2024-25 Utica Comets and ECHL thread

[Bad Goalie]

1/22/25
Bridgeport Islanders at Utica Comets

Forwards:
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(67) Parent (16) Engaras (61) Stillman
(25) Foote (13) Malone (24) Halonen
(79) Laberge (15) Bowers (11) Legare

D-Pairs:
(6) White (17) Nemec
(93) Misyul (44) Osipov
(83) Vilen (3) MacKinnon

Goal - (1) Poulter

This game was over in the first period, but the Comets played like crap the rest of the way trying to hold off the Islanders rather than just playing hockey. perhaps parent wanted them to pull back the offense which demolished the Isles in the 1st. With 2 more games, a home and home with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday and Saturday and with this one their 5th in 8 days maybe he tried to find a way for them to go a little less heavy and save something for the next 2 games with only 1 day of rest in between. Those next 2 games will make it 7 in 11 days including home and away back to backs on consecutive weekends.

After the Friday/Saturday back to backs they get 3 days off before playing 3 more in 4 days.

Period 1

The Comets took mit to the isles immediately playing the same type of gritty hard hitting, in your face hockey. They never gave the Isles an inch of free ice. Malone cashed in to give the Comets an extremely early lead. His goal was the Comets 4th shot.
Schmelzer at :33, Willman at :34, and Osipov at :38 and Malone deposited Osipov's rebound at :40.

:40 Malone
1-0 Comets

The Comets just kept coming and Malone scored again on their 7th shot.
4:45 Malone
2-0 Comets

Parent and Stillman both had good chances turned away before Malone hit again to record his natural hat trick.
7:33 Malone
3-0 Comets

Immediately after the puck was dropped for the ensuing faceoff Halonen and Cole Bardreau drpped 'em in what was obviously a planned tilt between the 2. Bardreau's gloves came off a the drop of the puck and Halonen accepted the challenge. Halonen took the worst of it, but he slammed his opponent to the ice and the crowd felt that made him the winner.

7:39
Halonen - Utica
Bardreau - B'port
5 each - Fighting

During their rest stop Bowers was whistled.
8:48 Bowers
Holding

Before Bowers was released Cam Thiesling joined him.
10:39
Hooking

Time runs out for Bowers and the Comets go to the PP. Not much happens for most of the 2 minutes.But while still on the PP Nolan Foote scores on their only shot.

12:16 Foote
4-0 Comets

This was the end of Henrik Tikkanen, 4 goals on 11 shots.
Enter Jakub Skarek.

The Isles acted like they were at fault and came hard at Poulter and he ended up making 2 good stops in the next 2 minutes. Then the Comets got control and went the other way. Schmelzer got the puck to Willman took it in and shot. Skarek stopped his shot but Hardman was right there to bang home the rebound.

15:26 Hardman
5-0 Comets

Isles outshot the Comets the restof the way 3-1 and the period ended.

Utica 5-0
SOG:
14-7 Utica

Period 2

B'port came out on fire and took it to the Comets skating hard and hitting every comet to touch the puck. The Comets weathered the outburst.

At 3:24 the Comets went to the PP
Gemmel
Slashing

The Comets did nothing. Not even a shot and the Stillman got stupid. As the IOsles were breaking out behind the play Stillmand got irritated at a little mischief from Travis Mitchell and 2-handed him across the shins. That was enough for Mitchell and went after Chase and dropped him mwithhis 3rd swing. Chase popped right back up from his knees ,but the LM got in there and that was that.

5:06
Stillman and Travisd Mitchell
5 each for fighting
Stillman got an extra 2 for the slash

17 seconds latrer Chris terry got called for slashing.
5:23 Terry
Slashing

Over the course of the next 14 and 1/2 minutes The Isles outshot the Comets 8-3 and poulter was called upon to keep things staus quo and he made some really tough saves.

End of 2
5-0 Comets
SOG:
10-4 Islanders

Period 3
The 3rd was much like the 2nd with the Comets throwing the puck out, icing it, making terrible passes and looking like the team that was being taken to the back shed.

They also started a parade to the penalt box.

1:07 Comets
Too many men

They killed that one. with Poulter called upon to make 3 svaes inclose and 1 of the 3 was brilliant. Then for almost 2 minutes the Comets mounted a turn around and got 3 shots on Skarek and made some nice saves.

The Comets have slowly taken the physicality out of their game and now it's poke schecking and swinging theirsticks acroos the path of the skater who by passes it, both of these moves invite tripping and hooking calls.

5:11 White
Tripping

The Comets block some shots, the Isles miss the net a couple times and also have to schase down clearings, but get a couple more real good chances on Isaac who continues to stifle them,

6:58 Osipov
Tripping

The Comets are now down 5 on 3.
13 seconds later the Isles ruin the shutout effort of Poulter.

7:11 Liam Foudy
5 on 3 PPG
5-1
The Isles stil have a pp with Osipov still in the box. The Isles get a little taste of blood and want some more. Poulter is challenged some more and says no way and makes 3 more big time stops

The Comets act as if they are embarassed by their neglect of their keeper who has actually been called upon to keep from imploding since the end of the 1st period.

Malones's line picks up a little slack with Halonen and Foote joining him to apply some actual pressure for the Comets Halonen finishes it with a goal.

10:52 Halonen
6-1 Comets

The Isles weaken with the Comets goal and the 2 trade 3 chances each over the next 7 minutes or so, but the Comets put their 3rd away. Foote gets his 2nd of the night to go along with his 2 assists.

18:18 Foote
7-1 Comets

That's the game.
SOG for the 3rd:
13-8 Bridgeport

Final Score
Utica Comets 7 Bridgeport Islanders 1

Scoring:
Malone (4) from Osipov (3) and Misyul (6)
Malone (5) from Foote (13) and MacKinnon (2)
Malone (6) from Halonen (9) and Hardman (8)
Foote (10) from Vilen (8) and Willman (11) PP
Hardman (11) from Willman (12) and Schmelzer (9)
Halonen (14) from Foote (14) and Vilen (8)
Foote (11) from Nemec (14) and White (11)

Poulter (29/30)

SOG:
BRI - 7 10 13 = 30
UTC -14 4 8 = 26

PP:
BRI 1/4
UTC 1/3

3 *s
#3 - Brian Halonen (Utica Comets) 1G/1A
#2 - Nolan Foote (Utica Comets) 2G/2A
#1 - Jack Malone (Utica Comets) 3G

Poulter another outstanding job in his 3rd straight start. He won all 3 and allowed only 1 goal in each game.

