I'm hoping that will be the case. Of course hope is just a concept that makes one feel better.
2023-24 Utica Comets and ECHL thread
- Thread starter NJDevs26
- Start date
NJ has plenty of issues with prospects in Utica as you have pointed out. I expect they will sign a couple of college kids this spring, most notably Seamus Casey, but maybe Artem Shlaine and they should add Filmon when his junior season ends. I expect the organization will do a full evaluation of the goaltending after this season's mess and Malek will have to be part of that evaluation. If cap friendly is correct the team loses Malek's rights on June 1, 2025 so if they plan on signing him this offseason would seem to be the best time to do so.I'm hoping that will be the case. Of course hope is just a concept that makes one feel better.
We do probably need to be active in the college FA market too.
- Dec 20, 2018
- 22,874
- 51,333
I'm hoping that will be the case. Of course hope is just a concept that makes one feel better.
According to Cap Friendly, the Devils have Malek’s signing rights until June, 2025 so it would make sense to sign him this summer if they want to keep him.
I’m curious what they do with Poulter.
Below are all the U30 undrafted goalies w/ more than 10 GP.
These 18 are out of a total of 56 total U30 goalies with 10 GP. A total of 68 with all ages*.
Poulter is one of the 5 with an AHL deal, that’s why he doesn’t have an NHL logo by his name. (There‘s only the same 5 AHL guys among the 56.)
I hope they give him an ELC.
*Out of all 68, Poulter has the 14th best SV% while Kallgren has the 68th (in 10 games). He can f*** off to Europe if he doesn’t like the press box. They’re probably better of with Jeremy Brodeur if they need a guy in Utica due to injury.
The Devils have Kinkaid as a depressing nuclear option if they get struck with catastrophic multiple goalie injuries, they don’t have to humor the sucky future UFA rather than develop Schmid or play the 22 year old who wins games.
I will be gutted if they loss Parent.
At 22, not only is he 37th in points (w/ 28 points) among U25 players, he’s 1st among U25 players with only AHL deals. (Maxime Comtois is 2nd with 25 points.)
Among U25 players w/ 20 GP, his 0.72 PPG is tied for 52nd and 2nd among players with only AHL deals. (Maxime Comtois is 34th with .78)
i was actually just browsing capfriendly last night when i realized I had completely forgot that Kinkaid was back in the organization
Only half-way.
He can only play in the organization if he plays for the Devils.
Luckily for us he can't play for the Comets. If he goes to the AHL, it must be Chicago.
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Poulter and Parent have earned their stripes. Both will be considered good selections by other AHL teams. Their numbers alone prove it. We also know they have had hands in beating teams within the Division as well as the Atlantic.. Other organizations know who they are and what they are capable of doing.
I'd be gutted if Jersey let either of them go.
2/2/2024
Toronto Marlies @ Utica Comets
Final Score
Toronto 4 Utica 0
Forwards:
21 Durandeau/ 51 Criscuolo/ 92 Clarke
67 Parent/ 10 Dowling/ 24 Halonen
79 Laberge/ 26 Schmelzer/ 15 Gambardella
19 Fitzgerald/ 14 Bowers/ 61 Stillman
D-Pairs:
3 MacKinnon/ 2 Vukojevic
8 Hatakka/ 23 Wotherspoon
83 Vilen/ Misyul
Goal - 40 Schmid
Scratches:
Poulter (BU)
Kallgren (H)
Engaras (H)
Misyul (H)
Ibragimov (H)
Hirano (H)
SOG:
TOR - 13 6 11 = 30
UTC - 8 4 8 = 20
PP
TOR - 1/6
UTC - 0/3
This was another example of how the Comets have failed every time this season when they appeared to have a chance to start to turn this season around.
When the night began:
Rochester 3rd 44 Pts
Toronto 4th 43 Pts
Laval 5th 42 Pts
Utica 6th 41 Pts
Belleville 7th 41 Pts (lost 1 more game than Utica)
So what happened tonight?
Toronto beat Utica
Rochester lost to Laval
Belleville beat Syracuse
So:
Toronto 3rd 45 Pts
Laval 4th 44 Pts
Rochester 5th 44 Pts (Laval has 2 more wins)
Bellevile 6th with 43 Pts
Utica 7th 41 Pts (back in the basement)
1st place Syracuse and 2nd place Cleveland both with 52 Pts lost.
The rest of the pack is now moving closer with the 3rd place Marlies only 7 back and lots of the season left to play.
