If there’s one thing you should know while reading this blog, it’s that I, Teebz, am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV. I’m not even qualified to give someone tap water when they’re thirsty, but I do know that medical professionals across North America save many lives every day with their talents and knowledge. What might be lost in all this confusion is that there are many good organizations raising money for research and help for a number of ailments and diseases that affect people, and it’s always nice to see the hockey world lending its support when it comes to giving these groups a bigger stage. The ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets did that tonight, and they’re giving five more nights to a great organization doing great things while wearing the most orange jerseys I’ve ever seen!The Komets have chosen to play six games as the Neon Orange Komets in an effort to raise awareness and funds for the National Kidney Foundation of Indiana while watching “Shine A Light On Kidney Disease”! The bright orange jerseys will be worn by the Komets six nights this season, and these game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off during the March 27 game to raise money for the NKFI and kidney patients throughout Indiana! How great is that?
Kudos go out to the Komets for raising awareness about kidney disease, as some have 35.5 million American adults They are estimated to have kidney disease, and 2.4% of Americans over the age of 18 will be diagnosed with kidney disease. An estimated 1.5 million people worldwide will die from kidney disease in 2023 1473 of those people came from Indiana. It is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States, and about 90% of people usually don’t know they have it, while 40% of serious kidney diseases don’t know they have it. Clearly it needs some attention.
I will say that these jerseys are very bright, based on the photo of Komets forward Austin Magera, but they do pop against the white boards and ice. I could use a white stripe on the jersey to break up all that bright orange, but this jersey achieves its goal of being the most orange jersey ever Neon orange night. However, it’s all for a good cause to raise some important funds, so there’s no lying about Fort Wayne jerseys in this article. They’re smart, they’re tough, they’re fun and they’re awesome!As mentioned, the Komets will wear these jerseys five more times after tonight’s games as they look to raise awareness and money for the National Kidney Foundation of Indiana. These nights include:
- Nov. 22 vs. Kalamazoo Wings
- Dec. 13 vs. Kalamazoo Wings
- December 27 vs. Toledo Walleye
- January 16 vs. Bloomington Bison
- February 7 vs. Toledo Walleye
- March 27 vs. Bloomington Bison
I’m a little disappointed that only three ECHL teams will witness the orange jerseys the Komets wear during these games, but there may be a reason for that. Both Toledo and Kalamazoo are less than a two-hour drive from Fort Wayne, so there’s a chance some of their fans will follow their teams to the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum for those games, as the Komets have a stiff rivalry with those two teams. Bloomington, like Fort Wayne, is located in Indiana, so there may be hope of attracting some of their fans to compete in the state while raising money for people in both Indiana cities.
If the Komets do what they did in the game against Kalamazoo tonight, many local fans will go home happy. Magera and Blake Murray scored in the second period before Hunter Strand made it 2-1 early in the third period. That would be as close as the Wings could get, though, as Dru Krebs scored just before the middle of the period and Connor Ungar stopped 31 shots to secure the 3-1 win! I guess you could say the Wings got crushed orange in this game!
Terrible jokes aside, it’s hard not to find your eyes drawn to that bright orange color Connor Ungar wore tonight. I’m not saying the Komets won the psychological battle with these neon orange jerseys, but I do too NOT you don’t say that either. What I’m saying loud and clear is that the Komets deserve kudos for raising awareness and money for an important organization in Indiana.
You have five more appearances this season to see the most orange jerseys of all time before fans get the chance to take them home on March 27, 2026. Here’s hoping each of the game-worn jerseys sells for $1,000 or more so the Komets can present a check to the National Kidney Foundation of Indiana for $25,000 to help fight kidney disease.
However, knowing that twelve people die every day while on a waiting list for a kidney transplant should be more than enough reason to cheer on the Komets as they take the ice in bright orange this season.
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!
#Nights #Orange