It was a big night for Jack Malone and his linemates. They scored 6 of the Comets 7 goals.
Hardman had the other goal and also 1A.
Willman and Vilen each had 2 helpers.

Comets now 13-19-2-2 with 5 wins in their last 6 games.

Season is officially half over with this having been their 36th game.

Next up Friday vs the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Utica Aud at 7 pm.

 

[tailfins]

Sounds like Parent has found a style that can work for this team. Sounds like it's very high effort - I'm not sure how sustainable that is. But, even seeing some progress vs the early part of the season is welcome. 7 goals must've seemed like a pipe dream a couple of months ago.

 

[Better Call Sal]

These look sick.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Sounds like Parent has found a style that can work for this team. Sounds like it's very high effort - I'm not sure how sustainable that is. But, even seeing some progress vs the early part of the season is welcome. 7 goals must've seemed like a pipe dream a couple of months ago.

 

[Bad Goalie]

You are absolutely correct on all counts. I know the style is impossible to maintain without lapses, but like last night they will have down time for the better part of a game when leading by a bunch, or a shift or 2 when going strong, when out in front you'll see some slackers, and in Syracuse on Monday with their asses dragging from their 3 in 4 days with travel time to and from Laval on a home and home back to back, they protected rather than attacked in their own end and offensively pushed until the play broke down. They always had a man back. We didn't see 3 guys in the corners or bad forced passes with both issues leading to odd man rushes. When they lost possession, they hustled back to keep the Crunch at bay as much as possible, but it's also incumbent on the goalie to do his part when he's called upon. Both Brodeur and Poulter have done that job with flying colors. 4 games form those 2 (1 by Brodeur and the last 3 by Poulter) in which they only allowed 1 goal in each game.

Since Brodeur's win in Toronto, the Comets are 5-1. Brodeur is 1-0, Poulter 3-0, Daws 1-1 and the game he won the Comets scored 7 goals and he was weak on 2 of his 3 allowed. Many of us in Utica are not as enthralled with Daws as NJ may be. We are actually hoping Daws gets a callup with Marky maybe needing a short break. That would leave Utica to playing Poulter and Brdeur getting starts on the back to backs coming up. Maybe that will keep good things happening and not be a fluke where they revert back to their losing ways like they di earlier in the season. They broke their horrid streak of 13 losses to start the season by winning 5 in a row and then went right back into the same play that plagued the horrid start.

The 7 goal pipe dream vs Bridgeport last night was actually deja vu of the 7-3 win over Hartford on 1/15 except the Comets absolutely owned Bridgeport in the 1st last night. Then, like I said, the in your face fast physical game was no longer necessary and they cooled down. The critical piec is that they don'r forget whst has been resposible for their recent success. They have to bring it right back on Friday vs the Pens.

 

[Triumph]

Am I wrong or wasn't Utica rendered on the AHL.com scoreboard as UTI? Thankfully someone finally corrected that.

 

[Mgd31]

Xavier Parent is crushing it lately. Call him up! Our new 3C!

 

[Bad Goalie]

1/24/25
Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins at Utica Comets
Final Score -
Utica 5 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3

Forwards:
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(67) Parent (16) Engaras (61) Stillman
(25) Foote (13) Malone (24) Halonen
(79) Laberge (15) Bowers (11) Legare

D-Pairs:
(6) White (17) Nemec
(93) Misyul (44) Osipov
(83) Vilen (3) MacKinnon

Goal - (50) Daws

Scoring:
Halonen (15) from Osipov (4) and Misyul (7)
White (2) from Schmelzer (10)
Parent (8) from Engaras (5)
Parent (9) from Stillman (4) and Vilen (10)
Schmelzer (9) Unassisted ENG

SOG:
WBS - 16 10 9 = 35
UTC - 10 11 6 = 27

PP:
WBS -1/2
UTC - 0/2

3 *s
#3 - Jesse Puljujarvi (W-B/Scranton) 1G/1A
#2 - Ryan Schmelzer (Utica Comets) 1G/1A
#1 - Xavier Parent (Utica Comets) 2G

Daws - 32/35

Period 1
The Comets scored first on a Halonen goal at 4:36. This has been a recent trend with Utica scoring first and early.
They came out playing the style that has made them successful. They scored on their 1st shot. The SOG at that point were 4-1 WBS.

The Comets were playing a physical game and trying to play the body on every puck carrier, but the Pens are so fast, pass the puck so quickly, and accurately that the Comets were fighting for their lives most of the period.

At 11:07 Dan Renouf tied it up at 1. It was breakawy goal. Daws had already stopped 2 others. Utica was allowing Pens to get behind them and their mates were firing stretch passes to them.
Utica had to fix this or it would be curtains.

At 16:01 Colton White wristed a long high shot from the left point that eluded former goalie, awarded a Stanley Cup ring, with the Penguins even though his name is not on the cup, Tristan Jarry*, for goal #2.

* Tonight was only Jarry's 6th game with the Jr. Pens. He was assigned to WBS on 1/16 after having cleared waivers. He came into tonight's game with a 4-1 record and a 2.16 GAA/.926 SV%. After tonight his GAA rose to 2.48 and his SV% is now .914

Comets took their 2-1 lead to the lockerroom even though being outshot 16-10 and outchanced by a lot more.

Period 2
Again the Comets opened a period scoring early when Xavier Parent got a breakaway of his own and slid it under Jarry to put the Comets on top by 2 at 3-1.

At 12:31 Laberge took a dumb roughing penalty behind his own net. He responded to a cheap shot to a mate. If he had left it to the first hit, he would have escaped, but when he did it againt he refs hand went up.

Jesse Puljujarvi*, former 2016 1st round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers, took advantage of Laberge's blunder when he scored at 11:07 on a goal that I think Daws should have had. It was a low shot from the top of the left circle that Nico saw all the way and it just went right by him. Other than that goal Nico was very good.

*Jesse has played most of 8 seasons in the NHL Edmonton, Carolina, and Pittsburgh (381 GP) with intermittent trips to the AHL with Bakersfield and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (68 GP) Tonight was only his 2nd game with WBS this season.

