2022-23 Utica Comets and ECHL thread

[Bad Goalie]

It’s tough because the AHL is the development league that players seem to despise. The Kravtsov issues began when he didn’t want to play in Hartford, I don’t think Grits will want to play for Utica. You basically need to find tweeners that will sign for high dollar AHL two way deals. I think the Leafs do this specifically so the Marlies will be a good place for prospects to develop.

We in Utica are not even talking about NJ prospects. We are talking about the AHL vets available every off season that are used to support and help groom the prospects NJ does send here. Deleo, Greer, Gauthier, Flynn, Gambardella, and Schmelzer up front, with Russo and Wotherspoon on the backend were those guys last year. Russo and Gambardella were on 2-yr contracts so they were already set for this season. Wotherspoon (NHL 2-way) and Schmelzer (2-Yr AHL) earned 2 yr contracts off their play last season.

Deleo/Greer (1-2 in team scoring), Gauthier (#2/3 center, top PK man, and the face-off center), Flynn (C/RW didn't meet his qualifications due mainly to injury, but age caught up with him) were brought in to score goals and skate with the best kids to aid them in finding their pro footing as scorers and model the pro game for them.

All of them were brought in for their leadership qualities and that they did in spades.

Schmelzer was the team captain and he wears the C again. He is a bottom 6 center. Currently he is carrying the load as the #2 center as he was required to do last year when Schnarr was traded and Gauthier went down with a season ending injury. He put out a yeoman's effort last season and is doing so again, but his numbers did not and do not reflect those of a top center. His leadership qualities speak for themselves. That's why he wears the C.

Gambardella is a prototypical hard forechecking, backchecking, workhorse forward. He put up 31 Pts/65GP last season. He playe the 1st 2 games this season and then missed the next 9 with a medical issue. He has played the last 5 and recorded 2 assists. His presence on the ice has been noticeable.

Wotherspoon and Russo are doing what they are being paid for, anchoring a very strong young defense. All of the other 4 regulars are on ELCs, 1 is a rookie., and 3 of them will still be on ELCs next year They are playing in front of 2 ELC goalies, who will still be on ELCs next year. As I have already posted the Comets have yielded 46 goals, 5th best in the AHL. The back end is more than just doing their job.

UP front the scoring from last season is gone. Deleo, Greer, Gauthier, Zetterlund, and Holtz rolled up 243 points with 101 goals. Flynn chipped in 26 more points, but importantly 13 more goals. The team in total scored 246 goals, good for #4 in the AHL. At the moment this year's team is dead last in the AHL in goals scored.

Looking at this year's group the only forward brought in and being paid the big bucks to fill in for the scoring loss is Brian Pinho, $325K. He leads the team in goals with 8 which projects to 40 based on the # of games he's played.

Jack Dugan is a newbie being paid $125K. God knows for what! He has 2 goals and at the current pace projects to score 1O which matches his AHL career best.

That is it for the newcomers the Devils management group acquired to replace Deleo, Greer, Gauthier, and Flynn.

The new prospects up front totals 1, Brian Halonen. He currently has 3 goals which projects to 14.

The returning prospects I guess are supposed to pick up where Holtz and Zetterlund left off.
- Holtz #1 in goals 26, and #3 in Pts 51
- Zetterlund #2 in goals 24 and #2 in points 52

We'll count 3 returning prospects
- Foote
last season 14G/32Pts 55 GP
this season 6G/10Pts 16 GP > projection 27G/45Pts 72 GP This projection says Foote would double his goal total and surpass Holt's 26 by 1.

- Thompson
last season 6G/15Pts 16 GP
this season 3G/7Pts 12 GP > projection 17G/40Pts 68 GP(this number will be 4 times the number of pro games he's played in a single season and 5 times the number he played last year. Cross your fingers.

- Clarke
last season 10G/24Pts 52GP
this season 3G/8Pts 15GP > projection 14G/38Pts 71 GP

If the last 2 combine for their projected total of 31, it would surpass Z by 7. I'd be ecstatic for them if it were to happen. However, that means that Foote, Thompson, Clarke, Pinho (40 seems way over the top, but.....), Dugan, and Halonen would score a combined 125 goals.

To match last season's 246 goals the rest of the team would have to score 121 more. As of the moment the entire rest of the team including Johnsson and Holtz has amassed 16. Projected over 75 games (they only play 72) would be 80.

