2024-25 Utica Comets and ECHL thread
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Captain3rdLine
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If it was today, he will either be a Comet tomorrow afternoon or on his way to greener pastures and an NHL lineup.
Has a terrible + - and has been a penalty machine. My guess, rotating him out for one game.
Captain3rdLine
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Really he’s been that bad? Has he not been on the top pairing with Desimone?
I find him being rotated out for whoever Van dee Leest is to be pretty unlikely with them missing players but I haven’t been following much.
10/20/24 Utica Comets @ Toronto Marlies
4 p.m.
Forwards:
Hardman (39)/ Bowers (15)/ Stillman (61)
Foote (25)/ Dowling (10)/ Halonen (24)
Laberge (79)/ Engaras (16)/ Legare (11)
Willman (20)/ Schmelzer (26) Wendt (37)
D-Pairs:
White (6)/ DeSimone (57)
MacKinnon (3)/ Diotte (58)
van de Leest (55) Welinski (32)
Goal - Daws (50)
Toronto playing their 3rd game in 3 days.
After 10 minutes the SOG are 8-6 Marlies.
Marlie chances far outweigh the Comets, but Utica has had a couple chances in close while missing the net quite a few times already most notably Wendt from about 5 feet just off the left post rifled it wide to the opposite post.
4 p.m.
Forwards:
Hardman (39)/ Bowers (15)/ Stillman (61)
Foote (25)/ Dowling (10)/ Halonen (24)
Laberge (79)/ Engaras (16)/ Legare (11)
Willman (20)/ Schmelzer (26) Wendt (37)
D-Pairs:
White (6)/ DeSimone (57)
MacKinnon (3)/ Diotte (58)
van de Leest (55) Welinski (32)
Goal - Daws (50)
Toronto playing their 3rd game in 3 days.
After 10 minutes the SOG are 8-6 Marlies.
Marlie chances far outweigh the Comets, but Utica has had a couple chances in close while missing the net quite a few times already most notably Wendt from about 5 feet just off the left post rifled it wide to the opposite post.
Comets to the PP as Stillman is hooked from behind.
1 good chance and since cleared all the way down 3 straight times.
4 times.
5 times
6 times and it's over.
Terrible effort!
Toronto is turning this period around with real good opportunities they are blowing.
Marlies keeper Artur Akhtyamov is 2-0 with a 1.50 GAA and .955 Save%.
He makes a good stop and down the ice go the Marlies and score on a beautiful passing play.
Now Artur stones Stillman who is slashed on his effort.
Comets to PP #2.
Comets on the perimeter and missing the net when they do attempt a shot
Marlies control the puck in the Comets end on their PK.
Time runs out on period 1.
Marlies lead it 1-0
SOG 13-9 for the Marlies.
This is game #5 for the Marlies and they are 100% on their PK thus far and that number continues after killing 2 more today. 18 for 18 thus far.
1 good chance and since cleared all the way down 3 straight times.
4 times.
5 times
6 times and it's over.
Terrible effort!
Toronto is turning this period around with real good opportunities they are blowing.
Marlies keeper Artur Akhtyamov is 2-0 with a 1.50 GAA and .955 Save%.
He makes a good stop and down the ice go the Marlies and score on a beautiful passing play.
Now Artur stones Stillman who is slashed on his effort.
Comets to PP #2.
Comets on the perimeter and missing the net when they do attempt a shot
Marlies control the puck in the Comets end on their PK.
Time runs out on period 1.
Marlies lead it 1-0
SOG 13-9 for the Marlies.
This is game #5 for the Marlies and they are 100% on their PK thus far and that number continues after killing 2 more today. 18 for 18 thus far.
Period 2 is underway
No Danill Misyul and the Marlies PBP wouldn't be interested in saying why the Utica scratches are out. I checked with the NJ media releases and haven't seen a report on a recall.
Did a NJ D-man get hurt last night?
TO continues to win puck battles which gives them a lot more puck possession. Willman backhander off the post.
TO comes right back and scores again. The same line as the 1st goal. Another passing play and the goal scorer was left all alone at the bottom of the circle on the cross ice pass and Daws had zero chance. Cedric Parre, the recipient of both final passe, has both goals.
