2024-25 Utica Comets and ECHL thread
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Forge
Blissfully Mediocre
Nemec seems to be coming alive offensive at least. Second three point night in the last few games?
Devils731
Registered User
- Jun 23, 2008
- 13,461
- 19,928
Definitely feels better now that he’s doing things like this.
Forge
Blissfully Mediocre
Up to 5 points tonight now
- Dec 20, 2018
- 23,238
- 52,840
Two views of Nemec’s 1st goal.
So hot.
So hot.
I was gonna let you in on the game, but @Guttersniped and @uticacomets have given you the main results.
Let me give you the scoring:
Period 1
12:48 Willman (2) from Bowers (7) and White (10)
14:00 Foote (9) from Nemec (9) and Strand (2 with Utica/ 5 overall) PP
Period 2
5:06 Stillman (3) from Foote (12) and Vilen (6)
The WolfPack scored the next 3 goals (including a SHG) and tied it up at 3-3.
13:01 Nemec (4) from Bowers (8) and Parent (8)
Period 3
1:33 Nemec (5) from Beckman (14) and Gambardella (4)
11:42 Willman (3) from Hardman (5) and Nemec (10)
16:50 Parent (4) From Engaras (4) and Nemec (11)
Daws 25/28
SOG:
HFD - 11 11 6 = 28
UTC - 13 7 9 = 29
PP:
HFD 0/2
UTC 1/3
3 *s:
#3 - Nolan Foote (Utica Comets) 1G/1A
#2 - Max Willman (Utica Comets) 2G
#1 - Simon Nemec (Utica Comets) 2G/3A
Nemec - 5 Pts
Foote - 2Pts
Willman - 2Pts
Parent - 2 Pts
Bowers - 2Pts
a
After tonight (1/15) Comets schedule coming up is brutal.
1/17 Laval Rocket@ Utica Aud 7 pm
1/18 Utica @ Laval Rocket
1/20 Utica @ Syracuse Crunch 1 pm
1/22 Bridgeport @ Utica Aud 7 pm
1/24 Wilkes/Barre Scranton Penguins @ Utica
1/25 Utica @t Wilkes/Barre Scranton Penguins 6:05 pm
3days off and then:
1/29 Utica @ Rochester Americans7:05
1/31 Belleville Senators @ Utica Aud 7 pm
2/1 Utica @ Bellville Senators
Comets at 10-18-2-2/24 Pts are currently 17 Pts behind 4th/5th place Toronto and Syracuse tied at 41 Pts each. 5th place is the final playoff spot.. A monumental task to even consider. Those upcoming 9 games could bury them with no possible way out. That's of course if the optimists among the Utica fan base could even think it possible. I'd dream it, but realistically hope NJ sees the errors in their ways and makes an effort to build a better team in Utica next season. This current squad is underwhelming despite the little uprisings they have before dumping a few in a row every time. We won't even go back to how many they had to lose before even winning their 1st.
Let me give you the scoring:
Period 1
12:48 Willman (2) from Bowers (7) and White (10)
14:00 Foote (9) from Nemec (9) and Strand (2 with Utica/ 5 overall) PP
Period 2
5:06 Stillman (3) from Foote (12) and Vilen (6)
The WolfPack scored the next 3 goals (including a SHG) and tied it up at 3-3.
13:01 Nemec (4) from Bowers (8) and Parent (8)
Period 3
1:33 Nemec (5) from Beckman (14) and Gambardella (4)
11:42 Willman (3) from Hardman (5) and Nemec (10)
16:50 Parent (4) From Engaras (4) and Nemec (11)
Daws 25/28
SOG:
HFD - 11 11 6 = 28
UTC - 13 7 9 = 29
PP:
HFD 0/2
UTC 1/3
3 *s:
#3 - Nolan Foote (Utica Comets) 1G/1A
#2 - Max Willman (Utica Comets) 2G
#1 - Simon Nemec (Utica Comets) 2G/3A
Nemec - 5 Pts
Foote - 2Pts
Willman - 2Pts
Parent - 2 Pts
Bowers - 2Pts
a
After tonight (1/15) Comets schedule coming up is brutal.
1/17 Laval Rocket@ Utica Aud 7 pm
1/18 Utica @ Laval Rocket
1/20 Utica @ Syracuse Crunch 1 pm
1/22 Bridgeport @ Utica Aud 7 pm
1/24 Wilkes/Barre Scranton Penguins @ Utica
1/25 Utica @t Wilkes/Barre Scranton Penguins 6:05 pm
3days off and then:
1/29 Utica @ Rochester Americans7:05
1/31 Belleville Senators @ Utica Aud 7 pm
2/1 Utica @ Bellville Senators
Comets at 10-18-2-2/24 Pts are currently 17 Pts behind 4th/5th place Toronto and Syracuse tied at 41 Pts each. 5th place is the final playoff spot.. A monumental task to even consider. Those upcoming 9 games could bury them with no possible way out. That's of course if the optimists among the Utica fan base could even think it possible. I'd dream it, but realistically hope NJ sees the errors in their ways and makes an effort to build a better team in Utica next season. This current squad is underwhelming despite the little uprisings they have before dumping a few in a row every time. We won't even go back to how many they had to lose before even winning their 1st.
NJ DevLolz
The Many Saints of Newark
- Sep 30, 2017
- 4,775
- 5,801
Good but his net front play is still weak.
Tonight I watched him actually HIT players standing at the Comets net front. That was something new.
1/15/25 - NONE
1/16/25 - NONE
1/17/25 - NONE
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You will probably see more of that as his confidence grows.
1/17/25
Laval Rocket at Utica Comets
Final Score -
Laval 3 Utica 2
SOG:
LAV - 12 9 7 = 28
UTC - 5 10 10 = 25
PPS:
LAV - 0/2
UTC - 2/2
Scoring:
Schmelzer (6) from Willman (9) and Nemec (12) PP 2:54 of the 1st
Schmelzer redirected a centering pass from Willman into the net while driving to the net with a Rocket player applying physical pressure from behind.