All of the projections are based upon players playing the # of games the rest of the season based on their current #/played over a 72 game schedule. most of these guys will not play a full 72 game season. Many won't get much past 50. Their number scored by projection will decrease not increase.

The top scorers for Utica last season played 55, 58, 53, and 52 games. For any of those projected to hit big numbers this season, they are going to have to stay healthy for the majority of games. Their projections are based upon that. Call me a pessimist, but I don't see many approaching the projections made off the small sample of GP thus far. Also, if the wrong guys get injured for any length of time or NJ has to call more of the best up, those numbers will fall even more. Too many guys left the roster and the top acquistions were simply not even closely replaced, let alone the lost prospects, who you hope will advance and therefore plan for it.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I definitely wish the front office had done more to help Utica be competitive this season. What's the list of veteran forwards on the team right now and the list of players who will be veterans next year?

This year's veterans by AHL rules are:
Veterans:
Wotherspoon LD
Russo RD
Blujus RD
Johnsson RW
Geertsen LW

Veteran Exempts (VE):
Gambardella LW
Senyshen RW

Only Wotherspoon (NHL 2-way) and Blujus AHL (1-way) are signed for next season.

Depending upon GP this season Schmelzer could be a VE.

The majority of next year's Veteran/VE players are yet to be signed. The ideal number to carry would be 5 Vets and 1 VE. You could carry an extra vet if you keep him on hand to replace one of the other 5 through injury.
5 vets and 1 VE may play at one time. If you play more than 1 VE the veteran number gets reduced by their. EG 2 VES wouldd mean only 4 Vets could play.

Sometimes people misinterpret waht we mena when we sya the parnet needs to provide top AHL freee agents. Those guys are often neither VE nor Vets. They come in under the # of games played at the number limit:
VE - 261-320 GP at NHL, AHL, European top leagues. Any combination from those leagues
VET - 321+ from any combination of those leagues.

e.g. Neither Pinho nor Dugan have played enough games. Neither have any other of this year's remaining players beyond those listed.

It will pretty much be up to the powers that be to determine who the Vets and VEs will be next season. The non vet available free agents are extremely important and they have to be acquired as soon as they can be signed. Otherwise, they will be the Comets' opponents.

Hopefully they do a much better job than this season.
Geertsen was a waste of a contract. There was no need to sign him at all. He's not a good skater. He can't pass or shoot. He can't handle the puck on the rush. He's just a big nothing.
Johnsson was a Devil they couldn't find a deal for and not a planned assignment. He has been very good. Leads the team in points.

Pinho would have been a very good acquisition as a scoring RW. He's not a center. They acquired ) centers and only had 1 decent one in house (Schmelzer). The other players MacKinnon supposedly acquired make up the rest of the roster on the AHL contracts with the possible exception of Senyshen who was in New Jersey on a PTO.

So, the 2 centers the Comets are desperate for turned out to be AHL slugs Nolan Stevens and Nick Hutchison. His other depth signings are trying to help Adirondack stay out of the ECHL North's basement. Currently they are in 6th place in a 7 team Division with the Norfolk Admirals, thankfully, in their Division, 5 points in 18 GP.
Parent is the only guy I'd like to get a look at. I have seen the rest and they will not be assets if they have to play for the Comets.

 

[Guttersniped]

It’s tough because the AHL is the development league that players seem to despise. The Kravtsov issues began when he didn’t want to play in Hartford, I don’t think Grits will want to play for Utica. You basically need to find tweeners that will sign for high dollar AHL two way deals. I think the Leafs do this specifically so the Marlies will be a good place for prospects to develop.

Kravtsov actually offered to play in the AHL for the team that traded him when he asked for a trade a while back so at some point it wasn’t a AHL problem and more of a Chris Drury problem. He’s had problems with a couple of prospects now.

When European players have an European Assignment Clause they’re allowed to use it. It depends on the expectations of the player.

 

[Blackjack]

Kravtsov actually offered to play in the AHL for the team that traded him when he asked for a trade a while back so at some point it wasn’t a AHL problem and more of a Chris Drury problem. He’s had problems with a couple of prospects now.

When European players have an European Assignment Clause they’re allowed to use it. It depends on the expectations of the player.

Maybe, the other example I thought of was Rykov

 

[Triumph]

Maybe, the other example I thought of was Rykov

I don't think you can compare things going on now to Rykov refusing to come back to play in the AHL during the pandemic.