The period ended with the Comets still leading by 1 now at 3-2.
Period 3
The Pens came out strong, but the Comets weatherd the storm on the back of Daws, some shot blocks, and a few whiffs by different Pens in glorious scoring positions.

At 10:33 Vilen broke the Comets out with a pass to Stillman and eventually it ended up on Parent's stick and as he has done quite often of late, it ended up in the net.

4-2 Comets.

From this point the Pens came at the Comets with both barrels, but Utica stymied their attacks in the Comets end and kept working to just keep getting the puck out of their zone and deep into the Pens' end.

Jarry left at 16:40.
He had to come back on at 16:59, but left again at 17:27.
At 18:14 Sam Poulin scored on his 2nd shot in 13 seconds and suddenly it was 4-3 with almost 2 minutes left.

They would come right back in after the center ice faceoff win and Jarry went off as they did.

They would get 3 more real good chances, but Daws answered the call.

With just past :30 seconds to go and the Pens at 6 on 5 pouring it on, Schmelzer was battling and desperately trying to win a race for a loose puck to high on the right side of the Comets end to clear the zone. He backhanded the puck past the defender up and out. It skidded up the ice and curved just a bit and entered the empty net to slam the door on the Pen's valiant efforts to tie it up. The building noise grew with every foot the puck slid and erupted as it crossed the goalline!

The Comets ragged the puck for the final seconds and the horn ended it.

The victory 4th straight and 6th of their last 7 for the Comets.
They are now 14-19-2-2. The once never seemed possible .500 mark is lurking on the horizon. That;s the miracle they have to be shoting for before even thinking of anything more. Another one of their skids would erase that idea from existance.

Both teams will board buses at some point tonight and head to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for a rematch tomorrow night at 6:05 in the Mohegan Arena. Get some rest boys. The buses are much more comforable than they used to be.

 

[Bad Goalie]

1/21/25 - NONE
1/22/25 - NONE
1/23/25 - NONE
1/24/25 - NONE

 

[Bad Goalie]

1/24/25
Utica Comets at Wilkes-Barre?Scranton Penguins

Forwards:
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(25) Foote (13) Malone (24) Halonen
(67) Parent (16) Engaras (61) Stillman
(5) Gambardella (15) Bowers (34) Beckman

D-Pairs:
(6) White (17) Nemec
(3) MacKinnon (7) Strand
(93) Misyul (44) Osipov
Goal - (50) Daws

Period 1
Comets came out very strong. Had control for most of the period. At the 10:31 mark the SOG wer 10-1 Comets and there were 2 scrums in front to the net with the puck free, but they just could not get it through the maze of bodies.

Puljujarvi got the Pens 1st shot at 6:24

At 13:01 Bowers scored to make it 1-0 Comets.

Pens got their 2nd shot at Dawsat 13:52. A shot at Daws off to his left. He was down on his knees in the middle of the crease. The shot came from the right side, went off the post and deflected right down in front of Daws at his knees. He covered it for a whistle. He was completely lost on the play and no where near to playing the shot.

Pens made a pass from the right side way wide of the net all the way across in front of Daws to a Pen on the left side of the net. He shot the puck and scored. Daws didn't track the pass as it crossed in front of him and he lazily moved across the net and was beaten clean on a shot he didn't even seem to expect. It was their 3rd shot of the period at 14:43

He was beat on 2 chances in a row without giving himself a chance to stop either one of them. The 2nd went in the net and the game was tied at 1.

They got their 4th shot with 1:25 to go, a breakawy that Daws stopped.

End of 1 and it was tied at 1-1.
SOG:
13-4 Utica

I got the feeling that the Comets failure to score on many amazing chances in the 1st would bite them in the ass at the end.

Period 2
Both teams had some good chances The Comets still held the edge in play. T
The Comets failed to cash in on 2 PPS.

1 at 2:48 in which they failed to get a single shot, Daws had to stop 2 Penguins chances.
The Comets didn't get their firstt shot on net until,the 6:52 mark.

They got the 2nd PP at 16:43.
Halonen got 2 shots on the net in the 2 minutes.

4 minutes of PP time and the Comets recorded a total of 2 SOG.

Period ended with the score still 1-1.
SOG:
9-7 Pens
2-period total
20-13 Utica

2 periods gone and the game is still up for grabs.

Period 3

The 3rd opened with the Comets unable to gain control of the puck for more than split seconds before losing it to rabid Pens group. It finally ended with the Pens breaking the tie at 3:03.

At 14:24 I wrote down the Comets are dead.
They can't even skate anymore.

Then Parent went on a sudden spurt in which he controlled the puck all by himself in the Pens end. He was stopped on a shot crashing to the net from the right side. Chased down the deflected chance and got the puck again and turned in form the left, went down the middle and was stopped again from in close.

As the period progressed it was the old Comets. Nobody could come close to scoring, frequent turnovers, icing, bad passes, standing around in their own zone while the Pens attacked. It was like the old cowboy movies when the defenseless settlers were huddles behind their circled wagons and the angry indigenous fighters tried to chase the invaders from their homelands. Daws was the only reason they weren't blown out. Somehow he found his game after 2 very shaky periods. The go ahead goal seemed to wake him up! Sorry, Nico too little too late. Your brethren are dead on their feet and skating in mud. This stretch has finally caught up with them.

Aside from a little spurt from 1 or 2 players here and there the Comets exerted almost nothing.

Besides Daws the other reason this game didn't get out of hand with the Comets literally standing around was that the Pens couldn't finish anything against no pressure. Missing the net, whiffing on shots, losing passes., clearing the Comets zone on their own ineptitude to keep the puck in, and seeming to tire out themselves.

As the period moved towards the end, Murashov was having little trouble with the Comerts shots. Then with 6 minutes to go Engaras hit him square in the mask knocking it aside and gaining an instant whistle. His line, engineered by Parent, was putting on serious pressure. The other lines not so much.

With 2:32 to go Daws was treying to get to the bench, but the Comets couldn't get throughg the neutral zone without turning it over. At 1:40 he left the ice, but the ZComets still can't get into the Pens' zone. Finally strand, of all pepole took the puck and crashed his way to the net forcing Mura shov to stop him.

1:00 minute to go.
2 shots stopped
:30 to go and they don't get another shot.