Schmelzer (7) from Nemec (13) and Willman (10) 5:44 of the 2nd
Slapshot by Nemec stopped , but Schmelzer parked to the right of Primeau roofed the rebound.
Logan Mailloux broke the ice for Laval at 13:34 of the 2nd
Florian Xhekaj tied the game at 10:52 of the 3rd with on a shot on the ice directly at Daws, who reached his stick forward to and tipped it up into his own net. All he had to do was stope it at his feet and drop on it or deflect it to the far corner. Not a good goal.
Owen Beck scored the game winner at 15:00 of the 3rd. He had the puck moving down the middle and moved to his left. Daws over compensated and when Beck moved back to his right, Daws simply went to his knees in the middle of the crease and the shot went high to Beck's right for goal # 3.
Comets record now stands at 10-19-2-2.
The Comets played a very controlled game vs a a very fast, good skating team. They tried to front every puck carrier, played his body, and either forced him to give up the puck or angled him wide to the boards or corner. If the guy made a pass under the pressure, another Comet did the same to that Rocket recipient. Once a Comet gained the slighest bit of control, the goal was to simply move the puck away from trouble as soon as they touched it. It was an excellent game plan.
They spent as little time as possible in their own end against a fierce forechecking opponent. It was break up the Rocket thrust, get the puck out with a good 1st pass, up the ice, and then either carried it into the zone if they had open ice or fired it hard into the Rocket end and forechecked themselves. If that 1st pass wasn't there, there was no screwing around in their own end, they shot it up the ice into open space and then compted for It. If it was icing, fine. Live to fight another day.
They also resorted to long flip clears and then raced the Rockets for the puck or had already broke for the flip and beat their opponent to it, got it into the Rocket end, and it sometimes resulted in some offensive pressure of their own. The intention of the flip was to get the puck out of their own zone, up the ice where a fight for possession may end up a benefit to themselves. If they didn't get posssession the Rocket woulfd have to reset and try to bring it back while all the time the Comets were harassing evrey Rocket with the puck. The flips also were not intended to be hard enough to get called for icing.
They were very physical and delivered lots of checks all over the ice, some of which left their check down on the ice. If not down and out, the hits broke up the efforts of Rocket player after Rocket player. It wreaked havoc on their puck control game.
I have to believe if they played this style all season, the results would have been better than where they stand right now.
Noone knows what Comets team will show up from game to game. The inconsistency of these guys is astounding. Parent has had them playing much better and you can see improvement. The team seems to be playing for each other and you can't ask for much more than that. Only if they had better puck skills. A lot of their chances that come up empty would translate to goals so their average of 2/game would be higher and the win column would reflect it.
Both teams were boarding buses after the game heading for Laval for a 7 pm rematch tomorrow night.
Laval Rocket at Utica Comets
Final Score -
Laval 3 Utica 2
SOG:
LAV - 12 9 7 = 28
UTC - 5 10 10 = 25
PPS:
LAV - 0/2
UTC - 2/2
Scoring:
Schmelzer (6) from Willman (9) and Nemec (12) PP 2:54 of the 1st
Schmelzer redirected a centering pass from Willman into the net while driving to the net with a Rocket player applying physical pressure from behind.
Schmelzer (7) from Nemec (13) and Willman (10) 5:44 of the 2nd
Slapshot by Nemec stopped , but Schmelzer parked to the right of Primeau roofed the rebound.
Logan Mailloux broke the ice for Laval at 13:34 of the 2nd
Florian Xhekaj tied the game at 10:52 of the 3rd with on a shot on the ice directly at Daws, who reached his stick forward to and tipped it up into his own net. All he had to do was stope it at his feet and drop on it or deflect it to the far corner. Not a good goal.
Owen Beck scored the game winner at 15:00 of the 3rd. He had the puck moving down the middle and moved to his left. Daws over compensated and when Beck moved back to his right, Daws simply went to his knees in the middle of the crease and the shot went high to Beck's right for goal # 3.
Comets record now stands at 10-19-2-2.
The Comets played a very controlled game vs a a very fast, good skating team. They tried to front every puck carrier, played his body, and either forced him to give up the puck or angled him wide to the boards or corner. If the guy made a pass under the pressure, another Comet did the same to that Rocket recipient. Once a Comet gained the slighest bit of control, the goal was to simply move the puck away from trouble as soon as they touched it. It was an excellent game plan.
They spent as little time as possible in their own end against a fierce forechecking opponent. It was break up the Rocket thrust, get the puck out with a good 1st pass, up the ice, and then either carried it into the zone if they had open ice or fired it hard into the Rocket end and forechecked themselves. If that 1st pass wasn't there, there was no screwing around in their own end, they shot it up the ice into open space and then compted for It. If it was icing, fine. Live to fight another day.
They also resorted to long flip clears and then raced the Rockets for the puck or had already broke for the flip and beat their opponent to it, got it into the Rocket end, and it sometimes resulted in some offensive pressure of their own. The intention of the flip was to get the puck out of their own zone, up the ice where a fight for possession may end up a benefit to themselves. If they didn't get posssession the Rocket woulfd have to reset and try to bring it back while all the time the Comets were harassing evrey Rocket with the puck. The flips also were not intended to be hard enough to get called for icing.
They were very physical and delivered lots of checks all over the ice, some of which left their check down on the ice. If not down and out, the hits broke up the efforts of Rocket player after Rocket player. It wreaked havoc on their puck control game.
I have to believe if they played this style all season, the results would have been better than where they stand right now.
Noone knows what Comets team will show up from game to game. The inconsistency of these guys is astounding. Parent has had them playing much better and you can see improvement. The team seems to be playing for each other and you can't ask for much more than that. Only if they had better puck skills. A lot of their chances that come up empty would translate to goals so their average of 2/game would be higher and the win column would reflect it.
