2022-23 Utica Comets and ECHL thread

[Bad Goalie]

Once a team pumps up their effort, the Comets have no answer.

Shaya complains that someone on twitter has reported that Holtz was removed from the Comets bench. He did not say that. he said that the Comets bench was short a man and it looks like it's Holtz and he had no explanation as to why.

I immediately responded that Shaya wasn't paying attention when a Foote shot deflected out of play. The shot hit Holtz in the side above his pants and he was grabbing at it. He didn't come back after that.*

I don't believe it has anything to do with a trade. He is injured. That could, however, effect a trade.

I also have had a funny feeling that he was sent down because they are not going to trade him. If the Meir trade takes place, he won't be in it. SJ wants to acquire a guy they have been watching and shown he would be a good acquisition. Alex wouldn't be in that mix. I said when he was sent down I would guess they are asking for Zetterlund. I don't know anything more than anyone else, but that was just a thought that ran through my mind.

Shaya now stating Holtz won't be back tonight due to injury.

* Holtz took a cheap shot while skating through the slot. Puck deflected out of play. He went to his knees on the end boards clutching his side and did not return to the game after going to the bench.

 

[Bad Goalie]

3rd is under way.
Schmelzer rips one from the slot while crossing through the middle, but as is normal it was wide.
Johnsson lets a good one go and it's held.

Comets are trying to muster something to get back into this one.

Walsh a wrister. Easy glove save and another whistle.

Another shot and the rebound is off the post.

 

[Bad Goalie]

3 minutes in and the Comets have 6 SOG. Best try was off the post and thus, not a SOG.

Daws a stop and a whistle.

Toronto back to the PP. Johnsson for cross checking. This could be the nail.

Wrister from the point and Daws holds on. 1:20 to go.

Down the ice.
Back out again.
Centering pass to a guy 6 feet from Daws and no Comet ever saw him. Pass bounced by him. PUCK WATCHING! Major issue with their #31 PK%. Does anybody on thios coaching staff try to fix anything?????????????

Penalty is killed.

TV TO
13:34 to go

 

[Bad Goalie]

Daws a stop on another breakaway.

4 on 4 for 2 minutes Johnsson off for the Comets and McMann for TO. Roughing.

Advantage Toronto.

Foote big shot, but can't get to his rebound. Good pass from Nemec blueline to blueline sent him in.

Laberge 1-timer blocked.

Marlie gets to the netfront past Nemec, but he couldn't control the pass to him. This new trend of Simone to let guys behind him is not going to fly at the next level.

 

[Bad Goalie]

TV TO
8 and change left

Icing Comets.
Comets shot and Pet is kneeling on it out of the crease.

Halonen sparring with Johnstone after he was digging for the puck. Noone got a decent shot in. Both get 5 and Johnstone got an extra for removing Halonen's helmet.

Comets to the PP. 1 minute in and the Comets just get into the Toronto zone. Pet clears it out.

PP is over and the Comets didn't even get a shot on goal.

 

[Bad Goalie]

TV TO
5:02 to go

Comets continue to show their inability to score. They get shots, but no extended pressure. most of the shots are from a distance and the goalie sees them. It's one and done and that won't get a lot of goals for most pro hockey teams.

Comets thinking about pulling Daws. That won't end well. Can't get control in the TO end to begin with.

Big stop in the Comets end. 4 to go. Daws looking.

2 shots and the puck just keeps ricocheting past the net.

2 shots, neither reaches the net.

Toronto the other way and Daws stops a 1-timer.

2:012 to go
There goes Daws.
2 stops by Pet.

Clarke shot blocked. His pass into the slot is slapped away.

This one is over and it's another loss for the Comets.

3-1 Toronto.

Bye for now.

 

[UticaHockey]

In the last 15 games the Comets have scored one goal or less eight times. Amazingly enough they won one of them. The next two games are in Cleveland against a team that the Comets have won all five games they have played so far. However, Cleveland has been playing much better of late. Will the Comets use the next two games to stabilize their place in the standing or continue sink even lower? They are currently in third place but only four points ahead of the sixth place Cleveland Monsters.

