RECAP
4/21/24
Rochester Americans @ Utica Comets
Final score - Rochester 3 Utica 2
Forwards:
67 Parent/ 26 Schmelzer/ 51 Criscuolo
79 Laberge/ 16 Engaras/ 11 Legare
24 Halonen/ 10 Dowling/ 92 Clarke
19 Fitzgerald/ 14 Bowers/ 37 Wendt
D-Pairs:
3 MacKinnon/ 23 Wotherspoon
8 Hatakka/ 5 Russo
93 Misyul/ 2 Vokojevic
Goal - 50 Daws
Scratches:
Schmid (BU)
Kallgren (H)
Stevens (H)
Malone (H)
Vilen (H)
Osmanski (H)
Gambardella (INJ)
Willman (INJ)
Stillman (INJ)
Period 1
0-0
SOG:
7-5 Rochester
Period 2
Rochester scored first at 2:24 of the period.
Utica struck back to tie it up at 8:12 on Graeme Clarke's 25th of the season.
Utica took a 2-1 lead at 10:33 when Dowling sent home a perfect Criscuolo centering pass. Dowling was straight up with Devon Levi in the low slot and beat him clean. It was PP goal #40 for the Comets.
The period ended that way, 2-1 Comets.
Period 3
The Amerks swarmed form the opening faceoff of the 3rd and the Comets were on their heels. Why they didn't expect a considerable uptick from the Amerks who had to have this game for a chance at clinching the North Division title was beyond me.
Their effort was successful as they scored at 5:35 to tie it up and 30 seconds later scored again at 6:05 to take what would be a winning 3-2 lead.
The Comets were kept off the score sheet by a combined defensive effort and the work of Levi.
Utica managed to put 15 shots on goal, but to no avail.
Final score 3-2 Rochester.
SOG:
ROC - 7 14 5 = 26
UTC - 5 13 15 = 33
PP:
ROC - 0/3
UTC - 1/2
Scoring
Clarke (25) from Hatakka (15) and Dowling (26)
Dowling (14) from Criscuolo (26) PP
Nico Daws 23/26
3*s
3 - Graeme Clarke (Utica Comets) 1 G
2 - Justin Dowling (Utica Comets) 1 G / 1 A
1 - Isak Rosen (Rochester Americans) 2 G
NJ Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald was in attendance tonight. He was wearing a very nice blue suit, pale blue dress shirt, no tie. To the NJ poster who said Fitz needed to get another sport coat, the suit he wore for us looked very good).
Nolan Stevens, last night's star of the game in the Comets 5-1 win over Syracuse, was scratched in favor of Ryan Fitzgerald. Maybe because daddy was going to be here? Comets were out of it and and just finishing up a poor season. Fitz either came to see his son play, as many surmised or as I was thinking, checking out the best Comets on NHL deals that he might be able to toss into some of his upcoming lesser trade deals. Those guys would be Clarke, Halonen, Hatakka, Misyul, and Daws.
Schmid and Vilen, both healthy healthy scratches, would also be in that mix.
Comets broadcaster Jason Shaya reported last night in Syracuse that several well known hockey people were in the building. Perhaps Fitz was one of them doing the same thing I have been thinking. In which case he got to watch Schmid (37 saves of 39 shots) and Vilen (assists 26, 27, & 28) last night.