The Comets play Toronto again tomorrow and can end the weekend right where they started trailing Toronto by 3 points, but if Belleville wins even with a victory the Comets would still be in 7th place. The Division is log jam, but the Comets keep hovering just out or in the basement while the teams above them just keep jockeying around running between 3rd and 6th.
The Comets were not good at all. Schmid continues to struggle.
Gives up big rebounds, the 4th goal.
Gives up goals over his shoulder when he faces the shooter eye to eye from the dot to the outside of the circle. He is down before they shoot and makes no reaction to the shot. 3rd goal from the right circle.
1st goal much like the 3rd except it came from the bottom of the circle and beat him clean i believe to the short side. I haven't looked up a replay but either side from that angle should have been completely shut off.
He had no chance on the 2nd tipped right over his shoulder from right in front.
In 11 GP he is now 3-4-4 with a 3.45 GAA and .889 SV%.
Meanwhile Poulter on a 2-way AHL contract in 20 GP is 12-5-1 with 2 shutouts and has a 2.55 GAA and .913 SV%.
Dineen is as much at fault for the roller coaster win loss mess as he refuses to pay the lineups that win, shifts guys all over the lineup, and scratches guys who are doing well in order to play guys he should not be playing ahead of those he scratches because they haven't played in a game or 2. He doesn't reward the guys who do well with more ice. Instead they are often the healthy scratches.
Just for an example the Comets won a very hard fought battle in Laval on Wednesday. The lines were:
Criscuolo/Dowling/Clarke
Parent/Bowers/Gambardella
Middendorf/Schmelzer/Halonen
Durandeau/Engaras/Laberge
Switch to tonight:
Durandeau/Criscuolo/Clarke
Parent/Dowling/Halonen
Laberge/Schmelzer/Gambardella
Fitzgerald/Bowers/Stillman
On D Misyul played Wednesday but was scratched tonight for MACKINNON!
Ibragimov who is much more noticeable than Fitzgerald warmed up, but was scratched as was the case the previous 3 games.
*Hirano was called up on Wednesday. Probably after the team was in Laval.
Middendorf who scored on 1/27, plays a hard in your face physical game was sent down yesterday (2/1) to make room for Hirano on Dineen's very sparse roster. Hirano did not play tonight because Stillman was returned to the roster after missing the previous 5 games.*
3 of the 4 centers played tonight with completely differnt wings than on Wednesday.
The 4th center on Wednesday was Engaras, but Cricuol who was a wing on Dowling's line Wdenesday centered a line tonight with two wings who didn't even play on Wednesday! I wasn't surprised to see no chemistry up fron tonight. Why Fitzgerald gets ice time when he is virtually invisible is ludicrous. He was on the ice for 2 of the 4 goals against. He is terrible defensively and contributes little to nothing on offense.
People in NJ whine about Lindy's line swaps for little to no reason. Dineen is worse!
On D Misyul played Wednesday but was scratched for MACKINNON!
It's like the nepotism rule is enforced regardless of its effects on the team.
*See post 684 and 686 to clear up the Hirano issue.
Toronto Marlies @ Utica Comets
Final Score
Toronto 4 Utica 0
Forwards:
21 Durandeau/ 51 Criscuolo/ 92 Clarke
67 Parent/ 10 Dowling/ 24 Halonen
79 Laberge/ 26 Schmelzer/ 15 Gambardella
19 Fitzgerald/ 14 Bowers/ 61 Stillman
D-Pairs:
3 MacKinnon/ 2 Vukojevic
8 Hatakka/ 23 Wotherspoon
83 Vilen/ Misyul
Goal - 40 Schmid
Scratches:
Poulter (BU)
Kallgren (H)
Engaras (H)
Misyul (H)
Ibragimov (H)
Hirano (H)
SOG:
TOR - 13 6 11 = 30
UTC - 8 4 8 = 20
PP
TOR - 1/6
UTC - 0/3
This was another example of how the Comets have failed every time this season when they appeared to have a chance to start to turn this season around.
When the night began:
Rochester 3rd 44 Pts
Toronto 4th 43 Pts
Laval 5th 42 Pts
Utica 6th 41 Pts
Belleville 7th 41 Pts (lost 1 more game than Utica)
So what happened tonight?
Toronto beat Utica
Rochester lost to Laval
Belleville beat Syracuse
So:
Toronto 3rd 45 Pts
Laval 4th 44 Pts
Rochester 5th 44 Pts (Laval has 2 more wins)
Bellevile 6th with 43 Pts
Utica 7th 41 Pts (back in the basement)
1st place Syracuse and 2nd place Cleveland both with 52 Pts lost.