Both teams were boarding buses after the game heading for Laval for a 7 pm rematch tomorrow night.
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It has to if he hopes to be successful in the NHL. It was the 1st of that kind of physicality I've seen from him in here in his 3 seasons here in Utica. The kid has skills up the ass, he simply has to put it altogether. As I understand it, that's the Devils plan for both Simon and Casey.
It was announced tonight that he was named to the North Division roster for the AHL ALL-Star Classic. The announcement had him with 5G and 16 Pts. It's now 5 goals and 18 points after 2 more assists on Utica's only 2 goals tonight.
It's really a shame that Nemec has been named to replace Casey who will be unable to play. In reality they both should have been named to that roster. Casey has 14 Pts, which still places him at #7 for the Comets in scoring. He's only played 17 games while the Comets have played 33. Nemec meanwhile has played 24 and his 7 points in the last 2 games have shot him to #4.
The top 3 Comets in scoring are Halonen, Foote, and Beckman all with 21 Pts.
After a period of "lacksadaisical" play, Nemec has accepted his fate and appears to understand what NJ is doing and has turned his game around. He is the top naturally skilled player on the roster with Casey close behind. Casey's injury has set his progress back a little. Wait until they are both in the lineup. No other AHL team will be able to ice 2 D-men more skilled and teeming with talent at such a young age.*
It's too bad the Comets don't have a couple highly talented forwards, preferrably at center to bolster their roster. If they did, the Comets would be in the thick of things in the AHL North Division instead of mining in the played out ore field they find themselves in.
Forge
Blissfully Mediocre
And as he continues to be annoyed and frustrated with the devils!
Jersey Fan 12
Positive Vibes
- Nov 20, 2006
- 7,356
- 3,226
Halonen no points, -1 in 11:35 minutes of ice time in 3-1 loss to Flyers.
Lazar and Tatar played less.
Lazar and Tatar played less.
1/18/25
Utica Comets at Laval Rocket
I watched this game last night until 1:30 am so this game update is a day late.
Forwards:
(67) Parent (15) Bowers (11) Legare
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(34) Beckman (13) Malone (5) Gambardella
(25) Foote (16) Engaras (61) Stillman
D-Pairs:
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(93) Misyul (44) Osipov
(3) MacKinnon (17) Nemec
Goal - (1) Poulter
This game was repeat script by the Comets. It was a hard hitting, got the damned puck out as soon as possible (no fiddling around to set up a breakout, long flips up ice often served as the breakout, played the man and not the puck, filled all passing lanes, blocked shots, hard forecheck, strong backcheck, shot the puck when there was a lane, drove the net for rebounds, never took a break.
The only difference in this game from Friday's was between the pipes. Daws made a lot of strong saves on Friday, but surrendered 1 bad goal, a second I thought he should have had, and overplayed the shooter on the game winner.
Last night Poulter was lights out for 2 periods and 19 minutes and 45 seconds. He was nothing short of fantastic.
Apparently the refs felt it was only fair to give the Rocket the same chance to play 5 on 3 after having given such a situation to the Comets 5 minutes earlier. Utica did not score.
At 17:39 Bowers was assessed with a tripping penalty. 2:21 left to play. Laval pulled their keeper and went 6 on 4. 32 seconds later at 18:22 They whistled Foote for hooking. He went to the bin with a bleeding cut on his forehead. The Rocket were now playing 6 on 3! Ever seen that before? Even if you have, it was still a very rare event that you'd have to do a deep dive into your brain's hockey file to find. The Comets killed off the 1st of the 2, but with 15 seconds to go they just couldn't clear a rebound with Poulter down and bodies all around.
No goalie ever deserved the shutout more than Poulter considering the game he played.
Final score - Utica 3 Laval 1
SOG:
UTC - 7 12 10 = 29
LAV - 8 9 8 = 25
PPs:
UTC - 0/4
LAV - 1/6
Scoring:
Period 1
1:06 - Schmelzer (8) from (Willman (10) and Hardman (7)
Period 2
8:56 - Legare (4) from Parent (9) and Bowers (9)
Period 3
12:31 - Parent (5) from Misyul (5) and Osipov (2)
Poulter - 24/25
If the Comets can play this kind of game the rest of the season, they won't necessarily make a huge turnaround on what can only be described as a horrible season, but they will become a much more respected hockey team and one a fan base can get behind due to the full 18-man effort they have exerted in these 2 games vs what was before their loss last night, the #1 team in the North Division (Rochester won and coupled with the Laval loss are in 1st by 1 point).
Utica plays Game #35 on Monday afternoon at 1 pm and Game #36, the halfway point in their season, on Wednesday at home vs Bridgeport at 7 pm.
They are currently 11-19- 2-2. If playing this way they , could they could reverse their numbers, they would finish 30-22-4-4. That might actually capture the last playoff spot.
I wouldn't put a lot of stock in that outcome, but with 38 games to go as Bill Carey said, "So you're saying there's a chance?" Yup, but it is unimaginable. This was more than likely just another hiccup like we have seen all season. They tease us for a moment and then revert back to their old ways and the losses continue to mount up.
As the most jaded optimists we can only keep "wishin' and hopin' and thinkin' and prayin' and plannin' and dreamiin'. Dussty Springfield,1964.
Utica Comets at Laval Rocket
I watched this game last night until 1:30 am so this game update is a day late.
Forwards:
(67) Parent (15) Bowers (11) Legare
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(34) Beckman (13) Malone (5) Gambardella
(25) Foote (16) Engaras (61) Stillman
D-Pairs:
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(93) Misyul (44) Osipov
(3) MacKinnon (17) Nemec
Goal - (1) Poulter
This game was repeat script by the Comets. It was a hard hitting, got the damned puck out as soon as possible (no fiddling around to set up a breakout, long flips up ice often served as the breakout, played the man and not the puck, filled all passing lanes, blocked shots, hard forecheck, strong backcheck, shot the puck when there was a lane, drove the net for rebounds, never took a break.