Final Score -
WBS 2 Utica 1

SOG:
UTC - 13 7 10 = 30
WBS - 4 9 11 = 24

PP:
UTC - 0/3
WBS - 0/0

Scoring:
Bowers (2) from Gambardella (5) and Beckman (15)

Daws 22/24

3 *s - all WBS Pens

Next up for the Comets
1/29/25 at Rochester Americans at 7:05

 

[Bad Goalie]

@MasterofGrond
Hey, are you going to walk down to the Blue Cross Arena (Rochester War Memorial in my days) to watch the Comets play the Amerks on Wednesday?

That's always a bit of a struggle game for me as I have mixed loyalties.

I'm nosey and don't deserve an answer, but is there a Mrs. MasterofGrond?

 

[MasterofGrond]

@MasterofGrond
Hey, are you going to walk down to the Blue Cross Arena (Rochester War Memorial in my days) to watch the Comets play the Amerks on Wednesday?

That's always a bit of a struggle game for me as I have mixed loyalties.

I'm nosey and don't deserve an answer, but is there a Mrs. MasterofGrond?

Unsure. Normally I would, without a doubt, but we have clients in town from Kyoto Tuesday and Wednesday, and I'm not sure which day we're doing our big dinner. If the dinner is Tuesday, I'll be there.

Yeah I feel you. I'm a Devils fan obviously, but I attend a ton of Amerks games so I'm probably an Amerks fan more than a Comets fan, so I'm never quite sure how to feel at those games.

Yes, my wife inexplicably agreed to move back to New York State with me from Colorado (she went to high school down near Corning). Didn't have to marry her to get her to follow me from San Francisco to Oakland, or Oakland to Chicago, or Chicago to Colorado, but before I tried Rochester, I locked her down

I like Rochester a lot, and she does too, but the weather here is a bit of an ask for her, personally.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Unsure. Normally I would, without a doubt, but we have clients in town from Kyoto Tuesday and Wednesday, and I'm not sure which day we're doing our big dinner. If the dinner is Tuesday, I'll be there.

Yeah I feel you. I'm a Devils fan obviously, but I attend a ton of Amerks games so I'm probably an Amerks fan more than a Comets fan, so I'm never quite sure how to feel at those games.

Yes, my wife inexplicably agreed to move back to New York State with me from Colorado (she went to high school down near Corning). Didn't have to marry her to get her to follow me from San Francisco to Oakland, or Oakland to Chicago, or Chicago to Colorado, but before I tried Rochester, I locked her down

I like Rochester a lot, and she does too, but the weather here is a bit of an ask for her, personally.

NY State weather is a challenge from western NY Buffalo and all the towns and cities from there from the Canadian border to the Pennsylvania borders, big time snow events; the western North Country Tug Hill Plateau, Watertown, and up the St. Lawrence to Ogdensburg, Canton, Potsdam, Massena more snow and really cold with little else to offer if you don't hunt or fish; The Finger Lakes region, great summer living on the lakes, wine regions, grapes, apples, peaches, fresh vegetables, etc, from the many area farms and cold bitter winters; Central, NY, if you don't like the weather wait a few minutes, cloudy, rainy, hot with high humidity, really cold, lots of snow, mild winter, take your pick it's all here.

Rochester gets some of the Buffalo weather, some of the Lake effects from Lake Ontario, summer heat and humidity, Finger lakes type snow storms, rainy summers and the next year dry as a desert. Falls can be beautiful with unreal foliage or dry with the leaves all yellow and brown, but the lilacs are something to behold in the Spring if it doesn't get hot too soon. In the good lilac Springs you could sit on my front porch on Diem or Whitmore Sts. and swear you were in Highland Park. The lilac bouquet was so fragrant. People all over the city grow their own and it's a fragrant beautiful time.

I loved my life there and now I love my life in Central, NY. I'll take the worst most of the state has to offer over the destructive massive floods, droughts leaving the crops dead in the fields, tornadoes, hurricanes, forest fires, mud slides, heat waves of 100+ degrees for many days or even weeks, etc. I can dress down and air condition, and watch the hummingbirds at my wife's several feeders in the summer; dress warmer, turn up the heat, and clear my driveway and front walk with the snow blower and keep my woodpeckers, juncos, finches, cardinals, nut hatches and chickadees fed from the feeders in the winter; garden in the spring; watch the leaves turn colors in my wooded back lot while the turkeys, deer, and rabbits scrounge around for the food left from the trees and wild summer foliage.
To quote the radio and TV ads, "I love New York."

At least this season going to an Amerks game has to be much more enjoyable on most nights than going to the Comets games, which are more often than not uninspiring evenings. LOL

 

[MasterofGrond]

Yeah my dad is the same. Just loves New York, truly. Never really wants to leave now that’s he’s finally moved back.

And yeah, seeing the Amerks is usually good fun. And as long as the Sabres continue to be a laughingstock, the games will probably keep being fun lol

 

[Bad Goalie]

Yeah my dad is the same. Just loves New York, truly. Never really wants to leave now that’s he’s finally moved back.

And yeah, seeing the Amerks is usually good fun. And as long as the Sabres continue to be a laughingstock, the games will probably keep being fun lol

LOL

My wife says tell your wife there's not bad weather just bad clothes!

 

[Bad Goalie]

1/25/25 - NONE
1/26/25 - NONE

 

[Bad Goalie]

1/27/25 - NONE
1/28/25 - NONE

 

[Bad Goalie]

1/29/25 - NONE

 

[Bad Goalie]

Recap of last night's game.

1/29/25
Utica Comets at Rochester Americans

Forwards:
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(34) Beckman (13) Malone (25) Foote
(67) Parent (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(3) Gambardella (15) Bowers (61) Stillman

D-Pairs:
(6) White (17) Nemec
(93) Misyul (44) Osipov
(83) Vilen (7) Strand

Goal - (50) Daws

Period 1

Comets came out strong and put pressure on without a lot of registered shots.

Penalty on the Comets.
4:53 Hardman
Hooking

Amerks score
5:46 Isak Rosen
1-0 Amerks
Shot came from between the Hashmarks. Rosen was unmolested and beat Daws clean.

2 minutes later Foote gets a pass from Malone and takes the puck below the right circle and shoots. The puck appears stopped but leaks under or through Levi and rolls into the net.

7:48 Foote
1-1

Amerks just keep skating and the Comets continue to allow it.
Metsa is allowed to shoot from the slot. Daws a pad save with a hug e on the ice rebound slammed back into the net by Aube-Kubel. Shot came to the left of Daws halfway between the bottom of the circle and the goal line. Can't give up those kind of rebounds directly to the enemy in great position. Daws never moved on the rebound shot.

