Komets coach Jesse Kallechy grew up just like any other kid who played hockey, dreaming of a big moment in Game 7.
“When we’re all little kids playing street hockey or playing out on the pond, we’re all saying ‘Game 7 hero’,” Kallechy said.
The Komets’ win over the Iowa Heartlanders 6-1 in Game 6 Sunday at Memorial Coliseum has made that dream a reality. Now, Kallechy hopes the ‘Game 7 hero’ is in his locker room Tuesday to secure his first playoff series win as a head coach in the ECHL.
“I think for us to get the opportunity to live that, it’s pretty special. It gives me chills just thinking about it. Having it at home in front of our fans is going to be a lot of fun,” Kallechy said. “We have a lot of work ahead of us but I’m happy we got tonight to set us up for a Game 7.”
The Komets struggled during their road trip to Iowa, losing back-to-back games heading into Sunday. In front of 5,715 fans, the Komets opened up an opportunity to truly exercise their home ice advantage in a winner-take-all meeting.
“We play for these times of year and everyone loves a Game 7,” forward Ethan Keppen, who had a goal and two assists Sunday, said. “We’ve wished for that stuff since we were little kids. To play in Game 7 at home to close out the series, it’s really exciting. We’ll regroup tomorrow and come out flying Tuesday.”
All-time, the Komets are 9-7 overall in Game 7’s but 8-4 when playing at home. It’s been just over nine years since their last Game 7 win, beating Cincinnati 2-0 in the quarterfinals on April 27, 2016.
So who could be the Komets hero on Tuesday? A top candidate to be that hero is forward Alex Aleardi. Aleardi has four goals in the series already, including one Sunday, and has prior experience in high pressure playoff situations.
“I’ve been in maybe too many Game 7’s in my career,” Aleardi said. “It’s a good thing too, I’m well prepared for it. We’ve got the group to do it. I’ve got a lot of trust in that locker room from the staff down. We’re going to get the job done.”
The options for both teams have shrunk as the series has carried on. Odeen Tufto is out for the rest of the postseason after breaking his leg during Game 5 on Thursday and requiring surgery in Iowa on Saturday.
“We did it for Tufto tonight,” Keppen said. “Odeen was our top centerman this year. Knowing he was done, we had some guys step up tonight. They knew there was a big role we needed to fill.”
Iowa have two of their top forwards dealing with injuries. T.J. Walsh, the Heartlanders points leader during the regular season, has been out of the lineup since Game 4 on Tuesday. The team’s leader during the postseason, Matthew Sop, was a scratch for Game 6. Both of their statuses are unknown.
Game 7 is set for a 7:30 p.m. start at Memorial Coliseum. Tickets will become available at the Coliseum ticket office or through the Komets website at 10 a.m. Monday.