Comets draw penalty #3 as Nylander is called for hooking.
PP #3 and they need to score on these opportunities.
Now on the PP they take a too many men penalty !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 on 4 for a bit .DeSimone shot from the slot gloved as the Marlies returned to full strength.
Short PP for the Marlies. TO turns the Comet D inside out on 2 rushes in a row. MacKinnon the victim of the first one which was a full spinarama on the rush below the circle and his backhand shot was wide.
The next guy down low walked a defender and Daws stopped that one. Didn't catch the # of the Utica d-man as i was typing when it happened. Those plays came form 2 length of the ice rushes.
Delayed call coming on the Comets. Good puck control, but lost control in close.
Comets to the PK. Not looking forward to this. The skill level of these guys is very good. Marlies taking a lot of time in a couple of on ice meeting discussing their plans.
50 seconds gone and White finally clears it down. Marlies change and come out as a group. Almosr Off sides giving the Comets a chance to clear.
PK successful..
Toronto right back in. The Comets have been on their heels the better part of this period, inside 7 minute to go.
Shots are 7-1 Marlies.
Comets back to the PP. The only chance the Comets are getting this period are PPs except for the backhanderoff the post by Willman moving past the goal that the Marlies used to launch a rush that turned into a goal.
Foote completely blows a one timer chance.
Marlie keeper makes a great stop in a net front scramble.
PP is over 20 for 20 on the season.
Foote blows a toe drag losing possession in the circle. This guy make so many flubs and misses. Not hard to see how this guy's future is being pissed away. Instead of coming down and busting his ass to make thingds happen, he just continues to slide down the cliff.
The rest of the Comets aren't much better.
As the 2nd nears the end the Comets have had 4 shots on goal. this period.
End of the 2nd
2-0 Toronto
SOG 8-4 Toronto
No Danill Misyul and the Marlies PBP wouldn't be interested in saying why the Utica scratches are out. I checked with the NJ media releases and haven't seen a report on a recall.
Did a NJ D-man get hurt last night?
TO continues to win puck battles which gives them a lot more puck possession. Willman backhander off the post.
TO comes right back and scores again. The same line as the 1st goal. Another passing play and the goal scorer was left all alone at the bottom of the circle on the cross ice pass and Daws had zero chance. Cedric Parre, the recipient of both final passe, has both goals.
Comets draw penalty #3 as Nylander is called for hooking.
PP #3 and they need to score on these opportunities.
Now on the PP they take a too many men penalty !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 on 4 for a bit .DeSimone shot from the slot gloved as the Marlies returned to full strength.
Short PP for the Marlies. TO turns the Comet D inside out on 2 rushes in a row. MacKinnon the victim of the first one which was a full spinarama on the rush below the circle and his backhand shot was wide.
The next guy down low walked a defender and Daws stopped that one. Didn't catch the # of the Utica d-man as i was typing when it happened. Those plays came form 2 length of the ice rushes.
Delayed call coming on the Comets. Good puck control, but lost control in close.
Comets to the PK. Not looking forward to this. The skill level of these guys is very good. Marlies taking a lot of time in a couple of on ice meeting discussing their plans.
50 seconds gone and White finally clears it down. Marlies change and come out as a group. Almosr Off sides giving the Comets a chance to clear.
PK successful..
Toronto right back in. The Comets have been on their heels the better part of this period, inside 7 minute to go.
Shots are 7-1 Marlies.
Comets back to the PP. The only chance the Comets are getting this period are PPs except for the backhanderoff the post by Willman moving past the goal that the Marlies used to launch a rush that turned into a goal.
Foote completely blows a one timer chance.
Marlie keeper makes a great stop in a net front scramble.
PP is over 20 for 20 on the season.
Foote blows a toe drag losing possession in the circle. This guy make so many flubs and misses. Not hard to see how this guy's future is being pissed away. Instead of coming down and busting his ass to make thingds happen, he just continues to slide down the cliff.
The rest of the Comets aren't much better.
As the 2nd nears the end the Comets have had 4 shots on goal. this period.