The only difference in this game from Friday's was between the pipes. Daws made a lot of strong saves on Friday, but surrendered 1 bad goal, a second I thought he should have had, and overplayed the shooter on the game winner.
Last night Poulter was lights out for 2 periods and 19 minutes and 45 seconds. He was nothing short of fantastic.
Apparently the refs felt it was only fair to give the Rocket the same chance to play 5 on 3 after having given such a situation to the Comets 5 minutes earlier. Utica did not score.
At 17:39 Bowers was assessed with a tripping penalty. 2:21 left to play. Laval pulled their keeper and went 6 on 4. 32 seconds later at 18:22 They whistled Foote for hooking. He went to the bin with a bleeding cut on his forehead. The Rocket were now playing 6 on 3! Ever seen that before? Even if you have, it was still a very rare event that you'd have to do a deep dive into your brain's hockey file to find. The Comets killed off the 1st of the 2, but with 15 seconds to go they just couldn't clear a rebound with Poulter down and bodies all around.
No goalie ever deserved the shutout more than Poulter considering the game he played.
Final score - Utica 3 Laval 1
SOG:
UTC - 7 12 10 = 29
LAV - 8 9 8 = 25
PPs:
UTC - 0/4
LAV - 1/6
Scoring:
Period 1
1:06 - Schmelzer (8) from (Willman (10) and Hardman (7)
Period 2
8:56 - Legare (4) from Parent (9) and Bowers (9)
Period 3
12:31 - Parent (5) from Misyul (5) and Osipov (2)
Poulter - 24/25
If the Comets can play this kind of game the rest of the season, they won't necessarily make a huge turnaround on what can only be described as a horrible season, but they will become a much more respected hockey team and one a fan base can get behind due to the full 18-man effort they have exerted in these 2 games vs what was before their loss last night, the #1 team in the North Division (Rochester won and coupled with the Laval loss are in 1st by 1 point).
Utica plays Game #35 on Monday afternoon at 1 pm and Game #36, the halfway point in their season, on Wednesday at home vs Bridgeport at 7 pm.
They are currently 11-19- 2-2. If playing this way they , could they could reverse their numbers, they would finish 30-22-4-4. That might actually capture the last playoff spot.
I wouldn't put a lot of stock in that outcome, but with 38 games to go as Bill Carey said, "So you're saying there's a chance?" Yup, but it is unimaginable. This was more than likely just another hiccup like we have seen all season. They tease us for a moment and then revert back to their old ways and the losses continue to mount up.
As the most jaded optimists we can only keep "wishin' and hopin' and thinkin' and prayin' and plannin' and dreamiin'. Dussty Springfield,1964.
Nemec was forced to play with MacKinnon? I guess that’s his punishment for talking to the Slovak press so candidly.
1/20/25
Utica Comets at Syracuse Crunch
This game was played at 1 pm this afternoon. Some of us have lots of things we have to do and so I just took my evening shower and am here now 9:50 to post the results.
Although they didn't start out like it, Utica played this game the same way they played the 2 vs Laval and much like the games they played previous to Laval vs Hartford and Toronto. They defeated Toronto 4-1, Hartford 7-3, lost 3-2 to Laval, and defeated them the next night 3-1. It has been a hard skating, hard hitting, strong forecheck, and hard backcheck game plan. They have been getting the puck out of their zone as fast as possible once any Comet gains possession. It's either a quick short pass, and another immediately out of the zone, or a puck through open space or off the boards, but out of the zone in either case. They also use the high medium to long range flip pass out of their end. In any of these situations they work their butts off to gain possession or hound their opponent instantly if the opponent gets the puck first. They cause lots of turnovers, lots of board battles, and cause lots of interrupted rushes. This style has caused lots of icings, offsides, pucks played with high sticks, hand passes, and changes of possession. When the Comets have the puck in the O-zone their 1st inclination is to find a way to get pucks on the net. They storm the net front and battle for any kind of way to make the keeper have to defend. They also try not to create outlets for their opponent with shots high and wide, forced passes into traffic, and overplaying the puck giving up odd man rushes. It's a hard, tedious, tiring style for both sides and the skating teams don't like it.
In the 3 wins there was outstanding goal tending 1st by Brodeur against Toronto.
Poulter was the difference vs Laval in Laval onn Saturday.
Poulter came right back once again this afternoon in Syracuse and was lights out again. He was the 3rd star and Parent was the 1st after scoring both goals. Apparently Syracuse had to get 1 guy in the mix so gave the 2nd star to Jujhar Khaira for his assit on the lone Syracuse goal. Poulter should have been at least #2.
Daws won the Hartford game 7-3 but was not good on 2 of the 3 goals.
He lost the 3-2 game to Laval surrendering 2 more suspect goals while making several outstanding saves. Doesn't help if you lose on goals you could have had.
Forwards:
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(67) Parent (15) Bowers (11) Legare
(25) Foote (13) Malone (61) Stillman
(19) Filmon (16) Engaras (37) Wendt
D-Pairs:
(3) MacKinnon (17) Nemec
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(93) Misyul (44) Osipov
Period 1
Back and forth early on with nobody doing much of anything. Poulter has made a big stop.
Legare got the puck in the neutral zone after the Crunch failed to keep the puck in the O-zone at the Utica blueline. He skated it hard into the Crunch zone and fired a hard low shot from the bottom of the left circle. Stopped by Tompkins.
The rebound went straight to Bowers, who shot the puck right back off Tompkins from the left side just outside the crease.
Parent picked up the second rebound all alone at he bottom left hash mark and faked a forehand shot, crossed in front and put home a backhander into the right side just out of the reach of the keeper's split attempt.
Parent at
4:01
Utica 1-0
At 4:34 Poulter makes another big stop off a sneaky shot by Schmidt.