 

[Blackjack]

I don't think you can compare things going on now to Rykov refusing to come back to play in the AHL during the pandemic.

True, I just mentioned him because it was also the rangers and Drury

 

[Mgd31]

So how is Nemec doing @Bad Goalie @UticaHockey? Can you guys elaborate? Thanks.

I see he is top in plus/minus and shots for D and 2nd in points next to Walsh, through 16 games.

 

[Devils731]

So how is Nemec doing @Bad Goalie @UticaHockey? Can you guys elaborate? Thanks.

I see he is top in plus/minus and shots for D and 2nd in points next to Walsh, through 16 games.

 

[Bad Goalie]

So how is Nemec doing @Bad Goalie @UticaHockey? Can you guys elaborate? Thanks.

I see he is top in plus/minus and shots for D and 2nd in points next to Walsh, through 16 games.

Nemec is definitely a diamond, but he has some roughness.

Handles the puck every well.

Skating is superb. Doesn't appear to be fast, but always seems to catch up to the puck carrier after he has been caught up ice on a pinch or deep working offense. It's because he is so smooth it doesn't look like he's working to skate.

His edges are elite allowing him to escape pressure when most would be trapped.

He can pass the puck through traffic like it's not there and his passes are tape to tape, an art most don't master.

He joins and/or leads rushes and will often be standing in the slot or off to the side of the net or behind the net. The parts after the rushes gets him into trouble when the opponent breaks out, but he finds a way to catch up and disrupt from behind in many cases. In other cases he is dependent on a forward picking up his role or his keeper bailing him out.

I would like to see him on the first PP once in a while. We know what we have with Walsh and Russo, but Simone has some special puck skills that might make the PP a lot more dangerous. It hasn't been all that productive as is.

He has demonstrated little to no physicality which isn't all that negative with his skill set but he gets knocked down easily when he has no outlet.

His board work requires help in many situations, but he usually gets the puck tied up until help arrives.

He cannot move anyone in the slot. He has trouble tying up anyone in front. So, his net front presence needs work.

He has been on the ice for more goals against than any other D-man (15) besides Russo (17). His usual partner is Wotherspoon. When Tyler was in NJ in place of Bahl, Dineen simply traded Bahl for Wotherspoon as Simone's partner. Dineen tried him with OK for games 10 & 11 when OK returned from an injury incurred in game 1. He was back with Wotherspoon after that experiment. The veteran presence of Wotherspoon has been good for him. He is both mentor and teacher on ice and on the bench between shifts. Simone has found a comfort zone with Tyler.

He is often too aggressive with his poke check and gets beat, bur usually it's to the outside enabling him to use his edges to recover with a quick sharp turn and catches up enough to get his stick in the way of the pass or shot.

The #1 asset this kid possesses that many don't have period is outstanding hockey I.Q. It allows him to almost always be where he should be, go to places the puck ends up after he gets there, find outlets that ends up in pass on someone's tape, and rarely but not always moves the puck without a turnover.

He's not a puck dumper which sometimes is the only out. That gets him into trouble. Forcing something that's not here because it works sometimes is not the best thing to do. He has to learn there are times when dumping it out is the only option available. Living to fight another possession is better than the puck in your own net.

His shot is not strong, but is accurate. he has not really put a lot of effort into his offense at this juncture. I think he's working to get his main job, defense, under control before he unleashes the offensive side we have all read about and many have seen in international play. I can't wait for that side of him to be unveiled. Maybe it won't happen at the NA pro level, but with the tool box I've seen him come to work with, I doubt it. I hope he gets it out of the bag before we lose him to the big lights.

As a side note, I'd hope Fitz gives Hughes a chance to adjust here first. There is a whale of difference between the NCAA competition and the AHL/NHL levels. The more recent kids up there have all gone that route because, as Brodeur said, they have enough talent now that allows them to no longer have to rush guys into the lineup. Lindy seems to be a big believer in that concept.
*

He makes the occasional rookie mistake which will be compounded by others at the next level. He is a quick learner and he should get that education here. Putting a 19-yr old kid into a regular everyday role in the NHL (next season) is tough enough, but with Lindy's response to a kid making a major mistake being the press box means this kid has to have them erased from his game bag. We have seen that Lindy reaction with Holtz. Bahl has been rusting while veteran Smith makes blunder after blunder and takes penalty after penalty. Zetterlund got the same treatment until he played so well Lindy had no choice. Have to wonder if Palat had been healthy, whether his chance would have has to wait until Bastian's recent injury. That would have left Holtz in Utica. He has patience for veteran blunders and almost none for the kids. Hopefully, Fitz leaves him here long enough to learn how not to make those errors.