End of the 2nd
2-0 Toronto
SOG 8-4 Toronto
3rd is under way
Comets go to the PK
Halonen 2 for hooking.
Daws a big stop.
Nylander all alone standing still at the left circle hash mark and he takes his time and buries it. No Comet in sight.
Nylander 5 goals in 5 games.
PPG at 4:19
3-0 Toronto
12 minutes to go and the Comets have taken 2 shots. This team is dumbfounded vs a team that can skate, pass the puck, and hound the puck.
9:30 to go and the Comets just got yheir 3rd shot of the period.
7:10 to go and Comets get shot #4.
Congrats due to the Gambardellas on the birth of their new daughter. Something good to post!!!
Marlies to the PP as MacKinnon drags down a Marlie from behind who cuts across in front of him and goes towards the center of the slot. Will is beaten badly and has no recourse but to reach out as he goes by and trips him.
25 seconds later the Marlies strike again for their 2nd PP of the period and it's 4-0 and this one is lng gone over with 5:02 to go.
The goals these guys have scoed have been scored by guys with very little interference from any Comet.
When the Comets cross the blueline they go completely braindead. They have no idea of what they are going to do. The puck carrier has no plan, the guys with him don't know where to go, how to find open ice, how to clear lanes for their mate, should I shoot or pass? The pass attempts are feeble. The shots are more often blocked or deflected. They flub attempts, whiff on shot attempts, miss the net when they do get it off and more often than not that shot is the end of that offensive effort as the opponent moves up ice.
The final horn goes and it's another L in the column. They did not get a shot in the last 7 minutes. The last 4 minutes was spent with the Marlies swarming all over the Comets zone.
Final score 4-0
SOG 13-4 Marlies
game total 34-17 Marlies
There doesn't appear to be any magic fix to this situation. There is so much wrong with this team and DiNeen has no idea how to fix any of it.
They are slow.
They are poor passers.
They don't handle the puck well.
They are all over the ice defensively and leave guys wide open for point blank shots.
If there was a hockey IQ test I shudder to think how poorly they would score.
Their shot totals over the course of every game periiod by period are terrible vs the number they surrender. SOG are not the fault of the goalies.
The keepers this year will not have good numbers if this is the way they will be abandoned and people in NJ will be blaming the golies and the GM who acquired them. They will play an extrodinary game here and there, but no goalie can hold the fort when the help they get is little to nonexistent.
Comets go to the PK
Halonen 2 for hooking.
Daws a big stop.
Nylander all alone standing still at the left circle hash mark and he takes his time and buries it. No Comet in sight.
Nylander 5 goals in 5 games.
PPG at 4:19
3-0 Toronto
12 minutes to go and the Comets have taken 2 shots. This team is dumbfounded vs a team that can skate, pass the puck, and hound the puck.
9:30 to go and the Comets just got yheir 3rd shot of the period.
7:10 to go and Comets get shot #4.
Congrats due to the Gambardellas on the birth of their new daughter. Something good to post!!!
Marlies to the PP as MacKinnon drags down a Marlie from behind who cuts across in front of him and goes towards the center of the slot. Will is beaten badly and has no recourse but to reach out as he goes by and trips him.
25 seconds later the Marlies strike again for their 2nd PP of the period and it's 4-0 and this one is lng gone over with 5:02 to go.
The goals these guys have scoed have been scored by guys with very little interference from any Comet.
When the Comets cross the blueline they go completely braindead. They have no idea of what they are going to do. The puck carrier has no plan, the guys with him don't know where to go, how to find open ice, how to clear lanes for their mate, should I shoot or pass? The pass attempts are feeble. The shots are more often blocked or deflected. They flub attempts, whiff on shot attempts, miss the net when they do get it off and more often than not that shot is the end of that offensive effort as the opponent moves up ice.
The final horn goes and it's another L in the column. They did not get a shot in the last 7 minutes. The last 4 minutes was spent with the Marlies swarming all over the Comets zone.
Final score 4-0
SOG 13-4 Marlies
game total 34-17 Marlies
There doesn't appear to be any magic fix to this situation. There is so much wrong with this team and DiNeen has no idea how to fix any of it.