The rest of the pack is now moving closer with the 3rd place Marlies only 7 back and lots of the season left to play.
The Comets play Toronto again tomorrow and can end the weekend right where they started trailing Toronto by 3 points, but if Belleville wins even with a victory the Comets would still be in 7th place. The Division is log jam, but the Comets keep hovering just out or in the basement while the teams above them just keep jockeying around running between 3rd and 6th.
The Comets were not good at all. Schmid continues to struggle.
Gives up big rebounds, the 4th goal.
Gives up goals over his shoulder when he faces the shooter eye to eye from the dot to the outside of the circle. He is down before they shoot and makes no reaction to the shot. 3rd goal from the right circle.
1st goal much like the 3rd except it came from the bottom of the circle and beat him clean i believe to the short side. I haven't looked up a replay but either side from that angle should have been completely shut off.
He had no chance on the 2nd tipped right over his shoulder from right in front.
In 11 GP he is now 3-4-4 with a 3.45 GAA and .889 SV%.
Meanwhile Poulter on a 2-way AHL contract in 20 GP is 12-5-1 with 2 shutouts and has a 2.55 GAA and .913 SV%.
Dineen is as much at fault for the roller coaster win loss mess as he refuses to pay the lineups that win, shifts guys all over the lineup, and scratches guys who are doing well in order to play guys he should not be playing ahead of those he scratches because they haven't played in a game or 2. He doesn't reward the guys who do well with more ice. Instead they are often the healthy scratches.
Just for an example the Comets won a very hard fought battle in Laval on Wednesday. The lines were:
Criscuolo/Dowling/Clarke
Parent/Bowers/Gambardella
Middendorf/Schmelzer/Halonen
Durandeau/Engaras/Laberge
Switch to tonight:
Durandeau/Criscuolo/Clarke
Parent/Dowling/Halonen
Laberge/Schmelzer/Gambardella
Fitzgerald/Bowers/Stillman
On D Misyul played Wednesday but was scratched tonight for MACKINNON!
Ibragimov who is much more noticeable than Fitzgerald warmed up, but was scratched as was the case the previous 3 games.
*Hirano was called up on Wednesday. Probably after the team was in Laval.
Middendorf who scored on 1/27, plays a hard in your face physical game was sent down yesterday (2/1) to make room for Hirano on Dineen's very sparse roster. Hirano did not play tonight because Stillman was returned to the roster after missing the previous 5 games.*
3 of the 4 centers played tonight with completely differnt wings than on Wednesday.
The 4th center on Wednesday was Engaras, but Cricuol who was a wing on Dowling's line Wdenesday centered a line tonight with two wings who didn't even play on Wednesday! I wasn't surprised to see no chemistry up fron tonight. Why Fitzgerald gets ice time when he is virtually invisible is ludicrous. He was on the ice for 2 of the 4 goals against. He is terrible defensively and contributes little to nothing on offense.
People in NJ whine about Lindy's line swaps for little to no reason. Dineen is worse!
On D Misyul played Wednesday but was scratched for MACKINNON!
It's like the nepotism rule is enforced regardless of its effects on the team.
*See post 684 and 686 to clear up the Hirano issue.
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UticaHockey
Registered User
@Bad Goalie Just FYI on Hirano. His call up was a paper transaction only so he could be loaned to the Japanese national team for a tournament. He previously joined the national team mid season when he was with the Abbotsford Canucks.
Louskoolaid89
Let's Go!!!
- Oct 14, 2017
- 3,090
- 3,842
I'm on the Adirondack bandwagon. I'm only about 90 mins away from Reading Pennsylvania and they are playing there tonight... Hopefully get go watch a Broduer in net. Yeah the ECHL is pretty much a taxi squad for the AHL and it's not the same as having the Trenton Devils to support but, I enjoy a nice road trip in my spare time.
Thank you for that info. That explains his absence from the picture.
It does, however, make the demotion of Middendorf to Adirondack in order to put Fitzgerald into the lineup ridiculous. In spite of Mid's limitations, he is much more effective than Fitzgerald.
Obviously 1st round dud, Stillman, had to be put back into the lineup just because. That makes Ibragimov and Engaras the Comets only extra forwards to work in and out with Fitz..