Hope that was helpful. It's not something you probably have not read elsewhere. These things show up to anyone who knows anything about this game in just watching him in a single outing. It only gets more impressive as you watch him game after game and the wow stuff just increases and you see the negatives slowly reduce and some seem to just disappear.

*
It's easy to see why Wotherspoon was signed to a 2-year 2-way NHL contract coming into this season. Last year he and Russo were acquired to anchor a very young D-corps. By season's end Bahl and OK had been paired together. Russo was with Walsh. Wotherspoon started with OK, but later on he got the last one needing serious guidance, Vukopjevic/ Groleau.

This season Wotherspoon and Nemec are a regular pair. Russo is with the next best in OK. Walsh has been given a mentor role with Vukojevic (or Dineen needs a defensive D-man to work with offensive minded Walsh, but whatever it seems to be working).

Next season Wothersppon will be here to take Hughes or McCarthy under his wing. If thewy are both here, lokk for Russo to get another contract. The Spoon with Hughes and Russo with McCarthy. Walsh is an RFA will probably get a QO. Vuk and Ok are still on ELCs Depending upon their choices Mukhamadulin and Vilen are signed and would be on ELCs as well. Veteran presence would strongly be needed.

 

[Mgd31]

Nemec is definitely a diamond, but he has some roughness.

Handles the puck every well.

Skating is superb. Doesn't appear to be fast, but always seems to catch up to the puck carrier after he has been caught up ice on a pinch or deep working offense. It's because he is so smooth it doesn't look like he's working to skate.

His edges are elite allowing him to escape pressure when most would be trapped.

He can pass the puck through traffic like it's not there and his passes are tape to tape, an art most don't master.

He joins and/or leads rushes and will often be standing in the slot or off to the side of the net or behind the net. The parts after the rushes gets him into trouble when the opponent breaks out, but he finds a way to catch up and disrupt from behind in many cases. In other cases he is dependent on a forward picking up his role or his keeper bailing him out.

I would like to see him on the first PP once in a while. We know what we have with Walsh and Russo, but Simone has some special puck skills that might make the PP a lot more dangerous. It hasn't been all that productive as is.

He has demonstrated little to no physicality which isn't all that negative with his skill set but he gets knocked down easily when he has no outlet.

His board work requires help in many situations, but he usually gets the puck tied up until help arrives.

He cannot move anyone in the slot. He has trouble tying up anyone in front. So, his net front presence needs work.

He has been on the ice for more goals against than any other D-man (15) besides Russo (17). His usual partner is Wotherspoon. When Tyler was in NJ in place of Bahl, Dineen simply traded Bahl for Wotherspoon as Simone's partner. Dineen tried him with OK for games 10 & 11 when OK returned from an injury incurred in game 1. He was back with Wotherspoon after that experiment. The veteran presence of Wotherspoon has been good for him. He is both mentor and teacher on ice and on the bench between shifts. Simone has found a comfort zone with Tyler.

He is often too aggressive with his poke check and gets beat, bur usually it's to the outside enabling him to use his edges to recover with a quick sharp turn and catches up enough to get his stick in the way of the pass or shot.

The #1 asset this kid possesses that many don't have period is outstanding hockey I.Q. It allows him to almost always be where he should be, go to places the puck ends up after he gets there, find outlets that ends up in pass on someone's tape, and rarely but not always moves the puck without a turnover.

He's not a puck dumper which sometimes is the only out. That gets him into trouble. Forcing something that's not here because it works sometimes is not the best thing to do. He has to learn there are times when dumping it out is the only option available. Living to fight another possession is better than the puck in your own net.

His shot is not strong, but is accurate. he has not really put a lot of effort into his offense at this juncture. I think he's working to get his main job, defense, under control before he unleashes the offensive side we have all read about and many have seen in international play. I can't wait for that side of him to be unveiled. Maybe it won't happen at the NA pro level, but with the tool box I've seen him come to work with, I doubt it. I hope he gets it out of the bag before we lose him to the big lights.