11:46
Aube-Kubel
2-1 Amerks

1 minute and 23 seconds later the Amerks strike again. Another wrist shot from inside the right circle just above the hashmarks by another uncontested Amerk . Daws barely moved.

Period ends with the score 3-1 Rochester.
SOG:
11-6 Rochester

Period 2
Comets come out playing a little more aggressive.

To the PP
2:19 Komarov
Holding

Comets get 1 SOG from Nemec.
So do the Amerks, There shot is more dangerous.

Legare skates in off the left side and let's a shot go from the circle. It goes right through Levi. Terrble goal. He'll want that one back.

6:57 Legare
3-2 Amerks

Comets back to the PP
Kale Clague
Hooking

Nemec gets a shot - stopped
Beckman a shot - stopped
Beckman another shot - stopped
Beckmanm again>>>>>>>>>G_________O_____________A__________________L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PP expired but 3 seconds later the puck's in the net

11:15
Beckman
We're all tied up at 3
3-3

Well apparently the goal that was a reason to take a break. Anton Wahlberg picks up the puck just offf the circle. Takes the puck though the circle. No Comets in his way. Daws reacts too soon and goes down protecting the post against a short side shot. Wahlberg has no intention of shooting. he's all alone. He takes the puck intoon a line ain front of Daws. At hte Gola mouth Daqws attempts a poke check easil y eluded and Wahlberg crosees in fornt of Nico and backhands the puck into the open far side with daws still on nhis knees where he attempted the poke check.

11:39 (24 seconds after the Comets had tied the game)
Wahlberg
4-3 Rochester

The remaining 8 minutes sees the Amerks out chance the Comets 3-2.

Period 2 ends
SOG:
1-7 Utica
4-3 Rochester

Period 3
Could the Comets find a way to make this period there's?

The Amerks come out on fire. It's like an angry mob bent on a victim and the Victim is the Comets. They shpould enter every period expecting the best their oppopnen has to offer. You weather the storm and then counterattack with your own vengence.

I take the Amerks exactly 71 seconds to sart the finishing touches on this one. A really bad goal but it doesn't matter hwo or what kind it's the insurance goal.

A wrist shot from the boards just inside the blueline by Isak Rosen who was standing still and facing inward and looking at the net from as far away as anyone taking a stationary wrist shot would expect to score. I guess that's why this is the goal you can almost count on when Nico is in the net. Why does Daws go to his knees as these shots are made???? It is so predictable. The shot approaches the net, he's on his knees and he waves aimlesslyat the puck with his glove as the puck goes over his shoulder and into the net. You want to give upa demoralizing goal. That's the way to do it.

1:11
Isak Rosen
5-3 Rochester

2 minutesa later the Amerks strike again. The Comets are about to be shorthanded, but they have to touch the puck. Thje Amerks do the mandatory pull the keeper and go 6 on 5. The Comets appear helpless as the Amerks pass the puck from tape to tape as they run around the Comets zone. They work the puck into the slot to a man covered by Bowers. Well it looks like he should be covered by Bowers. The guy slides by him and shoots from the slot and Daws is helpless once again on his knees long before a shot takes place.

Daws lives on his knees. If the play is in close it works and he comes up with big stops, but when the puck is out on the sice in a zone from the top of the circles down to the goalline, outside of the circle width aand across the top of the circles, The SCORING ZONE, he is a siutting duck. It's amazing how beat he is from anywhere in that box with shots that miss the net. If they were to be on net wide of either side of his body, they would be goals as several of them tonight were. He
doesn't even move out on a shot to cut the angle a bit. The Comets recent string of well played games has seen these shots very limitted. They abandoned that style for this game and it's cost them.

3:15 gone in the 3rd and a 4-3 game has become 6-3. A mountain to climb for a normally low scoring team.

Forget any kind o comeback effort. Around 6 minutes later Nikita Novikov gets the puck inside the bluelinand walks down mainstreet past a stationary Willman who makes almost no effort at all to slow him down as Nikitas blosw past him, walks AROUND Hardman who waves a stick at the puck that's out of range of his stick and then lunges. He hits nothing but air. Nikita is now unmolested into the slot hash marks high and wings it past a surrendering Daws. That has to be the last nail in the coffin lid.

9:38
Novikov
7-3 Amerks

At htis point the Comets have put 3 shots on Levi.

Gambardella beats Levi.
11:52
7-4 Amerks

The Comets got a PP
14:12 Ryan Johnson
Tripping

They came up empty.

The game eventually came to and end with the Comets having taken a chance pulling Daws at 16:47 and again at 17:37. All of that got 2 shots by Willman in the 20 seconds.

End of the 3rd
SOG:
10-9 Rochester
Not exactly the kind of desperate offensive eefort a team would exert when trying to get back into a game.

Final Score -
Rochester 7- Utica 4

Scoring:
Foote (12) from Malone (1) [Not bad for a center having played 29 games before getting his 1st Assist, eh?] and Beckman (16)
Legare (5) from Nemec (15)
Beckman (8) from Vilen (11) and Stillman (5) [That's Stillman's 8th point in 33 games. 1st round pick]
Gambardella (4) from Strand (7)

Daws 23/30

Nexst up Friday at 7pm in the Utica Aud vs the Belleville Senators.

 

[Forge]

Shutout for poulter. Nearly 40 saves

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Poulter has lapped Daws

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Poulter has lapped Daws

Yeah Daws is becoming a lost cause. He is not even a 3rd string goalie.

If Jake Allen wants to play on, I think Devils bring him back next season to backup Marky.

 

[Bad Goalie]

1/31/25
Belleville Senators at Utica Comets

Forwards:
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(25) Foote (13) Malone (34) Beckman
(67) Parent (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(5) Gambardella (15) Bowers (61) Stillman

D-Pairs:
(3) MacKinon (17) Nemecs
(83) Vilen (44) Osipov
(6) White (7) Strand

Goal - (1) Poulter

Period 1

In the 1st 2:13 the Sens had 4 shots, but Poulter turned them all away.
Utica got the next 3 stopped by Mark Sinclair.

Then........
Schmelzer skated the puck to center ice and hit Harman just outside te Sen's blueline and he broke in alone behind the D. Hardman went in alone from the left side. Made a deke and Sinclair flinched. Hardman crossed in front and backhanded home the puck.