 

[Bad Goalie]

In the last 15 games the Comets have scored one goal or less eight times. Amazingly enough they won one of them. The next two games are in Cleveland against a team that the Comets have won all five games they have played so far. However, Cleveland has been playing much better of late. Will the Comets use the next two games to stabilize their place in the standing or continue sink even lower? They are currently in third place but only four points ahead of the sixth place Cleveland Monsters.

Let me illustrate this so it's crystal clear.

1 Toronto 51GP 73 Pts

2 Syracuse 48GP 53 Pts / Last 10 5-4-1-0 for 11 Pts
3 UTICA 50GP 53 Pts / Last 10 2-7-0-1 for 5 Pts--------Last 15 4-10-0-1 for 9 points
4 Laval 50GP 51 Pts / Last 10 5-2-3-0 for 13 Pts
5 Rochester 47GP 50 Pts / Last 10 3-6-1-0 for 7 Pts
6 Cleveland 48GP 49 Pts / Last 10 7-3-0-0 for 14 Pts

7 Belleville 50GP 45 Pts

Teams 2-6 are separated by 5 points.
Only Laval has played as many games as Utica. The rest have at least 2 games in hand and Rochester has 3.
Cleveland, who appeared hopelessly out of the picture a month ago, has crept right back into the picture as neither Rochester, Utica, nor Syracuse have put together any kind of winning record and have been beating each other while the Monsters put together a winning streak. The top 5 get into the playoffs.

The Comets have done nothing but take the down staircase.
Coming up Wednesday and Friday the Comets are in Cleveland. 2 more losses would put Cleveland a mere 2 points behind the Comets. Who knows what place that would leave both squads as their other competitors will have played on Friday as well and the Comets would have played 1 more game than the other 3 again giving them an additional game in hand.

What it comes down to is another bad week and the Comets could find themselves in even more dire straits than one might imagine by looking at the standings today. There is no help for the lineup other than Holtz, Pinho (concussion), Stevens, and OK can come back from injury, but there is no projection as to when that might be.

I know we will be accused of gloom and doom down here, but this team has played at a sub .500 pace all season with the exception of their 12 game point streak. They have now managed to shrink their number of games above that magic number to 3.

Currently they have lost 4 in a row and 7 of 8 with one loss coming in a SO.

Their PP% is #24 in the AHL
Their PK% is #30.

The Comets have surrendered 154 goals while scoring 144.

It's not a pretty picture with only 22 games remaining in the regular season. They either right this ship immediately or they will be headed home and scheduling their off season golf tee times in accordance with their off season workouts. They can watch the playoff games (AHL or NHL) of their choice on TV or their PCs.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Akira Schmid's recall to NJ may be another step down the Comets path out of the 2023 AHL playoffs.

 

[Bad Goalie]

2/22/23 Utica Comets @ Cleveland Monsters

Forwards:
11 Johnsson/ 26 Schmelzer/ 10 Dugan
15/91/92
24/25.12
55/16/79

D-Pairs:
75/7
5/22
23/8

Goal - 50 Daws

Scratches:

 

[Bad Goalie]

1st is underway

Comets running around iun the monster zone but manage no shots and the resultr is.........
2 on 1 Cleveland - shot wide

Recover and shoot on goal - Daws holds on.

Dugan shot out of play.

Comets cannot settle any pass or puck they pick up off the boards or in open ice. Always battling the puck all by themselves.

Daws a glove save off a weak wrister.

Foote shoots and it bounces off a Monster and Halonen skating through the slot shoots the loose puck home all in one motion.

G______________________O____________________A________________L!!!!!!!!!!!

Cleveland right back an d the Comets to the PK. Groleau for hooking.

#9 PP in the AHL.

Daws a save.
Comets bring it down and give it away deep.