I wouldn't be surprised to see Timur sent to Adirondack again. That would leave 1 extra forward which is Dineen's most comfortable situation.
***
*** Now I see that Middendorf has been recalled today. I believe I saw Bowers come to the bench in considerable pain after blocking a hard shot off his wrist (I think it was him, but definitely somebody. That would slide Engaras back into the lineup. Hopefully, Dineen has seen enough of Fitzgerald in 3 of the last 4 games, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Comets take on Toronto again today at 5 pm. Another loss would put the Comets back on the hard chase again just to get back in the race. Having 4 teams above you makes the climb to the playoffs just that much more difficult. The Comets have to put a stop to the win 2-tree and then lose maybe 2-tree more pattern they have followed the whole season. Some consistency on the win side is the pattern they need to embrace.
I have my doubts. Simply put, these guys work hard and every now and then the work alone gets them a win, but as a whole they are not that good and wins don't happen without stellar netminding. They get it much more often from Poulter than from Schmid. I fear NJ.s experiences have scrambled his mind and he is playing with little confidence. He has to get those demons out of his head or his career is in jeopardy. All keepers have their down moments, but his have come in all 3 of his professional seasons and when they come, he is bad and the recovery time is lengthy. Teams don't have the time to wait on a goalie to work these issues out season after season. They move on to another guy. Both he and Daws have had this issue. Being young is part of it, but 3 seasons with time in the NHL is enough for NHL franchises to lose their patience.
I hope these guys can work it out because, in spite of their youth, the clock IS ticking.
Go and have some fun. Give us your assessment of Brodeur and any other Thunder players who might really impress you.
Louskoolaid89
Let's Go!!!
- Oct 14, 2017
- 3,090
- 3,842
Dammit no Broduer starting for the Thunder. Oh well fun it will be none the less.
- Dec 20, 2018
- 22,874
- 51,333
Yeah, Brodeur played last night, when the Thunder scored the tying goal with 4.2 seconds left.
Then they won it 4-3 in OT.
Then they won it 4-3 in OT.
Louskoolaid89
Let's Go!!!
- Oct 14, 2017
- 3,090
- 3,842
- Dec 20, 2018
- 22,874
- 51,333
Hot n’ Sexy Goaltending Pospect Action!
1st Period:
2nd Period:
3rd Period:
1st Period:
2nd Period:
3rd Period:
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Utica Comets 6 Toronto Marlies 5 (SO)
Comets blew a 5-3 3rd period lead.
Shootout saw Poulter stop the 2 Marlies who went first on brilliant sprawling saves.
Graeme Clarke scored on the first Comets shot and after Poulter's 2nd save, Justin Dowling delivered the winning blow.
It was the only thing Clarke got scoring wise all weekend. Pointless in regulation 2 nights in a row and the OT tonight as well.
Poulter wasn't exactly his normal wall-like self, but he was brilliant in the OT. He was the reason the game was still on after the Comets had to kill a 4 on 3 when Criscuolo was called for boarding.
The 4 on 4 that followed was in the Comets end for most of the final 2:16 with Poulter saving the day again on several occasions.
The Comets didn't have a SOG in the OT.
Then the shootout heroics.
I'll have more tomorrow. Have things to do tonight.
Comets blew a 5-3 3rd period lead.
Shootout saw Poulter stop the 2 Marlies who went first on brilliant sprawling saves.
Graeme Clarke scored on the first Comets shot and after Poulter's 2nd save, Justin Dowling delivered the winning blow.
It was the only thing Clarke got scoring wise all weekend. Pointless in regulation 2 nights in a row and the OT tonight as well.
Poulter wasn't exactly his normal wall-like self, but he was brilliant in the OT. He was the reason the game was still on after the Comets had to kill a 4 on 3 when Criscuolo was called for boarding.
The 4 on 4 that followed was in the Comets end for most of the final 2:16 with Poulter saving the day again on several occasions.
The Comets didn't have a SOG in the OT.
Then the shootout heroics.
I'll have more tomorrow. Have things to do tonight.
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- Dec 20, 2018
- 22,874
- 51,333
Hmmm… the highest scoring team in the ECHL Eastern Conference can’t score on goalie with a .874 SV.
Is @Louskoolaid89 a bad luck charm or an actual witch who cursed the Thunder?
Is @Louskoolaid89 a bad luck charm or an actual witch who cursed the Thunder?
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- May 1, 2011
- 133,725
- 63,611
Sounds like you're talking about the NHL Devils when Antti Raanta is the opponent!