He makes another at 4:50
Filmon stopped on a wraparound.
Poulter stops Kharia holding the post to his left and also gets his rebound.
The line of Filmon - Engaras - Wendt is very weak
Gambardella and Beckman are not in the lineup tonight.
White and Halonen were reported returned by a cpoule different NJ posters yeaterday and it was listed in the AHL transactions. I think it's just another set of NJ paper transactions.
Dumont had Schmelzer with his head down starting up the ice just out of the Comets zone. He was lined up for a brutal open ice hit but missed and tripped him instead. The Comets bench was livid. It sure looked like a charge and an attempted murder!
Strand took offense to it and laid one on Dumont after the whistle. Big scrum in front to the Comets bench. That was a real close call.
Comets to the PP.
Dumont tripping
13:22
-Willman stopped at the doorstep.
-Willman another shot from the left circle, stopped.
-Schmelzer wastes a great opportunity as he fumbles and loses the puck unchecked in the slot. Puck cleared out.
-Comets ice it.
Clear
-Stillman a shot from the high slot. Legare stopped on the rebound.
-Legare shoots > another stop.
Cleared down and the PP ends.
TV TO
3:22 to go
Starnd a high slot shot gobbled up by Tompkins.
Schmelzer whistled. Comets to the PK.
Schmelzer Tripping
18:26.
Crunch get set up and it's Poulter vs the Crunch.
Sheary shoots.
Pouliot Sends one on Isaac.
Comets clear
Sheary a real good chance in close.
Fortier right in the crease and Poulter is there. Wow!.
Khaira rebound wide.
Period 1 ends
Utica 1-0
SOG:
10-8 Crunch
Period 2
Comets still killing the penalty to Schmelzer.
It's killed.
The Crunch waste no time. Logan Brown walks right into a shot from the bottom of the right circle, hits the right post, and it's in.
Brown at 0:54
1-1
Another Comets goal surrendered in the early moments of a period. They also often suffer the same fate at the end of periods.
Comets back to the PK.
Misyul Interference
2:09
Sheary hits the post.
Gonclaves shoots save Poulter and he gets the rebound from Groshev.
1-timer misses wide and out of play.
Comets block 2 more.
Comets get it out. Penalty ends.
Osipov shoots from just off the top of the right circle and Tompkins finds it through Legare right in front.
Carlile wrister gloved and held . 6:23
Fortier stopped from the bottom of the left circle. Sprawling pad stop. 7:52
Pouliot high slot shot stick save to the corner. 8:24
Dumont falls in front on a 2 on 1 and they didn't even get a shot.
The Comets look gassed. Played Wednesday and Friday at home, traveled to Laval for a Saturday game and back to Utica on Sunday for an afternoon game on Monday/today in Syracuse.
Dumont a shot. Poulter a blocker save at 12:09.
Schmidt a shot from the right point smothered by Poulter. 12:23
TV TO
7:37 to go
Finally a shot by the Comets. Willman their first in around 13 minutes at 18:26. Shot from the left circle, stopped, and held. was their second shot of the period. Last shot was at 4:55.
Schmelzer was roughed up behind the net. Hardman to the rescue and he and Finley get 2 each for roughing at 18:27.
4 on 4 for the remainder of the period and will carry over.
1 minute to go.
Santini a shot on Poulter and Strand takes offense at Fortier pawing at Poulter on the ice with the puck.
Schmelzer a big shot from the slot and Tompkins comes up big at 19:19.
Parent carries the puck down outside the left circle. He turns back and skates it out almost to the blueline and then turns into the middle of the ice and skates down the high slot and fires a shot past a defender from the between the top of the circles and his wrister beats Tompkins low to the keeper's glove side.
G-G-G-G-------O-O-O-O--------A-A-A-A--------L-L-L-L!!!!!!!!
Parent at 19:40 scores on the Comets 4th shot of the period and the Comets go up 2-1.
Bowers gets another shot on goal after the faceoff at 19:45. LOL, a roller into Tompkins.
The Crunch bring the ensuing face off up the ice Groshev launches a shot from well outside the Comets blue line that Poulter handles easily.
Period 2 ends
2-1 Comets
SOG:
10-5 Syracuse
Period 3
I'm beat
There's no scoring in the 3rd.
SOG were 7-5 Syracuse
Comets went into a defensive shell and made it worked as the SOG reveal.
The highlights of the period were a 4-minute kill starting at 13:12 of the period.
Austin Strand 4 minutes for High-sticking.
The Comets were nearly perfect on the kill allowing a total of 1 shot.
The Crunch would pull their keeper at 17:54and Poulter would stop their only 2 shots coming in the final minute.
Final Score -
Utica Comets 2 Syracuse Crunch 1
SOG:
UTC - 8 5 5 = 18
SYR - 10 10 7 = 27
PP:
UTC - 0/1
SYR - 0/4
Scoring -
Parent (6) from Bowers (10) and Legare (2) 4:01
Parent (7) from Strand (7>-4) and Vilen (7)
Poulter 26/27
3 *s
#3 - Isaac Poulter (An Insult to hockey intelligence!!!!!!!)
#2 - Jujhar Khaira (Syracuse Crunch) 1A
#1 - Xavier Parent
I give the 1st to Poulter and 2nd to Parent. Without Isaac, Parent's 2 goals would not have been enough.
Next up Wednesday at the Utica Aud vs the Bridgeport Islanders at 7 pm.
Utica Comets at Syracuse Crunch
This game was played at 1 pm this afternoon. Some of us have lots of things we have to do and so I just took my evening shower and am here now 9:50 to post the results.