Daws Shorthanded gets by the defender and crashes into the crease. No call. Faceoff.

Daws a stop.
Daws a glove save off a backhander.

Monster s clear it out themselves.

Penalty killed. Comets still penned in.

Gambardella gets it out.

Hutchison rolls one in from close and Greaves sweeps it away.

Walsh turns it over and a good look goes wide. Cleveland works it but no shot.

Thompson is so inept. Halaonen skates into the doe with a man on him. Thompson trailing in the slot and instead of slowing expecting a pass he speeds up and can't handle the pass a little off to his left.

Lots of up and down by both teamns but few shots on net as good chances keep being sent wide.

Cleveland scores.
A Monster carries the puck down the boards and starts back out and hits the D-man I think coming down the middle. 3 COMETS Standing from the bottom of the circle and in the slot. Nobody made any move to take on that shooter or the man in front.

Now it's disallowed for Goalie Interference. NO THERE WASN'T!
WOW! what a bad call.

TVTO
7: to go43

 

[Bad Goalie]

I believe that was the 1st TO.

Refs getting even for ther bad call.
Groleau called for high sticking. The guy was pressuring Groleau from behind, fell down, and hit his face on Groleua's stick. 4 minutes.

Sillinger picks up a loose puck outside the blueline and skates right through 3 Comets on the blueline and goes in alone and scores.

Pathetic defensive lapse by the Comets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

1-1 PPG

Daws shoots it out himself.

Stick save by Daws. cleared out.

Halonen kills time and finally feeds Roseau and he blasts it .... wide. What else?

A shot tipped in front and Daws stands tall.

Penalty is over

TV TO
4:40 to go.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets offensive efforts are pathetic.

Engaras moves to the net and is smashed into the post. NO CALL.

TV TO
2:40 to go.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Approaching the Comets Achilles heel - the last couple minutes of any period.

1st 40 seconds all Cleveland.
1:36 to go and Comets ice it.
Wrister stoppe by Daws.
Foote gets into the offensive corner, turns, and passes it directly to a Monster.

1st Period ends and it's 1-1.
SOG 9-6 Cleveland
I can't remember the Comets last shot. Seems it was before the 10 minute mark.

The Comets play is the same as all the rest of the last 2 months. They CANNOT get or keep control of a puck!
e.g.
Foote, Nemec, and Groleau in the defensive left corner. All 3 got the puck in a battle off the boards. Not one of them maintained control as it was knocked away from each one of them and eventually a Monster grabbed it and skated behind the net with it and sent it out to the opposite point. Totally uncontested as the Comets never come close to covering a point man. The Monsters screwed up their own possession and the puck finally got out into the neutral zone.

When they approach the offensive blueline it seems the guy with the puck gets into the zone and is under pressure. Nobody to drop it to and nobody makes himself available to provide support. if lucky there ends up a puck battle in the corner or along the end boards. Usually there is no shot. Most shots come off turnovers or off the rush.

There is never anything like what we watch the opponents do. The puck carrier just easily skates into the zone. He may drop it or pass it inside to a mate who swings one way or the other, finds another mate skating towards the net. He may shoot from the circle or high slot and somehow there is always 1, if not 2 guys right around the net front when it get to the goal. They bang rebounds. If it goes to the boards another or one in front goes to dig it off the boards. He may get pressed by 2 Comets but manages a perfect pass to another of his mates in front, in the circle, or wide open at the point. It's incredible how easy they have it in the Comets zone.

 

[Bad Goalie]

2nd under way

Greaves is stopped on a point blank shot by Thompson recieving a cross crease pass. He stopped it before shooting it and Greaves got across to stop him and sat on the puck.

Matching penalties at 14:17.
Hutchison and Dunne for roughing.
4 on 4.

Now at the other end Walsh and Christiansen tangled up.

Christiansen gets 2 for roughing.
4 on 3 PP for the Comets.