Louskoolaid89
Let's Go!!!
- Oct 14, 2017
- 3,090
- 3,842
Didn't know ECHL went to 7 mins for the 3 on 3. Good game. I'm not a scout or try to be. Just saw good goaltending on both ends. Sitting by the glass isn't the best spot to watch any individual for an entire shift. Tough building for sure!
- Dec 20, 2018
- 22,874
- 51,333
Brennan’s shutout pulls up his SV% up to .911%.
With the win the Thunder are 30-8-5
UticaHockey
Registered User
Yikes. I 100% support wearing pink jerseys for breast cancer awareness night, rainbow jerseys for pride night, camo for military night etc... But please keep the ice white. That looks so distracting and hard to follow the puck.
- Dec 1, 2019
- 5,353
- 11,515
2/3/24
Toronto Marlies @ Utica Comets
Game recap.
Final Score -
Utica 6 Toronto 5 (SO)
Forwards:
15 Gambaedella/ 51 Criscuolo/ 92 Clarke
48 Middendorf/ 26 Schmelzer/ 24 Halonen
90 Ibragimov/ 10 Dowling/ 67 Parent
21 Durandeau/ 61 Stillman/ 79 Laberge
D-pairs:
83 Vilen/ 5 Russo
8 Hatakka/ 26 Wotherspoon
2 MacKinnon/ 2 Vukojevic
Goal - 1 Poulter
Scratches:
Schmid (BU)
Kallgren (H)
Fitzgerald (H)
Misyul (Inj)
Engaras (Inj)
Bowers (Inj)
SOG:
TOR - 5 13 8 6 = 32
UTC - 13 8 3 0 = 25
PP:
TOR - 1/4
UTC - 1/2
Scoring:
Ibragimov (6) from Russo (13) and Vilen (11)
Durandeau (4) from Stillman (6) and Vilen (12)
Middendorf (2) from Hatakka (8) and Schmelzer (19)
Dowling (9) from Parent (20) and Ibragimov (6)
Gambardella (7) from Russo (14) and Schmelzer (20)
OT
1st Round -
Alex Steeves > Poulter beautiful save!
Clarke > Scores!
2nd Round -
Kieffer Bellows > Poulter another big stop!
Dowling > Scores!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > GWG
COMETS WIN
3 *s
3 - Robert Mastrosimone (Toronto Marlies) 1 G 5th and tie goal/ 1 A
2 - Timur Ibragimov (Utica Comets) 1G / 1A
1 - Justin Dowling (Utica Comets) 1G + GWG in SO
Vilen ,Russo, and Schmelzer also had 2-point nights.
Once again Dineen put his forwards names into a hat and drew out his lineup. This one had some better chemistry, but actually the guys simply played a much more aggressive, hard skating physical game. Whenever they eased up, the Marlies ate them up.
If only this group had a few guys actually known to be shooting forwards that score, they could easily have had 12 goals. The number of times a Comet had the puck in his possession with empty net string at him only to shoot it high or wide or both, not to mention duffing the shot that then squiggled away from the net front were too numerous to keep track of thus, the lower number of SOG.
Clarke is an enigma. He cannot handle the puck to save his soul. Clarke carrying the puck is almost always a turnover and more than half of them are simply because he loses the puck on his own. Conversely, put him in an unchallenged scoring spot and the other Clarke appears. He can find the openings. HE can SCORE!
However, he has to just SHOOT it. Moving to get closer or get a better angle becomes problematic. Sometimes it works and other times it's like the rest of his puck handling. He loses control and wastes the opportunity. He would have a lot more goals than the 17 he has if this wasn't the case.
The Comets entered the weekend tied with Belleville for the basement with 41 points each
Rochester sat in 2nd with 44
Toronto sat at 3rd trailing by 1 - 43
Laval was 5th 1 behind TO - 42
Bellvile was tied with Utica in points - 41
Over the weekend:
Rochester and Laval split their back to back - 2 points each.
Belleville took both of their back to backs with Syracuse, but one was an OT win - 3 points.
Tornonto split with the Comets but got 3 points because Utica's win was OT-
TO 3points
Utica 2 points
End result:
Toronto 3rd - 46 Pts
Rochester 3rd - 46 Pts
Belleville 5th - 45 Pts
Laval 6th - 44 Pts
Utica now in the basement by themselves - 43 Pts, but still the same 3 points out of 2nd they were when the weekend began.