Although they didn't start out like it, Utica played this game the same way they played the 2 vs Laval and much like the games they played previous to Laval vs Hartford and Toronto. They defeated Toronto 4-1, Hartford 7-3, lost 3-2 to Laval, and defeated them the next night 3-1. It has been a hard skating, hard hitting, strong forecheck, and hard backcheck game plan. They have been getting the puck out of their zone as fast as possible once any Comet gains possession. It's either a quick short pass, and another immediately out of the zone, or a puck through open space or off the boards, but out of the zone in either case. They also use the high medium to long range flip pass out of their end. In any of these situations they work their butts off to gain possession or hound their opponent instantly if the opponent gets the puck first. They cause lots of turnovers, lots of board battles, and cause lots of interrupted rushes. This style has caused lots of icings, offsides, pucks played with high sticks, hand passes, and changes of possession. When the Comets have the puck in the O-zone their 1st inclination is to find a way to get pucks on the net. They storm the net front and battle for any kind of way to make the keeper have to defend. They also try not to create outlets for their opponent with shots high and wide, forced passes into traffic, and overplaying the puck giving up odd man rushes. It's a hard, tedious, tiring style for both sides and the skating teams don't like it.
In the 3 wins there was outstanding goal tending 1st by Brodeur against Toronto.
Poulter was the difference vs Laval in Laval onn Saturday.
Poulter came right back once again this afternoon in Syracuse and was lights out again. He was the 3rd star and Parent was the 1st after scoring both goals. Apparently Syracuse had to get 1 guy in the mix so gave the 2nd star to Jujhar Khaira for his assit on the lone Syracuse goal. Poulter should have been at least #2.
Daws won the Hartford game 7-3 but was not good on 2 of the 3 goals.
He lost the 3-2 game to Laval surrendering 2 more suspect goals while making several outstanding saves. Doesn't help if you lose on goals you could have had.
Forwards:
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(67) Parent (15) Bowers (11) Legare
(25) Foote (13) Malone (61) Stillman
(19) Filmon (16) Engaras (37) Wendt
D-Pairs:
(3) MacKinnon (17) Nemec
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(93) Misyul (44) Osipov
Period 1
Back and forth early on with nobody doing much of anything. Poulter has made a big stop.
Legare got the puck in the neutral zone after the Crunch failed to keep the puck in the O-zone at the Utica blueline. He skated it hard into the Crunch zone and fired a hard low shot from the bottom of the left circle. Stopped by Tompkins.
The rebound went straight to Bowers, who shot the puck right back off Tompkins from the left side just outside the crease.
Parent picked up the second rebound all alone at he bottom left hash mark and faked a forehand shot, crossed in front and put home a backhander into the right side just out of the reach of the keeper's split attempt.
Parent at
4:01
Utica 1-0
At 4:34 Poulter makes another big stop off a sneaky shot by Schmidt.
He makes another at 4:50
Filmon stopped on a wraparound.
Poulter stops Kharia holding the post to his left and also gets his rebound.
The line of Filmon - Engaras - Wendt is very weak
Gambardella and Beckman are not in the lineup tonight.
White and Halonen were reported returned by a cpoule different NJ posters yeaterday and it was listed in the AHL transactions. I think it's just another set of NJ paper transactions.
Dumont had Schmelzer with his head down starting up the ice just out of the Comets zone. He was lined up for a brutal open ice hit but missed and tripped him instead. The Comets bench was livid. It sure looked like a charge and an attempted murder!
Strand took offense to it and laid one on Dumont after the whistle. Big scrum in front to the Comets bench. That was a real close call.
Comets to the PP.
Dumont tripping
13:22
-Willman stopped at the doorstep.
-Willman another shot from the left circle, stopped.
-Schmelzer wastes a great opportunity as he fumbles and loses the puck unchecked in the slot. Puck cleared out.
-Comets ice it.
Clear
-Stillman a shot from the high slot. Legare stopped on the rebound.
-Legare shoots > another stop.
Cleared down and the PP ends.
TV TO
3:22 to go
Starnd a high slot shot gobbled up by Tompkins.
Schmelzer whistled. Comets to the PK.
Schmelzer Tripping
18:26.
Crunch get set up and it's Poulter vs the Crunch.
Sheary shoots.
Pouliot Sends one on Isaac.
Comets clear
Sheary a real good chance in close.
Fortier right in the crease and Poulter is there. Wow!.
Khaira rebound wide.
Period 1 ends
Utica 1-0
SOG:
10-8 Crunch
Period 2
Comets still killing the penalty to Schmelzer.
It's killed.
The Crunch waste no time. Logan Brown walks right into a shot from the bottom of the right circle, hits the right post, and it's in.
Brown at 0:54
1-1
Another Comets goal surrendered in the early moments of a period. They also often suffer the same fate at the end of periods.
Comets back to the PK.
Misyul Interference
2:09
Sheary hits the post.
Gonclaves shoots save Poulter and he gets the rebound from Groshev.
1-timer misses wide and out of play.
Comets block 2 more.
Comets get it out. Penalty ends.
Osipov shoots from just off the top of the right circle and Tompkins finds it through Legare right in front.
Carlile wrister gloved and held . 6:23
Fortier stopped from the bottom of the left circle. Sprawling pad stop. 7:52
Pouliot high slot shot stick save to the corner. 8:24
Dumont falls in front on a 2 on 1 and they didn't even get a shot.
The Comets look gassed. Played Wednesday and Friday at home, traveled to Laval for a Saturday game and back to Utica on Sunday for an afternoon game on Monday/today in Syracuse.
Dumont a shot. Poulter a blocker save at 12:09.
Schmidt a shot from the right point smothered by Poulter. 12:23
TV TO
7:37 to go
Finally a shot by the Comets. Willman their first in around 13 minutes at 18:26. Shot from the left circle, stopped, and held. was their second shot of the period. Last shot was at 4:55.
Schmelzer was roughed up behind the net. Hardman to the rescue and he and Finley get 2 each for roughing at 18:27.
4 on 4 for the remainder of the period and will carry over.
1 minute to go.
Santini a shot on Poulter and Strand takes offense at Fortier pawing at Poulter on the ice with the puck.