They are slow.
They are poor passers.
They don't handle the puck well.
They are all over the ice defensively and leave guys wide open for point blank shots.
If there was a hockey IQ test I shudder to think how poorly they would score.
Their shot totals over the course of every game periiod by period are terrible vs the number they surrender. SOG are not the fault of the goalies.
The keepers this year will not have good numbers if this is the way they will be abandoned and people in NJ will be blaming the golies and the GM who acquired them. They will play an extrodinary game here and there, but no goalie can hold the fort when the help they get is little to nonexistent.
NJ has no one left to send down up front. The forwards here are the best they have to offer since Beckman was waived today. He's not going to resurrect this offense. He will have to saddle up with any 2 of the guys who have been doing nothing. No forward has stood out with exemplary play.
Defensively there's Vilen and Hatakka. That at least sits MacKinnon and van de Leest who stunk up the ice tonight. Welinski would be released if this team had a soild D-corps but currently they don't. Maybe when Pesce and Luke are both healthy someone else is sent down rather than playing very little or even healthy scratched. I don't know how much help they can be with the mess the rest of this team is.
4 games played.
Shut out 2X.
1 GF 1X
4 GF when a young Bellevile team was aked to shut down a team after mounting a big lead. The Sen's coach better not ask that swarming offensive team to put the breaks on again until he has really coached a serious shut down system into their brains.
128 shots allowed. 32 shots/game.
Daws 11 GA /4.48 GAA / .842 SV%
Poulter 6 GA /3.98 GAA / .876 SV%
SOG for the Comets through the 4 games 86 - 23shots/game
You have to see the shots the opponents have had vs those credited to the Comets. Then you have to add in the number of incrdible great chances the opponnets have had that didn't end up with a shot on goal. The Comets have been extremely lucky to have only given uo the number of sahots on net that they have. They have been run out of the biulding in every game except for the 3rd period in Belleville.
Either DiNeen has some coaching chops he hasn't shown in his time here or this season is cooked. The players are who they are and none have decided not to play, but they have simply not had the ability to shut down the opponent's offense nor mount any kind of serious game challenging efforts against them. I don't see any miracle turn around in the future. Vegas picked the Comets as cellar dwellers. They are not famous for being wrong. Even if they miss by a slot, it means the Comets will be playing golf when the rest of the Division is playing in the playoffs.
I'll keep watching and attending the home games. I am a die hard who will shake my head, curse, and grumble while hoping for that miracle ,but I won't hold my breath.
Defensively there's Vilen and Hatakka. That at least sits MacKinnon and van de Leest who stunk up the ice tonight. Welinski would be released if this team had a soild D-corps but currently they don't. Maybe when Pesce and Luke are both healthy someone else is sent down rather than playing very little or even healthy scratched. I don't know how much help they can be with the mess the rest of this team is.
4 games played.
Shut out 2X.
1 GF 1X
4 GF when a young Bellevile team was aked to shut down a team after mounting a big lead. The Sen's coach better not ask that swarming offensive team to put the breaks on again until he has really coached a serious shut down system into their brains.
128 shots allowed. 32 shots/game.
Daws 11 GA /4.48 GAA / .842 SV%
Poulter 6 GA /3.98 GAA / .876 SV%
SOG for the Comets through the 4 games 86 - 23shots/game
You have to see the shots the opponents have had vs those credited to the Comets. Then you have to add in the number of incrdible great chances the opponnets have had that didn't end up with a shot on goal. The Comets have been extremely lucky to have only given uo the number of sahots on net that they have. They have been run out of the biulding in every game except for the 3rd period in Belleville.
Either DiNeen has some coaching chops he hasn't shown in his time here or this season is cooked. The players are who they are and none have decided not to play, but they have simply not had the ability to shut down the opponent's offense nor mount any kind of serious game challenging efforts against them. I don't see any miracle turn around in the future. Vegas picked the Comets as cellar dwellers. They are not famous for being wrong. Even if they miss by a slot, it means the Comets will be playing golf when the rest of the Division is playing in the playoffs.