This Division is so muddled up by teams that can all beat each other and is likely to go this way for the rest of the season.
A problem will arise for some when their NHL team is dead and gon e for playoff hopes and will send down their papered AHL guys at a point when a couple late season wins can turn the standings all around. Those teams would be Ottawa, Columbus, Montreal, and Buffalo. NJ is not a shoein. However, did they paper anyone down?
Comets are idle until a back to back in Belleville next Friday and Saturday.
Toronto Marlies @ Utica Comets
Game recap.
Final Score -
Utica 6 Toronto 5 (SO)
Forwards:
15 Gambaedella/ 51 Criscuolo/ 92 Clarke
48 Middendorf/ 26 Schmelzer/ 24 Halonen
90 Ibragimov/ 10 Dowling/ 67 Parent
21 Durandeau/ 61 Stillman/ 79 Laberge
D-pairs:
83 Vilen/ 5 Russo
8 Hatakka/ 26 Wotherspoon
2 MacKinnon/ 2 Vukojevic
Goal - 1 Poulter
Scratches:
Schmid (BU)
Kallgren (H)
Fitzgerald (H)
Misyul (Inj)
Engaras (Inj)
Bowers (Inj)
SOG:
TOR - 5 13 8 6 = 32
UTC - 13 8 3 0 = 25
PP:
TOR - 1/4
UTC - 1/2
Scoring:
Ibragimov (6) from Russo (13) and Vilen (11)
Durandeau (4) from Stillman (6) and Vilen (12)
Middendorf (2) from Hatakka (8) and Schmelzer (19)
Dowling (9) from Parent (20) and Ibragimov (6)
Gambardella (7) from Russo (14) and Schmelzer (20)
OT
1st Round -
Alex Steeves > Poulter beautiful save!
Clarke > Scores!
2nd Round -
Kieffer Bellows > Poulter another big stop!
Dowling > Scores!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > GWG
COMETS WIN
3 *s
3 - Robert Mastrosimone (Toronto Marlies) 1 G 5th and tie goal/ 1 A
2 - Timur Ibragimov (Utica Comets) 1G / 1A
1 - Justin Dowling (Utica Comets) 1G + GWG in SO
Vilen ,Russo, and Schmelzer also had 2-point nights.
Once again Dineen put his forwards names into a hat and drew out his lineup. This one had some better chemistry, but actually the guys simply played a much more aggressive, hard skating physical game. Whenever they eased up, the Marlies ate them up.
If only this group had a few guys actually known to be shooting forwards that score, they could easily have had 12 goals. The number of times a Comet had the puck in his possession with empty net string at him only to shoot it high or wide or both, not to mention duffing the shot that then squiggled away from the net front were too numerous to keep track of thus, the lower number of SOG.
Clarke is an enigma. He cannot handle the puck to save his soul. Clarke carrying the puck is almost always a turnover and more than half of them are simply because he loses the puck on his own. Conversely, put him in an unchallenged scoring spot and the other Clarke appears. He can find the openings. HE can SCORE!
However, he has to just SHOOT it. Moving to get closer or get a better angle becomes problematic. Sometimes it works and other times it's like the rest of his puck handling. He loses control and wastes the opportunity. He would have a lot more goals than the 17 he has if this wasn't the case.
The Comets entered the weekend tied with Belleville for the basement with 41 points each
Rochester sat in 2nd with 44
Toronto sat at 3rd trailing by 1 - 43
Laval was 5th 1 behind TO - 42
Bellvile was tied with Utica in points - 41
Over the weekend:
Rochester and Laval split their back to back - 2 points each.
Belleville took both of their back to backs with Syracuse, but one was an OT win - 3 points.
Tornonto split with the Comets but got 3 points because Utica's win was OT-
TO 3points
Utica 2 points
End result:
Toronto 3rd - 46 Pts
Rochester 3rd - 46 Pts
Belleville 5th - 45 Pts
Laval 6th - 44 Pts
Utica now in the basement by themselves - 43 Pts, but still the same 3 points out of 2nd they were when the weekend began.
This Division is so muddled up by teams that can all beat each other and is likely to go this way for the rest of the season.
A problem will arise for some when their NHL team is dead and gon e for playoff hopes and will send down their papered AHL guys at a point when a couple late season wins can turn the standings all around. Those teams would be Ottawa, Columbus, Montreal, and Buffalo. NJ is not a shoein. However, did they paper anyone down?
Comets are idle until a back to back in Belleville next Friday and Saturday.
