2/13/83: The Comets ended the longest (and most successful) home stand in team history--7 games--with a 6-3 victory over the Chicago Sting before 12,468 at Kemper Arena, ending the home stretch 6-1. Zoran Savic had a goal and 2 assists and Victor Nogueira suffered his first career loss ever vs. the Comets. Sting head coach Willy Roy was his usual charming self, and earned himself a red card ejection in the 4th quarter for dissent.
2/15/83: It was a landmark night for the Kansas City Comets as they took sole possession of first place in the MISL Western Division for the first time in team history in "Mr. O.T.-Episode II", a 7-6 overtime win over the Blast in front of 9,315 in Baltimore. Mr. O.T. (Elson Seale) was a busy man, collecting 2 goals and 3 assists, including the game-winner just a buck-43 into the extra session, giving K.C. its first win ever at Baltimore. Greg Villa scored two goals as well. Heinz Wirtz had a hat trick and Dave MacWilliams scored twice for the Blast, while goalkeeper Keith Van Eron lost for the first time ever vs. K.C.
2/16/83: The Comets were no match for the mighty New York Arrows, who scored 4 goals in the 1st quarter en route to a 9-2 thrashing of KC at Nassau Coliseum before all of 4,202 in Uniondale. The late Paul Kitson had a hat trick, Fred Grgurev scored twice and Val Tuksa added three assists. Doc Lawson and Gary Etherington scored their first career goals against the Comets and Shep Messing notched his first career win vs. KC (Shep was surprisingly 0-2 against the Comets before that night). The game was broadcast nationally on USA Network.
2/18/83: In "Mr. O.T."-Episode III, Elson Seale scored the first and only shorthanded overtime goal in Comets history @ 8:01 of the extra frame to nip the Steamers 4-3 in front of the largest crowd ever to witness a Comets game anywhere, 18,526 at The Arena in St. Louis. Charlie Carey's goal with 3:18 left in regulation sent the game into OT, during which the Comets were called for too many men on the field @ 6:51, setting up Seale's heroics. Jeff Cacciatore scored twice for the Steamers.
2/19/83: A sellout crowd of 16,290 at Kemper Arena enjoyed "Mr. O.T."-Episode IV as Elson Seale set the MISL record for most overtime goals in one season (4) at 4:52 of OT, giving the Comets a 6-5 win over the Memphis Americans. Mark Frederickson scored twice in what was the first back-to-back OT wins in Comets history and Seale's third OT winner in a week. This game might not have needed overtime if Memphis goalie Richard But hadn't blocked Yilmaz Orhan's penalty kick attempt midway through the 4th quarter, enabling Steve Allison to score the tying goal with just 14 seconds left in regulation time. Stan Stamenkovic also scored twice for Memphis.
2/25/83: The Comets defeated the Phoenix "Inferno" for the final time, 5-2 in front of 6,181 in Arizona. The Inferno went up 2-0 before KC scored 5 unanswered goals (by 5 different players) in the Comets' final win ever at Veterans Memorial Coliseum (they went winless in three tries there vs. the "Pride" the following year, '83-'84).
3/03/83: The Comets lost to the Golden Bay Earthquakes 7-5 in their final visit to Oakland before 12,000 empty seats and 4,059 fans. Steve Zungul had 4 goals and 2 assists (his 2nd hat trick vs. KC) and some Dutch schmuck named Jan Goossens had 2 goals and an assist for the 'Quakes. Stuart Lee scored twice for KC and Yilmaz Orhan became the first Comet ever to score 50 regular season goals.
3/05/83: The Comets blew a 7-4 lead early in the 4th quarter and lost to the Wichita Wings 8-7 in front of a packed house at Kemper Arena (16,290). Mr. O.T. Elson Seale had a hat trick and Zoran Savic scored twice, but the Wings scored 4 times in a 5:54-span in the 4th, including Andy Chapman's game-winner with :22 left, his 2nd goal of the night. Terry Nicholl also had two goals for Wichita.
