Photos: Mavericks punch ticket to Kelly Cup Finals in overtime thriller

For nearly 60 minutes Tuesday night at Cable Dahmer Arena, the Kansas City Mavericks and Fort Wayne Komets traded momentum in a playoff battle that had fans riding every emotion imaginable.

With a trip to the Kelly Cup Finals on the line, the Mavericks appeared to have control of the game after building a lead through the first two periods with two goals by Justin Janicke. Kansas City struck first and carried the momentum into the second period, but Fort Wayne refused to fade away. The Komets answered with a pair of goals to claw back into the contest, setting up a tense third period that felt destined for drama.

As the clock wound down, the Mavericks regained the upper hand and looked poised to close out the series in regulation. The crowd could sense the finish line. Fans were on their feet, counting down the final seconds as Kansas City stood just moments away from advancing.

Then everything changed.

Fort Wayne pulled its goaltender for an extra attacker and mounted one final push. After several frantic sequences in the Mavericks’ zone, the Komets found the equalizer in the final 6 seconds of regulation, stunning the crowd and silencing Cable Dahmer Arena. What had been a deafening playoff atmosphere moments earlier suddenly turned eerily quiet as Fort Wayne celebrated a goal that forced overtime.

The silence didn’t last long.

Rather than letting the late goal define the night, the Mavericks regrouped during the break and returned to the ice with determination. Overtime brought more end-to-end action as both teams generated scoring chances, knowing one shot would either extend the series or send Kansas City to the Kelly Cup Finals.

When the game-winning goal by Jakov Novak finally crossed the line, the arena erupted.

Players poured off the bench in celebration, fans leaped to their feet, and the emotion that had been temporarily stolen by Fort Wayne’s late equalizer came flooding back. The Mavericks had survived the heartbreak of a last-minute goal and responded with the resilience that has defined their playoff run.

The overtime victory secured the Western Conference Championship and sent Kansas City to the Kelly Cup Finals, capping off a series that tested the Mavericks at every turn. What began with celebration, shifted to shock, and ended with jubilation became one of the most memorable nights in franchise history.

Now the focus shifts to the Kelly Cup Finals, where the Mavericks will face the Florida Everblades who look to win their fourth championship in five years. After surviving one final scare from Fort Wayne, Kansas City is four wins away from bringing the Kelly Cup to Kansas City.

Our photographer Eli Ralls was there to capture the playoff atmosphere.