Schmelzer a big shot from the slot and Tompkins comes up big at 19:19.
Parent carries the puck down outside the left circle. He turns back and skates it out almost to the blueline and then turns into the middle of the ice and skates down the high slot and fires a shot past a defender from the between the top of the circles and his wrister beats Tompkins low to the keeper's glove side.
G-G-G-G-------O-O-O-O--------A-A-A-A--------L-L-L-L!!!!!!!!
Parent at 19:40 scores on the Comets 4th shot of the period and the Comets go up 2-1.
Bowers gets another shot on goal after the faceoff at 19:45. LOL, a roller into Tompkins.
The Crunch bring the ensuing face off up the ice Groshev launches a shot from well outside the Comets blue line that Poulter handles easily.
Period 2 ends
2-1 Comets
SOG:
10-5 Syracuse
Period 3
I'm beat
There's no scoring in the 3rd.
SOG were 7-5 Syracuse
Comets went into a defensive shell and made it worked as the SOG reveal.
The highlights of the period were a 4-minute kill starting at 13:12 of the period.
Austin Strand 4 minutes for High-sticking.
The Comets were nearly perfect on the kill allowing a total of 1 shot.
The Crunch would pull their keeper at 17:54and Poulter would stop their only 2 shots coming in the final minute.
Final Score -
Utica Comets 2 Syracuse Crunch 1
SOG:
UTC - 8 5 5 = 18
SYR - 10 10 7 = 27
PP:
UTC - 0/1
SYR - 0/4
Scoring -
Parent (6) from Bowers (10) and Legare (2) 4:01
Parent (7) from Strand (7>-4) and Vilen (7)
Poulter 26/27
3 *s
#3 - Isaac Poulter (An Insult to hockey intelligence!!!!!!!)
#2 - Jujhar Khaira (Syracuse Crunch) 1A
#1 - Xavier Parent
I give the 1st to Poulter and 2nd to Parent. Without Isaac, Parent's 2 goals would not have been enough.
Next up Wednesday at the Utica Aud vs the Bridgeport Islanders at 7 pm.
Last edited:
Mgd31
Registered User
Comets on a 4 out of 5 heater. Could have been 5 straight if they didn't blow a 2 goal lead against Laval. Wish the big club could do something like that soon
Last edited:
I kinda misspoke last night as to the Comets hard game and quick exit from their own end. They did so in spurts, but couldn't maintain it. The number of games in such a short span doesn't bode well for that style. I mentioned once in my post that the Comets were gassed and they clearly were.
They were able to keep the Crunch from mounting lengthy zone possession and pressure, but the Crunch were able to get some great scoring chances. Their horseshoe was Isaac Poulter. He was a wall.
The offense was once again anemic. Parent is the only guy with any consistency finding the net of late and Schmelzer before him.
Schmelzer had both goals vs Laval last Friday before Daws imploded.
He opened the scoring the next night in Laval.
Parent scored in the 1/15 game (Last Wednesday) vs Hartford and also had an assist.
Parent had the insurance goal in Laval Saturday and also set up the game winner. He also had a goal disallowed that was clearly in and emphatically signaled as such by the ref behind the net. Then after a slight delay as the teams were changing up, the refs got together and after a long discussion said no goal.
X had both goals last night.
As I stated in the game post, Filmon and Wendt added nothing to the lineup skating together centered by Engaras who played his balls off whole the other 2 seemed to be confused. Filmon, especially, was a passenger. They really missed Gambardella's consistent hard checking in both ends, puck steals, and passing setups. He sets the stage for the kind of game the Comets had been playing before last night. the guy never quits. His motor is always in overdrive. His injury last season and long recovery continuing into this season has taken a step away from his skating, but that motor has found him a way to stay on top of his kind of game.
Next up Bridgeport Islanders in Utica tomorrow, 5th of the 7 games in 11 days to be followed by 3 in 4 days after a 3-day rest. That's 10 games in 18 days if my math without consulting a calendar is accurate. There are 3 back to backs in those 11 games. Other than the 3-day rest there is never more than 1 day between games and the 3 in 4 is 1 day's rest after the 1st and then a back to back with travel to W-B/Scranton to end it all. That's a killer string of games.
It doesn't get any easier.
The 1st of February is the 2nd of the back to back which ends the string above.
The Comets will play the next 4 weekends in back to backs. The 1st 2 involve travel between cities as does the 4th.
The 3rd back to back involves Monday and Wednesday games before the Friday Saturday back to back. That's 4 games in 6 days.
If they get through that stretch through January/February and don't have a string of injuries it will be a miracle. All they'll need to put a final nail in their coffin If they don't do it themselves would be a bunch of NJ call-ups.
I was talking about the possibility of them reversing their record of the first 36 games and finishing what was a dreadful season with a decent record. This schedule has started out with wins in 3 of the first 4 games making them winners in 4 of the last five. Bridgeport's record is even worse than the Comets at 9-25-2-2. That's good enough for dead last in the AHL.
YES! the Comets have dug themselves out of the cellar. Not far out but up to a tie for 28th with San Diego. Within their North Division they are still the bottom feeder 7 points behind 6th place Belleville and the Sens have 2 games in hand.
Syracuse holds the 5th playoff spot with 45, but the Comets with 28 Pts have 4 games in hand on the Crunch. Even winning all 4 would leave them 9 points back. Utica is playing their 36th game on Wednesday. That's the halfway point. A victory would make their record 13-19-2-2. Reversing that record in the 2nd half would amount to 19-13-2-2 final numbers 38-26-4-4 for 84 points.
That's not a ridiculous goal to shoot for. It probably still makes the playoffs a dream, but it would give then something to be proud of. That kind of an improvement would be out of the realm of positive thinking, but it is within reach if they can continue to play as they have been. They have won 4 of the last 5 and 7 of their last 11. That's a Hell of a pace for a team that has been dead last in the AHL since the first couple weeks of the season. That kind of pace, if it were to continue, would accomplish what I've said they need to do.