As a side note, I'd hope Fitz gives Hughes a chance to adjust here first. There is a whale of difference between the NCAA competition and the AHL/NHL levels. The more recent kids up there have all gone that route because, as Brodeur said, they have enough talent now that allows them to no longer have to rush guys into the lineup. Lindy seems to be a big believer in that concept.

He makes the occasional rookie mistake which will be compounded by others at the next level. He is a quick learner and he should get that education here. Putting a 19-yr old kid into a regular everyday role in the NHL (next season) is tough enough, but with Lindy's response to a kid making a major mistake being the press box means this kid has to have them erased from his game bag. We have seen that Lindy reaction with Holtz. Bahl has been rusting while veteran Smith makes blunder after blunder and takes penalty after penalty. Zetterlund got the same treatment until he played so well Lindy had no choice. Have to wonder if Palat had been healthy, whether his chance would have has to wait until Bastian's recent injury. That would have left Holtz in Utica. He has patience for veteran blunders and almost none for the kids. Hopefully, Fitz leaves him here long enough to learn how not to make those errors.

Hope that was helpful. It's not something you probably have not read elsewhere. These things show up to anyone who knows anything about this game in just watching him in a single outing. It only gets more impressive as you watch him game after game and the wow stuff just increases and you see the negatives slowly reduce and some seem to just disappear.

This is a tremendous write-up, thank you!

 

[Bad Goalie]

This is a tremendous write-up, thank you!

I added an afterthought for you as well. You might want to take a peek. LOL

 

[NJ07102]

In the game vs. Laval you could see the complete Reilly Walsh within 5 seconds. First, he scores a great goal an ties the game in the middle of period two. Directly after the face-off somebody just blows by him and is all alone in front of Poulter and no, it wasn't McDavid. Walsh just can't play defense to safe his life. It is so unfortunate, because offensively he totally is an NHL calibre guy.

 

[Bad Goalie]

In the game vs. Laval you could see the complete Reilly Walsh within 5 seconds. First, he scores a great goal an ties the game in the middle of period two. Directly after the face-off somebody just blows by him and is all alone in front of Poulter and no, it wasn't McDavid. Walsh just can't play defense to safe his life. It is so unfortunate, because offensively he totally is an NHL calibre guy.

NHL caliber Walsh scored his 2nd goal of the season last night. He was given a clear path to the net front dead center in the slot and buried it. The next action was exactly as you reported it and that is vintage Walsh.

He QBs the 1st PP unit which is dead last in the AHL. He kills as many PPs as the opponent does by trying to score himself instead of moving the puck quickly to either side of the setup to create good chances. His shot doesn't get through and is pumped out or is wide and leaves the zone on its own. He's the last guy to receive the worthless drop pass approach and turns it over trying to force his way into the zone, and that's if he gets that far, or ends up dumping it in which never works because the other 4 are stagnant at the blueline waiting for him so the opponent gets it first ans shoots it down the ice.

He is not the same player he was last year. Of course the other 4 PP guys were dynamite. The entire unit this season is lost on a piece of the game they are supposed to excel.

He is not "an NHL caliber guy" at all right now. RFA next year and either signed specifically to play in the AHL, traded or not even qualified. I think the 1st option.

 

[Bad Goalie]

11/30/2022
Laval Rocket (6-11-3-0) @ Utica Comets (6-6-2-1)

The Rocket have already played the most games in the Division at 21 yet are the only team to trail Utica and only because the Comets have played less games. Both teams have 15 points tying them for the bottom spot.

Right now the bottom 4 teams in the Division are separated by 3 points.

(After the game that number shrunk to 2 points with the Comets the one trailing by 2.)

Forwards:
(15) Gambardella (91) Hutchison (92) Clarke
(25) Foote (28) Pinho (12) Thompson
(11) Johnsson (26) Schmelzer (24) Senyshen
(10) Dugan (21) Stevens (24) Halonen

D-Pairs:
(82) Okhotyuk (5) Russo
(23) Wotherspoon (7) Nemsec
(8) Blujus (22) Walsh

Goal - (1) Poulter

SOG:
Rocket - 8 6 6 OT 4 = 24
Comets - 9 22 11 OT 4 = 43

PP:
Rocket - 2/3
Comets - 0/4

Scoring:
Rocket - 1 1 0 1 - 3
Comets - 1 0 1 0 - 2

Dugan (3) from Okhotyuk (3) and Russo (5)
Walsh (2) from Stevens (4)

3 Stars:
#1 - Kevin Poulin (Laval Rocket) 41/43
#2 - Corey Schueneman (Laval Rocket) 1G/1A - Unassited GWG
#3 - Nikita Okhotyuk (Utica Comets) 1A - There were really no standouts, but it was OK's 100th AHL game.

