks, I was impressed.Their 5-3 victory over the Quad City Mallards was all about Fort Wayne's tenacity.

When you're playing well, the bounces go your way. Or is it, when the bounces go your way, you start playing well?I don't know. Whatever.The point is this: Some kooky things are going in favor of the Komets, who lead the visiting Quad City Mallards 2-1 during the first period Friday.

That's right, folks, after three long weeks, I'm back in the fold.Thanks to Ben Smith for filling in so well on the Komets beat while I was gone, and thanks to all the well wishes I received from Ice Chips readers.

The IHL trade deadline -- extended for a week this year -- passed at 3 p.m. today. Silently.

Dialing back the season to 70 games,as the board of governors decided to do in the second part of the semiannual meeting yesterday, is the right thing to do.

The Komets' 3-0 week yielded a couple of individual honors.

This just in: The Komets have placed injured forward Brad MacMillan on 14-day injured reserve. He's expected to miss two weeks at minimum.

Oh, what the heck. They were getting tired of third place anyway.

Tough-guy forward Brad MacMillan just showed up in the press box in street clothes, with his arm in a sling.

Two periods gone, and it's still 2-0, Komets.Both teams had their chances in the second period, but it was Port Huron that had the best one. With 2:11 left and the Icehawks skating a man up, Mikael Bedard found himself on Komets goalie Tim Haun's doorstep without a soul closer to him than Kendallville. But he shoveled the puck wide, and the score remained unchanged.

Whoever's writing the script for the Komets these days isn't very original, but I doubt anyone in this neck of the woods is complaining.For the third straight game, the Komets jumped on a visitor in the first period. This time Konstantin Shafranov didn't even let the crowd settle back into their seats after the national anthem, tipping a Matt Syroczynski goalmouth pass past Port Huron goalie Larry Sterling just 22 seconds into the game.

The Port Huron Icehawks showed up at Memorial Coliseum tonight minus a body: goaltender Adam Russo.Russo is in Chicago, called up by the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League. He's the first Icehawk to be called up to the AHL this season, and the 14th IHL player to be called up by an AHL club. With Port Huron, he's 18-11-0-3 with a 2.68 goals-against and 884 saves in 36 games.

And then the number was six -- as in points.

It might not be the best back-to-back periods the Komets have played this season. But it can't be far off.

One period in the books in the big showdown with Muskegon, and once again the Komets have jumped an opponent right out of the blocks.Colin Chaulk and Mitch Woods scored goals, Tim Haun's been sharp again in goal, and the Komets lead 2-0, throwing 12 shots at Muskegon goalie Sebastien Centomo. Haun faced 10 shots in the first, but the Komets defense has kept Haun's crease clear and most of the Muskegon shots have been from the perimeter, and easy to handle.

This just in: Bloomington has picked up Komets defenseman Matt Woodard off the waiver wire.