4:28
Hardman
1-0 Utica

After the goal Sinclair remained on his knees in the crease as the players moved to the circle for the faceoff.
Refs checked him out and he went to the front of the bench and the equipment manager seemed to be working on a skate. They took time for a repair and then decided they'd waited long enough and he was aided off the ice.

Michael Simpson took over in the Belleville net. He stopped Vilen at 6:22 and Gambardella at 6:42.

At 6:45 Jeremy Davies was called for Tripping. As he went to the box Sinclair returned and replaced Simpson.

at 8:14 Hayden Hodgson received a double minor for High-sticking.
Prior to the call the Comets had registered 2 shots on Sinclair.
Comets now had a 2-man advantage for 31 seconds and they didn't get a shot on goal.
for the remainder of the double minor the Comets would only manage 3 more shots on goal.

At 15:43 linesman Antoine Bujold-Roux was struck in the face by an attempted shoot in by Strand. He was tended to and was bleeding. He was led off the ice. The officials went with 2 refs and 1 linesman. It would remain that way for the remainder of the game.

MacKinnon was called for Cross checking at 18:44 and the Sens got 4 shots on goal in the remaining 1:16.


end of 1
Utica 1-0

SOG:
14-12 Utica

Period 2

The Sens opened the 2nd still on the PP with :44 seconds remaining on the MacKinnon penalty. They only managed 1 shot on Poulter.

The Comets got a PP at 8:49
8:49
Jamieson Rees
Hooking
The Comets got 3 shots

At the end of the period the Sens were penalized again.
19:57
Wyatt Bongiovanni
Delay of Game

This one would basically be played out at the start of the 3rd Period

End of 2
1-0 Utica
SOG:
11-10 Belleville

Period 3
Comets started out on the PP. Their 5th of the game. Bellville has only had 1. The Comets needed to score on this one because you know what the Refs will do as the 3rd progresses.The comets managed 2 shots. Their PP has been s**t resulting in an 0/5 and still hnaging onto a 1-goal lead.

Here we go. Sens to the PP.
3:02
Engaras
Interference

Comets were very good on trhe kill. Limitted the Sens to 1 SOG, but the Sens maintained pressuere after the kill and Strand was the next to get called chasing a Sen on a 2 on 1.
8:03
Strand
Slkashing

Belleville mounted a serious attack on this PP and as itwas ending the arm went up again. Sinclair leftthe ice at 10:00 for the extra man. The Comets could not get any control, of the puck even though they defelected a sgot and got their stick on 2 others. They got 2 shots during a fevered :45 second 6 on 5 delayed penalty. Both required big time save by Poulter.

10:45
Bowers
Tripping

Refs certainly did their unwritten job of attempting to find enough fault to even things up things up for the Sens in respet to penalties called. It's now 4 each althought ht Comets get a 4-minute PP; so it's really 5-4, but hey, who's counting?

The 1st offensive scare on this PP came from Foote who got a breakaway from just inside the Comets blueline all the way to Sinclair, who stopped him at 11:24.
Schmelzer got another chance at 12:30 also stopped by Sinclair.
Belleville failed to get a shot on their PP.

Belleville hurt their own chances when theywere called for another penalty. Hayden Hodgoson.
16:45
Hodgson
Hooking

The Sens continued to maintain pressure, but didn't register a SOG until 18:57.with Sinclair on the bench.

He came back on at 19:18 for a faceoff and was off again at 19:26.

Belleville managed 2 really good chances in the last 30 seconds, but could not beat Poulter.

3rd period SOG:
12-7 Belleville

Final Score -
Utica Comets (Isaac Poulter) 1 Belleville Senators 0

SOG:
BEL 14 11 12 = 37
UTC 12 10 7 = 29

PP:
BEL 0/4
UTC 0/6

Scoring:
Mike Hardman (12) from Schmelzer (11) and Nemec (16)

Isaac Poulter 37/37

3 *s
#3 - Mark Sinclair (Belleville Senators) 26/27
#2 - Mike Hardman (Utica Comets) 1G
#1 - Isaac Poulter (Utica Comets) 37/37

I've seen it done before and I certainly would have done it tonight. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd stars all given to the same player. Isaac Poulter was hands down the entire story of this game.

I hope the reason that Jeremy Brodeur was the backyup tonight is that Daws is getting called up to the Devils. Daws played vs Rochester on Wednesday and lost a game in which the habitual low scoring Comets managed 4 goals vs Devon Levi. Daws surrendered 7 goals on 30 shots. He plays a good game and wins. He plays another good game, but gives up 2 bad goals in a 1 goal loss. Then he gets bombed. He has no consistency. Implodes under big pressure more often than not. Gives up a goal from out high off a wrist shot from the boards in almost every game. He is not playing like a guy who is supposedly preparing to become NJ's backup next season.

Poulter has become a rock as the season has progressed. The Comets were so bad for the first 13 games that neither guy could survive what their team handed them game after game. Isaac slowly put himself back into the picture playing better and better. He has had to play second fiddle to Daws who was being given the most starts which made it all that nuch more difficult to create any momentum. However, as he has obviously become the better keeper, Parent has seen fit to give him more starts and he has responded the way any coach would hope for. He has played 19 games while Daws has logged 20.

Isaac's record is 9-7-3. 21 points of his 38 possible.
Daws is 5-14-1. 11 points of his 40 possible.
A goalie expecting to become next year's backup for is parent team should be playing very well even if his team is not giving him a lot of goal support. Good goalies can play well under any conditions. It doesn't mean they will be winning, but their numbers will still be respectable.

Daws: 5-14-1 .888 SV%/ 3.40 GAA
Poulter: 9-7-3 .904 SV%/ 2.75 GAA
All of Poulter's numbers are improving while Daws is treading water.

Daws is signed for next year.

Poulter's contract ends and he becomes an RFA. Many may see this as the end of NJ's interst in having him on their payroll. As an RFA it's NJ's decision to offer him a deal or let him go. If I were Fitz, I wouldn't be too eager to continue to believe Daws is the future and Poulter is expendable. He already outplayed both Daws and Schmid last season and he is now doing the same again.( Schmid is having a bad year in Henderson with a 3.47/.894 in 22GP) I know it's only half way through the AHL season, but this is Yr. 4 for 24-yr old Nico. All 4 on an NHL contract. He is still struggling to be a consistent good AHL netminder.