I remember watching that game on local TV as a kid. Believe it or not I almost liked the Comets as much as the Wings back then because I just loved the Comets' jerseys.
3/08/83: The Comets met the Golden Bay Earthquakes for the final time and won 6-1 in front of 12,872 at Kemper Arena. The teams split their meetings 2-2, with the home team winning all of them. Yilmaz Orhan had his 9th and final hat trick as a Comet, while Gino Schiraldi and Mark Frederickson had 2 assists each. The game also marked the first time the Comets ever held Steve Zungul scoreless (no goals or assists), which was no mean feat back then.
3/12/83: Stan Terlecki's hat trick led the Pittsburgh Spirit to a 7-3 win over the Comets before 5,747 at the Igloo. Paul Child had 2 goals and 2 assists for the Spirit, while Elson Seale scored the lone KC marker.
So, was the score actually 7-1, or did the Comets benefit from 2 own goals (I presume an MISL record)?
Brain fart on my part and good catch on your part. Would you believe Seale's goal was a 3-pointer? Nah, didn't think so. Greg Makowski and Yilmaz Orhan also scored for the Comets that night. My bad...
3/17/83: The Comets won for the first time ever at Cleveland (and ONLY time ever vs. the Force) in a 6-5 victory in front of a shockingly small crowd of 3,492 in Richfield Township. Stuart Lee led the way with 2 goals and an assist, while Kai Haaskivi and Keith Furphy each scored twice for the Force.
3/18/83: The Comets were blown out in their final loss ever vs. the Buffalo Stallions, 9-4, before 4,733 at The Aud. The game was closer than it appeared, as the Comets only trailed 5-4 after three quarters, but the Stallions scored 4 times in the 4th to pull away. Charlie Cordas recorded a hat trick for Buffalo, erstwhile Comet Carlos Salguero had 2 goals and an assist, and Ernie Buriano had 3 assists. KC received three yellow cards in the match, and were led by Yilmaz Orhan's 2 goals.
3/21/83: In a rare Monday night contest, the Comets beat the Cleveland Force 6-4 before packed rafters at Kemper Arena (16,290). KC led 5-1 at halftime, as Yilmaz Orhan and Elson Seale scored two goals each.
3/23/83: In a game postponed by a February 1st snowstorm, the Wichita Wings unleashed a scoring blizzard, blowing out the Comets 9-1 at Kansas Coliseum in front of 7,635 Wing-A-Lings. Four of the Wichita goals came in the 4th quarter, and they led 8-0 at one point before KC finally broke up goalie Mike Dowler's shutout bid with 1:58 remaining. Andy Chapman had a hat trick and Omar Gomez scored twice for the Wings.
3/25/83: The Comets lost to the Phoenix "Inferno" for the final time 5-4 before a crowd of 5,707 in the Valley Of The Sun. Steve David racked up his second career hat trick vs. KC. Yilmaz Orhan played in his 66th-straight regular season game as a Comet (then a team record) and Gary Amlong scored his final MISL career goal.
I was there! The Wings were on a hot streak in March. The game after the 9-1 win we beat Baltimore 7-1!
3/27/83: The Comets lost to the San Diego Sockers for the first of many times at the Sports Arena, 5-1 before 11,172 in SD. The late Kaz Deyna had a hat trick, Juli Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee had 2 assists and Jean Willrich scored the first of his many goals vs. KC. Goalie Victor Petroni assisted on the lone Comets goal en route to his 5th-straight loss.
4/2/83: The Comets upended the Los Angeles Lazers 5-4 in OT at the Forum before 4,567. Zoran Savic scored twice, including the game-winner 2:19 into OT on the power play after Gino Schiraldi tied the match with 1:43 remaining in regulation time. Stuart Lee added 2 goals as well, and Craig Stahl had two assists. Poli Garcia of the Lazers scored his second hat trick ever vs. KC.