With the upcoming schedule, any possibility of this recovery could instantly be erased. I'll visit this dream in a few weeks or less as the nightmare schedule continues.
Hey, you can't blame a guy for reaching for the brass ring. I tried that for many years in the 3 amusement park merry-go-rounds I visited frequently from 7th grade through college. Riding double on an up and down stationary horse was a nice experience and I never had a date where the girl objected to the ride. I never did get the brass ring even though I put my finger in the ring apparatus that would give it up on every lap the ride generated for the price of a ticket.
They were able to keep the Crunch from mounting lengthy zone possession and pressure, but the Crunch were able to get some great scoring chances. Their horseshoe was Isaac Poulter. He was a wall.
The offense was once again anemic. Parent is the only guy with any consistency finding the net of late and Schmelzer before him.
Schmelzer had both goals vs Laval last Friday before Daws imploded.
He opened the scoring the next night in Laval.
Parent scored in the 1/15 game (Last Wednesday) vs Hartford and also had an assist.
Parent had the insurance goal in Laval Saturday and also set up the game winner. He also had a goal disallowed that was clearly in and emphatically signaled as such by the ref behind the net. Then after a slight delay as the teams were changing up, the refs got together and after a long discussion said no goal.
X had both goals last night.
As I stated in the game post, Filmon and Wendt added nothing to the lineup skating together centered by Engaras who played his balls off whole the other 2 seemed to be confused. Filmon, especially, was a passenger. They really missed Gambardella's consistent hard checking in both ends, puck steals, and passing setups. He sets the stage for the kind of game the Comets had been playing before last night. the guy never quits. His motor is always in overdrive. His injury last season and long recovery continuing into this season has taken a step away from his skating, but that motor has found him a way to stay on top of his kind of game.
Next up Bridgeport Islanders in Utica tomorrow, 5th of the 7 games in 11 days to be followed by 3 in 4 days after a 3-day rest. That's 10 games in 18 days if my math without consulting a calendar is accurate. There are 3 back to backs in those 11 games. Other than the 3-day rest there is never more than 1 day between games and the 3 in 4 is 1 day's rest after the 1st and then a back to back with travel to W-B/Scranton to end it all. That's a killer string of games.
It doesn't get any easier.
The 1st of February is the 2nd of the back to back which ends the string above.
The Comets will play the next 4 weekends in back to backs. The 1st 2 involve travel between cities as does the 4th.
The 3rd back to back involves Monday and Wednesday games before the Friday Saturday back to back. That's 4 games in 6 days.
If they get through that stretch through January/February and don't have a string of injuries it will be a miracle. All they'll need to put a final nail in their coffin If they don't do it themselves would be a bunch of NJ call-ups.
I was talking about the possibility of them reversing their record of the first 36 games and finishing what was a dreadful season with a decent record. This schedule has started out with wins in 3 of the first 4 games making them winners in 4 of the last five. Bridgeport's record is even worse than the Comets at 9-25-2-2. That's good enough for dead last in the AHL.
YES! the Comets have dug themselves out of the cellar. Not far out but up to a tie for 28th with San Diego. Within their North Division they are still the bottom feeder 7 points behind 6th place Belleville and the Sens have 2 games in hand.
Syracuse holds the 5th playoff spot with 45, but the Comets with 28 Pts have 4 games in hand on the Crunch. Even winning all 4 would leave them 9 points back. Utica is playing their 36th game on Wednesday. That's the halfway point. A victory would make their record 13-19-2-2. Reversing that record in the 2nd half would amount to 19-13-2-2 final numbers 38-26-4-4 for 84 points.
That's not a ridiculous goal to shoot for. It probably still makes the playoffs a dream, but it would give then something to be proud of. That kind of an improvement would be out of the realm of positive thinking, but it is within reach if they can continue to play as they have been. They have won 4 of the last 5 and 7 of their last 11. That's a Hell of a pace for a team that has been dead last in the AHL since the first couple weeks of the season. That kind of pace, if it were to continue, would accomplish what I've said they need to do.
With the upcoming schedule, any possibility of this recovery could instantly be erased. I'll visit this dream in a few weeks or less as the nightmare schedule continues.
Hey, you can't blame a guy for reaching for the brass ring. I tried that for many years in the 3 amusement park merry-go-rounds I visited frequently from 7th grade through college. Riding double on an up and down stationary horse was a nice experience and I never had a date where the girl objected to the ride. I never did get the brass ring even though I put my finger in the ring apparatus that would give it up on every lap the ride generated for the price of a ticket.
Last edited:
Mgd31
Registered User
Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
Jack Malone is a Danville, Ca. native, but the family moved to New Jersey when he was young.
Elite Prospects lists him playing for the New Jersey Colonials in the AYHL 14U in '14-15.
Delbarton School in Morristown NJ of the USHS-Prep league in '15-16 and '16-17.
He was with the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL for the '17-18 and '18-19 campaignds
He went to NCAA Cornell for 3 seasons and his last season with Boston College.
The Comets signed him to an ATO out of BC for the remainder of the '23-24 season and at the same time signed him to a 2-yr AHL standard contract for the '24-25 and '25-26 seasons. He is a center.
He played 1 game on the ATO and recorded 0 Pts
This is the first of the 2-yr AHL contract. He has played in 26 of Utica's 36 games to date this season and with the hat trick tonight has scored 6 goals and has 0 assists. He has gradually started to show some promise. He has battled with Engaras between the #3/4 center spots. He centered Foote and Halonen tonight. Engaras centered Parent and Stillman.
Engaras has played the same number of games, 26, and has the same # of points 2G/4/A/6Pts.
At this point neither is better than a #4 but both have been the #3 off and on. It will be interesting if Dowling is ever returned to see which one is demoted or if they will switch on and off.
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