43 shots would imply an outstanding job by the opposition goalie. Not so. The Comets offense is the most impotent I have ever seen in Utica's AHL history. Their shots are are like those of Major Midgets (ages 15-18).

They can't get them off without readjusting the puck and taking another extra second to decide where to aim it and more often than not it is a poor shot easily gobbled up by the keeper who has lined himself up on it and left no openings or blocked or deflected by opponents who had time to get in front of the shot or get a stick into it's path. On several occasions last night a guy trailing the play by maybe up to 20 feet dove and deflected a pass or flat out blocked the shot with their stick fully extended on the ice.

They fire the rebounds right back at the at their mercy down and out keeper.

Shots are often feeble weak things caused by a misfire, a flub, the puck is too far out in front of them, they overskate the puck before trying to shoot it, they whiff on the first try and then panic on the next effort and get nothing on it.

These guys are squeezing their sticks so hard there has to be composite slivers all over the rink.

When they do get off a good shot it misses the net more often than not.

Their passing is just as bad. The passes are weak and picked off or behind the intended or way out ahead of him or anywhere from knee high to over his head and everywhere in between. The only guy on this team you can expect to see a pass tape to tape almost every time is Nemec and he can thread needles through traffic as well as hit the open man.

It is impossible to comprehend how guys who have played this game all of their lives and have graduated to professional hockey's step just below the NHl, can't pass a puck or shoot it save their lives. Right now that means their careers. Thompson has scored 1 goal since October 29th. and only 1 before that. for a total of 3 in 17 games. He is supposed to challenge this team for the scoring lead with Pinho, Foote, and Clarke. Pinho has 8, Foote 6, and Clarke 5.

Holtz was here for 3 games and scored twice and had an assist - PPG. with 2 Gs.. Oddly enough the Comets won 2 of those games and got a point in the other. 3 GP and 5 points. That is highly significant. Many of you should know I recently posted that the Comets have problems scoring more than 2 goals/game. I told the people around me last night when Laval scored their 2nd goal that the best the team could hope for was OT because if they score it will only be once. They shut down Laval the rest of the way, scored a 3rd period goal, and reached OT.

OT, h-m-m-m-m-m, another major issue. This team has no concept of how to play 3 on 3. The first knock is the opponent puts skill and speed on the ice. Dineen counters with less speed and a unit with no plan of any kind and no set plays. The fact that they have nobody that can win a faceoff and the other team runs plays off face off wins the Comets start right out in major trouble because that speed beats them back to their own net.
If the keeper makes a brilliant save, they are still alive. Last Friday he didn't and the OT lasted 18 seconds.

If he makes it the Comets spend most of the time defending until one of those set plays results in a loss. Last night Laval gained possession on a Comets shot and fired a hard shot up the boards. They had a guy flying up that side of the ice where he took what had looked like a clearing shot off the boards perfectly in stride and he was gone. Unassisted goal. It was their 4th shot of the OT. The Comets got 1 harmless shot on net before it was over. Holtz and Johnsson got loose on a 2 on ) on Saturday when a Checker flubbed the puck at the blue line while his 2 mates were down low and no one had a chance to catch the Comets duo who took advantage of a Charlotte screwup.

I don't believe the Comets even practice the Shootout. Dineen said he leaves that kind of thing to the imagination and creativity of his players. He puts guys out there who are way too slow to make things happen. They even have trouble picking up a man each and defending. There always seems to be one guy the opponent can put a speed guy on and blow by him to the net. If another Comet comes off their check to help out he simply hits the newly abandoned guy. Our keepers have been brilliant on many efforts, but they can't stop every 10 bell opportunity.

 

[Bad Goalie]

6 minutes in 2 breakaways,1 semi breakaway, 4 of the remaining 5 shots from the dots down. Daws on his head. Comets have given the puck away in their own end 1O times.

Oh, I forgot. They had to drive here last night. Can't expect a team to play well after a bus ride during the night.