I'll keep watching and attending the home games. I am a die hard who will shake my head, curse, and grumble while hoping for that miracle ,but I won't hold my breath.
van de Leest is the only extra and he's in and Daniil is out. This new flo hockey gives you every AHL game but you get the PBP from the home team. That's been my experience thus far. if anyone has a way I can change that, let me know. I don't like Shaya's game calling, but you get the skinny he has as to why players are out.
Yeah, he hasn't been great, but I defy you to tell me who has been.
Captain3rdLine
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I actually liked him in the season opener. Just pointing out a couple reasons he could be a healthy scratch.
No. That's what I said. Why would the Toronto PBP say why Misyul was out. He's not a a Marlie. They didn't even mention the Comets scratches.
He is the best D-man they have save DeSimone.
They have all been less than good. Not a man on that roster has had a single great game. The closest might have been Daws today.
Captain3rdLine
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Ya it seems highly unlikely he’s a healthy scratch. Which is why I was wondering if he’s possibly been called up. Or he just has an injury that hasn’t been mentioned yet
Captain3rdLine
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10/21/24
Daniil Misyul recalled to N.J.
Seamus Casey assigned to Utica.
Adam Beckman cleared waivers and was assigned to Utica.
Both Beckman and Casey should put a little pop into the currently anemic Utica offense. Utica is 0-4 and have been shut out twice and scored only 1 in another of those 4 games.
Next up Laval in Laval on Friday and back home in Utica to take on Laval in the 2nd half of a home and home. Laval is 3-1 tied for 2nd in the North Division. The Comets are dead last and are the only team without a win.
Daniil Misyul recalled to N.J.
Seamus Casey assigned to Utica.
Adam Beckman cleared waivers and was assigned to Utica.
Both Beckman and Casey should put a little pop into the currently anemic Utica offense. Utica is 0-4 and have been shut out twice and scored only 1 in another of those 4 games.
Next up Laval in Laval on Friday and back home in Utica to take on Laval in the 2nd half of a home and home. Laval is 3-1 tied for 2nd in the North Division. The Comets are dead last and are the only team without a win.
Jersey Fan 12
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Is the number of drafted prospects on the Comets a negative commentary on the Devils' amateur scouting or is this fairly common across the AHL?
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I think you're asking our Utica folks rather than the whole board, but I'll take a stab anyway.
I think it depends.
1. Best Devils picks are in the NHL (Hughes, Hughes, Mercer, Nemec)
2. Devils have drafted from Europe / KHL, so Hameenaho, Malek, Orlov, Karpovich are overseas
3. Devils have traded a couple of prospects / picks (Mukhamadullin, Holtz, 2023 1st)
4. The remaining North American Devils prospects (e.g., Stillman, Foote, Vilen, Misyul) could be NHLers, but are more likely to be complementary players.
Given all the factors, I doubt that there is a "typical" AHL team.
It's a bit of both, but there are many teams that are loaded with prospects and players who may have lost their prospect promises, but are still products of that team's drafting.
Comets opened up at home vs the Syracuse Crunch and were shut out 5-0. The Crunch had 8 Tampa draft selections on the roster. Syracuse is always well taken care of by the Lightning. When the home grown numbers are down they do their best to bring in quality players with former draft selections from other NHL teams and historically quality AHL players. They were fast, physical, and skilled up and down the roster.
The Comets played the Rochester Americans in the 2nd game of this season. 10 forwards on their roster were Buffalo draft picks and one was an Edmonton 5th rounder acquired by Buffalo in a trade and 3 of the D were also Buffalo draft selections. They were fast, aggressive, and passed well. Comets were unable to muster much of anything as they couldn't skate with them and their passing was horrid. Shots they did get were 1 and done and not verydangerous. SOG 40-20 and the Comets had only 2 in the 1st. 4-1 Rochester.
1 goal in the 1st 2 games.
The Belleville Senators had 10 Ottawa draft selections. The problem in this game was that the Sens skated the Comets out of the building. Comets manged 5 shots in the 1st and 6 in the 2nd. Ottawa built a 5-2 lead in the 3rd and the coach tried to get them to shut it down. The Comets got 2 PP goals and made it 5-4. Coach changed his mind and let them loose. In a game the Comets only needed 1 goal to tie it up, their effort to kick it up a couple notches and push for that goal spent the better part of the last 5 minutes trying to survive in their own zone as the Sens played the same way they played in the 1st and the Comets could not compete.