Poulter is 23 and this is his 1st full season on an NHL contract and 3rd pro season. His first was an AHL deal and it was another at the start of year 2. He has eaned his roster spot and NHL contract by outplaying the Devils top 2 NHL goalie prospects while on an AHL contract. They signed him to a 2yr deal in the middle of last sesason and counted last year as year 1. So, this season ends the deal and he becomes an RFA. Seems he certainly has earned another deal.

Daws is out on thin ice at the moment. If Daws is not NHL ready again next season, does Fitz keep Malek from coming over because Daws needs more AHL time or does he let Poulter slip away in order to play Malek and Daws in Utica. Putting Poulter in the ECHL after the way he's played would be a big time slap in the face.

I can see Fitz using one of these guys in another NHL deal like he did with Schmid last summer. If so, I hope he makes the right call.

 

[Bad Goalie]

2/2/25
Utica Comets at Belleville Senators

I get the feeling I'm going to see Jeremy Brodeur tonight.

Nope, it's Isaac Poulter again after a 37 shot shutout 24 hours ago. That's a big challenge.

Forwards:
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(25) Foote (13) Malone (34) Beckman
(67) Parent (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(5) Gambardella (15) Bowers (61) Stillman

D-Pairs:
(83) Vilen (44) Osipov
(3) MacKinnon (17) Nemec
(6) White (7) Strand

Goal - (1) Poulter

Period 1
Comets are carrying play for the 1st 3 minutes with 2 SOG, but the next minute the Sens get 3 shots.

A big save by Poulter.

Sens hit Poulter's right post on a screen shot.

The Sens play is dangerous.

2 More big stops on play at his doorstep.

Almost 6 minutes played and the Comets haven't had a shot since the 1st 2 minutes.

Another stop by Poulter.

Comets play is 1 pass and either a shot or done. The Sens are moving the puck and passing cleanly trying to set up good scoring chances. It's working.

TV TO
13:28 to go

Hodgson hits Gambardella with a big hit and MacKinnon takes offense and Mac gets a penalty.

6:46
MacKinnon
Unsportsmanlike conduct

Poulter a stop on a clean shot from the slot.

A Sen allowed to walk from the blueline right across the goal mouth in front of Poulter but doesn't get a shot off.
Point shot stopped by Poulter.
Another stop and the PK is successful.

SOG are 10-2 Sens 10:20 to go.

Parent gets the Comets 3rd shot high above the left circle, blocker save.

2 more long shots on with easy saves

A Sen breaks his stick and he is trying to mirror the puck. It goes out to the point and Nemec takes a long shot gobbled up by Simpson.

TV TO
9:27 to go
up and down the ice for minutes with no shots by either team.
Easy glove save by Simpson on a weak wrister from above the left circle.

Another
TV TO
5:51 to go

Willman going down the middle with Schmelzer and Hardman driving hard to the net and instead of shooting with 2 rebounders right there he tries to pass it and it's deflected wide. DUMB!!!!!!!

Comets are taking very short shifts. Need to keep as fresh as possible due to a tough game last night.

Bowers sucks as a Center.

Malone gets a pass in the center faceoff dot, whips around to avoid a stick check, and hits Beckman at the blueline. Beckman skates to the top of the left circle, winds up and blasts a slapper from the top of the circle's faceoff hashmarks and

IT'S IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

17:21
Beckman
1-0 Comets

Parent out races 2 Sens to erase an icing and centers it back to Engaras at the inside of the left circle. He fires a shot from the hashmarks, a glorious chance, wide of the right side.

Period ends
1-0 Comets
SOG:
11-8 Senators

Period 2

Stillman shot form the high slot held onto.

Stillman gets the puck off the draw and walks to the slot and fires the puck right into the keeper, who holds on. He can't seem to do anything right.

Stillman back into the Sen's zone and he can't do anything with the puck when challenged. Sen's touch the puck and the whistle goes.

Give Stillman a break on this one. He couldn't do anything with the puck because his stick was being held. Comets to their 1st PP.

3:25
Jorian Donovan
Holding the stick

Nemec shot blocked in front.

Lots of puck movement, but little player movement. Thus, they couldn't find a way to get shots on net. The only shot came from Foote and it was easily stopped.
PP is over.

Big shot from the right circle blocked aside by Poulter.

Comets turn it over at the blueline and the Sens rattle another one off the post.

Legare with a partial breakaway and Simpson flashes the leather. I don;y like that it was the opposing keeper, but I love when a keeper flashes the leather on a really difficult shot as if it was just another day at the offfice. Reminds me of the young me, LOL.

TV TO
13:03 to go
From the face off a good stop by Simpson. The puck was stuck between the sticks of the 2 centers on the puck drop. Schmelzer popped it free and was alone looking at Simpson.

Comets blow a rush and their shot bounced off the wallside boards and out to center ice scooped up by the Sens and they were in 2 on 1.

Halliday comes in wide on the left and then sent a pass across to Pilon and he shot immediately and beat Poulter valliantly trying to come all the way across after cutting off Halliday's angle. The 1 man in a 2 on 1 has to deny the pass!
No chance for Isaac.

8:16
Garrett Pilon
1-1

Parent shot from trhe high slot. Blocker stop.

Shot by Gagner stopped by Poulter

Vilen a quick shot from the point and Simpson grabs it and holds it for a whistle. Kid's got a good glove.

TV TO
9:46 to go

Hardman 1 timer from the top of the left circle misses wide.

Schmelzer grabs a bouncing puck off the right side boards and walks into the low slot and launches a backhander back against the grain as he passes through and it's..........................

I________N_________!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOAL by SCHMELZER!

10:36
Ryan Schmelzer
2-1 Comets

Sens starting to aply pressure Reinhart a shot stopped by Poulter.

A little over a minute later and Gagner is stopped
30 seconds later Isaac stops Rees.

Comets are generating nothing since the Schmelzer goal.

Davies slaps it from the point and with a screen in front it hits the post and goes in.
Poulter never saw it.

15:42
Jeremy Davies
2-2

Comets and Sens trade 2 shots each and the keeperes were there and as the time is running out Roos commits a dumb error.

19:56
Filip Roos
Cross-checking

Off the draw Foote gets a shot, stopped by Simpson and the period ends.
2-2

SOG:
14-9 Utica

Period 3

Comets open the 3rd with 1:57 of PP time.