While I typed 2 more shots 10-3 at 13:27.

Comets to the PP. No real reason to get excited. Thompson cannot control the puck. Doesn't have a clue what to do with it if he isn't open.

2nd unit on and they get a good shot deflected out of play.

Dugan>>>>>>Senyshen>>>>>SCORES!
It's a POWER PLAY GOAL!
2nd unit

1-0

Shots now 10-6


As I type. Clarke tips one in on a Wotherspoon point shot 27 seconds later.

Must have received a wake up call.

2 on 1 off the faceoff and Daws another biggie.

Belleville goalies have terrible numbers.

Geertsen is like playing with a zombie.

Belleville now coughing up the puck a lot.

Great back check by Schmelzer.

Sens miss an open net on a cross ice pass.

TV TO
7:32 left.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets score on a Wotherspoon point shot deflected in at the side of the net.
Waved off!!!!

Refs go to the review. Take a long look and ........................... Here it comes....................G--O--A--L!!!!!!!!!!

This one is Dugan's

It's 3-0 Comets.

They give up 2 more good shots to the Sens.

Come back up ice and ............................................................G---------O---------A----------L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NEMEC 2nd AHL goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's 4-0 Comets.

They are going to need Daws to keep up his stellar game.

I must have had a premonition as the Sens score.

4-1 now.

Another goal surrendered by the Comets in the last couple minutes of a period. This one with 1:13 left.

I have repeatedly said the Comets goaltending and D has been great all season, but tonight it's all Daws. SOG prove my point without question.

Period 1 is over. Comets lead 4-1.

SOG:
Comets - 14 (Sounds good. Yes?)
Senators- 21 (Not that good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Terrible defensive play by the entire Comets squad. They need to be genuflecting at Nico's stall.

PP:
Utica 1/1
Sens 0/1

 

[Bad Goalie]

3rd goal originally credited to Dugan has been changed to Wotherspoon. Apparently the thought that it went off Dugan's skate was discovered to have gone off a Belleville skate.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Let's get you a look at the Comets lineup.

Forwards:
Foote/Pinho/Thompson
Gambardella/Schmelzer/Clarke
Dugan/Stevens/Halonen
Geertsen/Hutchison/Senyshyn

D-Pairs:
Wotherspoon/Nemec
Okhotyuk/Russo
Vukojevic/Walsh

Goal - Daws

 

[Bad Goalie]

Here we go for the 2nd.

Starting just like the 1st as the Sens are all over them.

 

[Bad Goalie]

G-----------O----------A-----------L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hard working Gambardella finally rewarded for his previous efforts. He has been one of if not he best Comets in most of the games since his return.

5-1 Comets.

Daws
H____U______G________E!-!-!-!-!

Comets just keep turning it over in their own zone. Shots 5-1 thus far.
Comets shot was a goal.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I hate this continuum of posts!

The period is not happening all in a single post.

Turnover after turnover. It's simply ridiculous and inexcusable.

TV TO
13:03 to go in the 2nd.

This building is very sparsely populated.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Walsh ruins a very good shift by the Pinho line by shooting so wide it goes out of the zone.

Utica to the PK. Another chance for Belleville to cut into this lead.

8:19 to go and 2 minutes to kill.

Lose the draw and the shot is in the goal.

That took 8 seconds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shots in the period are 11-3 Sens.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I am experiencing 0 comfort at this point with 7:30 to go.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Sharp angle shot is in after OK can't get the puck past a forechecker. He has had that problem all night. Many uncommon turnovers by OK.

5-1 has very quickly become 5-3. This team has not had leads like this all season and obviously doesn't know how to handle prosperity.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I really wish turnovers were a stat released at the end of periods like PP and SOG.

The most common audio phrases tonight are "turns it over", "puck stolen", "can't get it out", ETC.

They refuse to shoot the puck out. They insist on taking possession and trying to move through or past opponents and keep turning it over. Rright now theya re like chickens with their heads cut off. It's the last minutes of a period again and the Comets are typically lost in space.

They lose every defensive zone faceoff and it's chaos every time. The NJ posters who keep swearing faceoffs don't matter need to watch how much lost faceoffs just kill this Comets team.

Period ends.
5-3 Comets

SOG:
Utica - 6
Sens - 16

2-period total 37-20, Belleville.

PP both teams are 1/1

This game is by no means over!