TV TO 13:39

 

[Bad Goalie]

Schmelzer, Wals, Johnsson Clarke

Lots of puck movement on the perimeter and the shot ends up blocked and cleared.

Back in a shot is gloved and held.
Foote hits the post on a 1-timer

Second shot is partially stopped and it goes off the post.

Brilliant bench work as the Comets are called for too many men.

PP for the Monsters as the Christiansen penalty ends.

The Comets kill it.

Official TO 9:59
Both benches bitching about something.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Penalty was called on Dunne, That was the issue. Comets to the PP 3 seconds later.

Good chance in front but kept out. Save off Nemec shot. Cleared.

Cleared. Behind the play Foote gets called for high sticking.
DUMB penalty.

4 on 4 for 12 seconds. Then Monster PP.

Laberge all alone in front and he just can't pull it back after a good move.

Comets clear it down.
Daws without a stick.
Monsters clear it out themselves.

Back to full strength.

TV TO
5:12 to go

 

[Bad Goalie]

Shot by Comets stopped.

Now at the other end Daws smothers a puck rolling to him.

Comets survive the last 2 minutes.

2nd ends and it's still 1-1.

SOG:
12-7 Comets
2-period total:
18-16 Comets

This has actually been a pretty bad hockey game. Maybe it's what the Comets needed. At least they have been able to stay alive after only scoring 1 goal.

 

[Bad Goalie]

3rd underway.
13 seconds in and the Monsters score.

Looks like it didn't go in. They won't look at it.
Dineen demands, but it doesn't matter.

2-1 Monsters.

Shaya: "This will make the Comets upset."
Okay Shaya. Has anything upset them this season.

Overhead shows it did go in. It was a terrible goal scored on a blind turnaround snap shot from the bottom of the circle. Of course there was no Comet anywhere near the shooter.

Comets have made no threat in the 1st 4 minutes even though they have 3 shots.

Hutchison decked big time in the neutral zone and he is down and out. He was blindsided.

Looks like a shoulder but it could be a high hit. Refs confer with a linesman. He is still down and finally gets up under his own power. Nope can't do it. Schmelzer and Wotherspoon help him up and escort him off the ice. They are asking a medical person to meet him off the ice.

Finally make up their mind. Illeagal check to the head., 5-minute major.

Greaves a huge stop on Johnsson.

Instead of movcing the puck around quickly each guy holds it and waits and waits. It allows a defenbxdcer to challenge him and Johnsson gets called for tripping trying to get it back. Again fire this coaching staff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This has been their bullshit PP procedure all season.

Johnsson is back. Comets on the PP. 1 shot and done.
Cleared.
Back in and cleared again.
In and cleared again,
Shot gloved and held.
Always just one shot.
Cleared over the glass.
:30 second 5 on 3.
Dineen calls a Time Out.

The Comets will have no excuse for not getting 1 goal out of all these advantages they have been given.

Here we go; Monsters win the draw and it's 2 on 1 Monsters.

Comets come back up Walsh to Clarke to Foote to Johnsson and he .................................................SCORES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now Cleveland is asking for something. Goal stands.

TV TO
9:17

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets to the PK.

A Monster gets to the net front all by himself and he's slashed from behind. The Comets are the laziest and dumbest defensive players I've ever seen.
They never platy with intensity as a team!

6:40 to go.

Comets clear it.

Comets kill it.

Giveaway and Gambardella is all alone in front.
Stopped.
Puck lays loose.

Comets
S----------------------C----------------O-----------------R-------------E!!!!!!

ITS LABERGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3-2 Comets

Comets get another chance in front. A quagmire in the crease. Whistle.

GET IT OUT!_____________________ GET IT DEEP!

Comets have 2 centers left and don't win draws anyways.

Lose the draw. Point shot.
Rebound
SCORE!

3-3
Did you expect anything else?

 

[Bad Goalie]

1:33 to go.

Schmelzer Backhand under pressure just wide.

1:03

Daws a stop in close.

Comets playing for the point. They get it.