Just like their preivious PP, the Comets move the puck and maintain control, but on a PP can't get an open shot because they are always stationary so nothing open up,. They force passes and shots. They get shots blocked easily because the defenders are standing right there in front of them and they an't seem to shoot the puck past a leg.

Comets finally challenge and Gambardella gets a shot directly in front of Simpson who split saves it, but Foote is just off the right post and the rebound goes right to him and he smacks it home.

G_____________O___________A__________________L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a POWER PLAY GOAL

1:46
Nolan Foote
3-2 Comets

Wrister from Legare snatched by Simpson. There's that glove again.

Poulter stops Bourgault and the rebound is fired right through the crease. Escaped disaster there.

Reinhart is stopped by Poulter.

Comets finally threaten and Foote is stopped. The rebound hops over Beckman's stick with an open side! That was a sure goal!

The Sens come right back down the ice. Pilon gets the puck and walks right to the net front. Poulter stops him, but Pilon grabs the rebound and shoots it back into the net as Poulter scrambles to get back to the right post to no avail.

These Belleville goals are all failures on the part of the Comets players to defend in their own zone.

The Sens have taken charge and it's only a question of how long Poulter can hang on. The kid has to be gassed after last night and the Sens are now coming in what must seem like waves. Good chance after good chance.

The clock keeps ticking and the teams keep moving back and forth with the Sens causing the most danger.

As we approach 10 minutes to go both teams seem to be trying to prevent a goal against.

Comets are skating in mud. This is their 3rd game in 4 nights.
They are making brain fart type mistakes.
Poulter stops Gagner with his shoulder and it's out of play.

TV TO
5:57 to go

Osipov gets a penalty for high sticking. Osipov lined the guy up for a check along the boards and as he was about to deliver the blow, the guy started to fall. Osi couldn't hold up so the stick which would have been down around his midsection now clipped him in the face, IT WAS NOT HIGH STICKING. Terrible call, especially in a game like this one.

16:41
Dmitry Osipov
High-sticking

Comets and Poulter have to weather this major storm.

TV TO
3:19 to go

Right off the draw Foos shoots and Rees shots another. Poulter!

They hit the post!

Strand tries to shoot it past a Sen on the side boards and it goes over the glass.

17:53
Austin Strand
Delay of game

Comets now down 2 men for 48 seconds with 2:07 left to play.

TO Belleville

5 on 3 for the Sens
The High sticking call created a major storm. Now it's like a Hurricane or Blizzard.

Well here it comes Isaac
18:22 - Halliday shoots- Poulter save but he can't hold it.
18:38 - Jeremy Davies a slap shot from between the hashmarks and Poulter stops him!
Cleared down the ice.
5 on 3 is over. A minute to go on the 2nd penalty.

19:03 - Jeemy Davies again. A slapper from the blueline. Poulter holds on.
:50 left on the PP
Comets win the draw and send it down the ice.

Here come the Sens.
Foote steals it and gets it out. 19 left on the PP.
Sens back in.
19:45 - Filip Roos shoots and Poulter shoulders it out of play.

9 seconds left on the PP

They win the draw and
19:49 - Bongiovanni fires a 1-timer and hits Poulter in the mask and he falls on it.

:11 left in the period and :04 on the PP. The refs move the face off out to center ice. It appeasr they moved the net off the post trying to getto the puck poulter stopped withn his face and fell on top of.

Comets win the draw and get it out and slowly glides down the ice with no Senator making any effort to get to it.
It's called icing! BS!
With 4.5 to go the faceoff is to Poulter's right. Engaras wins it and the Comets clear it out.

Period 3 ends
3-3
SOG:
13-8 Belleville

OT time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm going with the SENs. The Comets are almost dead.

Bellville wins the draw.
4:10 to go - Davies gets the first chance and he goes directly to the net and rams Poulter as he is making the save on the Davies try.
4:06 to go - The puck came off Poulter and Crookshank fires it directly back from the right hash mark and Poulter stops him.

Schmelzer knocks the puck carrier down inside the Comets blueline and retreats to the top of the right circle from where he launches it to Willman in the far neutral zone.
3:51 left - Willman gets in alone and Simpson thwarted his chance with great glove stop right in his crease. Looked like he stoped it with his glove on the ice! That was the game for Utica. I hate that in OT. You just know the other team mis goint to score!

3:30 left - Crookshank walks in and shoots. Poulter makes another stop with his face.

Comets get a 2 on 1 with Parent and Hardman. Hardman is carrying the puck.

3:15 to go - Hardman carries it in, around the net, and tries to backhand it as he comes around the other side. A reall bad play by Hardman on a 2 on 1. How many times have I said the Comets lack hockey IQ??????

Puck is out. Parent brings ia all the way back into the Comets zone and then breaks back up ice and gives it to Hardman in the low slot all alone.
2:56 to go- Hardman shoots the puck directly into Simpson who holds on.

Sens have the puck and hold on to it until
- 1:48 to go. A long pass cross ice to Bongiovanni who
1-times it
- 1:44 to go and his blast beats Poulter and the Sens win it in OT.

The Comets had enough chances to win this one, but a great save and some poor IQ on the part of Hardman cost them their best chance on a 2 on 1 where he never passed and skated himself out of the chance and tried a feeble back hander. Since he had no shot he should have taken it right out and got something going again like Parent did and fed Hardman in the low slot right between the hashmarks and he shot the tantamount chance right into the keeper.

The winning goal was the first time in the game that the Senators took a lead. The Comets couldn't hold onto any of their 3 1-goal leads.

Final score -
Belleville 4- Utica 3 in OT

Scoring:
Beckman (9) from Malone (2) and Strand (8)
Schmelzer (10) from Willman (13) and Nemec (17)
Foote (13) from Gambardella (6) and Stillman (6) PP

Poulter was stellar once again and the goals he gave up were not on him. 31/35.
He faced 72 shots in a home and home back to back.
GAA on the 2-game set 2.00 - 68/72

He is doing all he can do with a team in front of him that no matter how hard they try, continue to give their opponents so many point blank opportunities.

So, in the back to back the Comets got 3 out of a possible 4 points.
Daws was destroyed in the 1st of the 3 in 4 surrendering 7 goals on 30 shots vs Rochester on Wednesday.

Thus, the Comets got 3 points out of a possible 6 and Poulter got 3 out of a possible 4.