Ullyot Impressed With rookie Crop
Fort Wayne News-Sentinel Oct. 1963
"I'm impressed with all of them" That was Komet coach-general manager Ken Ullyot's response today when asked about the rookies in the Komet training camp.
"I'm real pleased with what I have seen so far. Davidson (Doug) has displayed a real deft touch around the net. The others are working hard and I would say they have all looked good," he continued.
The Komets now have four workouts behind them and had two more on tap today. The squad took to the ice around 10:00 a.m. today for a two-hour session and will be back again at 6 p.m. All workouts are open to the public.
The first casualty of the training session is veteran center Lennie Thornson, who pulled a back muscle Tuesday. " I'm not too concerned about him," stated Ullyot. "Lennie has had back trouble before early in the season." Len was scheduled for some whirlpool treatments. "It feels better today but I still have trouble straightening Up," commented Thornson.
Davidson was a newcomer to camp to camp Tuesday. The other three rookies, Cal Purinton, Gus Servatius and John Manchester were on hand for the opening drill Monday. Purinton and Servatius are defensemen, Manchester is a right winger and Davidson (who stands 6-4) is a center.
Ullyot also had some conferences scheduled today with some of the unsigned veterans. Jumbo Johnny Goodwin came to term Tuesday , leaving leaving four vets still unsigned. They are Thornson, Roger Maisonneuve, Bobby Rivard and Ted Wright.
Ullyot said he still doesn't know if Gary Young will be back with the club. Young is still in pro camp. Also Ullyot is doubtful if Merv Dubchak, drafted from Minneapolis, will report.
The Komets get their first taste of competition Friday in an exhibition game with Windsor at the Memorial Coliseum. They open the season against Windsor on Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Coliseum.
Goalie Jim Shaw Stars as Komets Beat Flags, 2-1
Fort Wayne News-Sentinel Oct. 1968
Jim Shaw, who he?
That appeared to be the question on everybody's mind as the lights went down low and Bob Chase announced the Fort Wayne Komets' starting lineup for their opening 1968-69 International Hockey League game last night at Memorial Coliseum and listed Jim Shaw as the starting goaltender. It isn't likely though that the puzzled 7,203 will forget Jim Shaw in a hurry as the K's started on the right foot beating the Port Huron Flags 2-1.
Most of the paying people in the stands expected to see Gerry Randall in the nets last night. But player-coach Lennie Thornson pulled off his first master-mind of the season when he selected Shaw as the starting puckstopper just prior to the start of the team's pre-game drill.
Shaw made Thornson look like a prophet from way back as he kept the Komets from being run out of their own rink and opening night with many timely saves. He kicked out 39 shots and most of them had the label "goa"l all over them.
Veteran defenseman Ted Wright and rookie Brian Playfoot made the difference as far as the K's were concerned on the offensive side, scoring in the second and third period respectively.
Shaw, who was as cool as the winters in his native Saskatoon, Sask., talked quietly in the dressing room following the game saying " I sure was hoping for a shutout-it was my birthday yesterday."
Actually when you look at things real close Shaw should have had his zero because the only Port Huron goal which came with five minutes 13 seconds left in the game was a little on the tainted side. Port Huron defensemsn Jack Criel had gained possession of the puck at the Fort Wayne blueline and fired a seemingly harmless shot at the Komet cage. Cal Purinton attempted to grab the puck with his stick but didn't get enough of it and the disc glanced into the net behind an amazed Shaw.
Purinton said afterwards, " I should have let it go, it was going to miss the net."
Randall came into the dressing room walked over to the 22-year-old Shaw and congratulated him for his fine performance.