3-3 after regulation.

Now it's OT.

Who does Dineen stick out there. My bet is Schmelzer, Johnsson, and Walsh. I'm correct.

Lose the draw and Clarke for Schmelzer.

Walsh hits the post.

Clarke to Walsh to Johnsson.

Backhand in the slot. Stopped.

Rebound. Keeper down.

C_____L___A___R_____K___E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
G*********************O****************A***********************L!!!!!!!!!!!

F**KING COMETS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally.

2 POINTS and jump back ahead of idle Syracuse by 2.

Cleveland with 1 of their own creeps up 1 point more and now only 5 back of Utica.

Final score:
Utica 4 Cleveland 3

 

[Bad Goalie]

Final score Utica 4 Cleveland 3 (OT)

SOG:
Comets - 6 12 15 2 - 35
Monsters - 9 7 7 0 - 23

PP:
Comets - 1/5
Monsters - 1/6

Scoring:
Halonen (10) from Foote (6) and Blujus (4)
Johnsson (9) from Foote (7) and Clarke (22) - PP 5on3
Laberge (7) from Gambardella (19)

GWOTG
CLARKE (19) from JOHNSSON (18) and WALSH (19

2-point night for:
Johnsson (1G/1A)
Clarke (1G/1A)
Foote (2A)

Daws 20/23

3 STARS***
1 - Andreas Johnsson (Utica Comets) (1G/1A) no argument here
2 - Nolan Foote (Utica Comets) 2A
3 - Robbie Payne (Cleveland Monsters) 1G/1A

Graeme Clarke gets my 4th Star (1A/1GWG)

Have a good night everyone.

 

[Bad Goalie]

2/24/23

Utica Comets vs Cleveland

Forwards:
11 Johnsson/ 26 Schmelzer/ 10 Dugan
24 Halonen/ 25 Foote/ 12 Thompson
15 Gambardella/ 77 Talvitie/ 92 Clarke
55 Geertsen/ 16 Engaras/ 79 Laberge

D-pairs:
23 Wotherspoon/ 7 Nemec
60 Gourley/ 5 Russo
75 Groleau /22 Walsh

Goal -50 Daws

Scratches:
Poulter (BU)
Blujus (H)
Holtz (Inj)
Pinho (Inj)
Stevens (Inj)
Hutchison (Inj)
Okhotyuk (Inj)
Vukojevic (I)

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets PP

2 shots and saves for whistles.
2 faceoffs lost and cleared around the boards and out with no Comet at the point. Happened on both points.
2 cross ice passes, with absolutely no chance of getting through not one but 2 Monsters directly in the way, blocked and cleared.

PP comes up empty.

13:01 left in the 1st shots are 5-3 Utica.

Comets crashing the net and not one of them puts a shot on net.

Foote shoots directly into a Monster, blocked, and they break out.

Comets moving the puck all around the Monsters end and finally Nemec wrists a shot into the glove.

Daws holds one going wide, but holds on.

Comets ice it on the rush. DUMB!

Talvitie centers into in the low slot and Greaves stops it. Pass deflected out of play.

TV TO
9:56 to go

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets ice it. Missed breakout pass.

Tyce pass into the slot and instead of shooting try another pass a bit wider to his left. blocked and broken up.

Daws flattened in his crease. End result is a goalie interference.

Daws up slowly. Gets tended to. Finally gets up and he stays in.

A shot load of perimeter passing but no shots. Finally a shot, blocke, d and cleared.

Puck over the glas. Comets 5 on 3 for :29 seconds

7 or 8 passes, no shots now 5 on 4

Walsh shoots from the point off the glove and >>>>>>>>>

S----------------------C-----------O-------------------R--------------E---------------S

1-0 Comets PP

2 on 1
Laberge tape to tape to Talvitie and he fires it wide????????? GO figure.

Daws a good stop. Shot from the high slot.

Monsters ice it.

Walsh from the point held.

TV TO
3:21 to go