Finally, on Sunday the Comets were manhandled by the skill set and the skating of the Marlies. Outshot 34-17, they were actually embarrassed 4-0. Even more than Syracuse the Marlies stack their AHL rosters with outside talent and bring in a few Europeans every season. There were 9 Maple Leaf selections on the roster.
After looking like they could score some goals on Saturday, they went right out the next day and were shut out again.
Comets 0-4, dead last in the North Division and the only team of the 7 without a win.
It's not the number of Jersey draft selections on the roster that is the problem, but a combination of the Jersey forwards who are there are not that talented and the outsiders NJ has provided proved last season that they had their problems and the newbies joining them have not impressed either. The major flaw of this roster is the lack of speed and coupled with weak puck skills they are at a major disadvantage the second the puck is dropped. The best talent is in the D-corps with Misyul and Vilen (yet to play a game). Casey will help, but his problems in NJ were in his own end. DeSimone is not a bad player either. Diotte and MacKinnon are struggling big time and Welinski plain and simple can't handle the speed. van de Leest cannot compete.
The D's problem is the forwards lack of good defensive zone play and the fact that it's like every rush comes in with speed and the backcheckers don't get the odd man or two while the defenders are trying to cope with what is coming at them shift after shift and it turns into multiple high level scoring chances on every shift. There always seems to be one guy totally unchecked who is available to wire shots at the keeper who has to be moving to get to where the shot is coming from and rebounds seem to always belong to the enemy.
At the moment it appears this is not a good group of forwards and the end result is not easy to watch.
Last edited:
10/25/24
Daniil Misyul was returned to the Comets by NJ today. Not known if they sent him to Laval yesterday at some point or if he will be unavailable to the Comets tonight.
Seamus Casey and Adam Beckman should make their Comets debuts.
DiNeen stated on TV news last night that the team needs to play better, control the puck better, and engage more in the game. Wow, he can actually see some things that have to change immediately or this team is the highway to AHL oblivion.
Have to admit that Casey and Misyul both in the lineup would be a step in the right direction. Have to assume White and DeSimone with lots of AHL veteran experience could also step up their efforts. That leaves DiNeen with the task of deciding who the last 2 will be from Welinski, MacKinnon, Diotte, and van de Leest.
My guess is we don't see Daniil until tomorrow, van de Leest will be scratched, and the other 3 will play. That's 4 RD and 2 LD. Tomorrow Misyul becomes 3 LD and and one of those RD sits. I'd let Diote take a seat for the night and see how it goes.
7 o'clock tonight in Laval. Comets win their 1st of the season or the opening season winless streak extends to 5 and images of 2013-14 start to resurface in the minds of the Utica faithful. They lost 10 straight to open that season!
Daniil Misyul was returned to the Comets by NJ today. Not known if they sent him to Laval yesterday at some point or if he will be unavailable to the Comets tonight.
Seamus Casey and Adam Beckman should make their Comets debuts.
DiNeen stated on TV news last night that the team needs to play better, control the puck better, and engage more in the game. Wow, he can actually see some things that have to change immediately or this team is the highway to AHL oblivion.
Have to admit that Casey and Misyul both in the lineup would be a step in the right direction. Have to assume White and DeSimone with lots of AHL veteran experience could also step up their efforts. That leaves DiNeen with the task of deciding who the last 2 will be from Welinski, MacKinnon, Diotte, and van de Leest.
My guess is we don't see Daniil until tomorrow, van de Leest will be scratched, and the other 3 will play. That's 4 RD and 2 LD. Tomorrow Misyul becomes 3 LD and and one of those RD sits. I'd let Diote take a seat for the night and see how it goes.
7 o'clock tonight in Laval. Comets win their 1st of the season or the opening season winless streak extends to 5 and images of 2013-14 start to resurface in the minds of the Utica faithful. They lost 10 straight to open that season!
