2024-25 Utica Comets and ECHL thread
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2/7/25
Utica Comets at Syracuse Crunch
Forwards:
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(24) Halonen (13) Malone (25) Foote
(67) Parent (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(34) Beckman (15) Bowers (61) Stillman
D-Pairs:
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(93) Misyul (44) Osipov
(6) White (22) Casey
Goal - (1) Poulter
Period 1
Comets kept the puck in the Crunch end for the better part of the 1st 5 minutes, but continually turned it over, made crap passes, passed the puck directly to Crunch players, and only managed 2 shots.
The Crunch got their 1st shot at 5:53 by Pouliot right in the low slot. Poulter the save, but Finley went to the rebound uncontested and scored at 5:54. Horrible team defensive play led to that goal.
5:54
Jack Finley
1-0 Crunch
Scrum after the goal resulted in matching penalties.
Pouliot
Legare
2 each for Roughing
5:54
4 on 4 very uneventful.
Crunch get another great chance with a shot in close and the rebound put on Isaac as well. Isaac saving their bacon as usual.
The Crunch get another penalty .
10:21
Conor Geekie
Roughing
Stillman a shot in close stopped by Tomkins, but he is laid out in the crease. Penalty coming out of this.
Looks like Stillman might have lost a chicklet.
11:06
Tobie Bisson
Double minor - High Sticking
Comets get a 5 on 3 for 1:15.
The best scoring chance during the 5 on 3 was for Syracuse. The Comets turned the puck over time after time and the Crunch just kept shooting it down the ice. The 5 on 3 was frittered away by very poor IQ play.
Still have the remainder of the double minor to go.
The 1st penalty of the double minor is killed.
As the 2nd minor is about to end Beckman passes the puck to Strand at the right point and then sets up for a return pass that he calls for. Strand answers and Beckman blasts a 1-timer and beats Tomkins clean high glove side. Another slap shot goal for Beckman.
15:02
ADAM BECKMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PP
1-1
Period ends with the score
1-1
SOG;
9-8 Utica
Period 2
Parent splits the D and shoots. Tomkins the save. X falls
and slides down the slot and into Tomkins. No call.
Legare a shot stopped.
Bowers shoots and is stopped.
The Malone line is on
Foote a backhander stopped.
Willman hits the post.
At the end of their shift Halonen gets a chance and it's Tomkins again.
Parent gets on the ice and Parent shoots high and wide.
Halonen shot stopped.
Parent shoots, save and Parent fires the rebound on.
Halonen sends Parent in clean and his attempt is fluffed and slides into Tomkins.
Shots at this point with 14:01 to go in the 2nd 8-0 Utica.
Too many good chances and nothing to show for it. Would have to guess that the Crunch will get their chances.
Poulter a stop.
Poulter again with a big stop. This one on the doorstep!
Those are the 1st 2 shots of the period for the Crunch.
Casey defends vs a 2 on 1. Breaks it up!
All good things for the Comets in the period and then they get called on the dumbest of possible penalties!
12:44
Parent to serve it
Too many men
The Crunch turn on the pressure.
2 saves by Poulter on Crozier
Now the refs even the calls by giving the Crunch their chance at a 2 -man advantage.
14:18
Ryan Schmelzer
Closing hand on the puck. He grabbed the puck as it fell out of the sky and threw it up the ice. LOL
5 on 3 for :25.
1st penalty killed.
With :33 seconds left on the kill the Crunch score.
The Comets dominated the period and then the PP bug cost them. They are #24 in the AHL on the PK.
15:43
Conor Sheary
2-1 Crunch. PPG
TV TO
3:34 to go
Period winding down and the Crunch defender turns it over on an attempted pass through the middle from the right faceoff circle. Right to Halonen who walks in and .............................
_____________________________________SCORES!!!!!!_________________________________________________
What a bad move for the Crunch. Instead of going to the dressing room up 2-1, a costly turnover makes it 2-2. That sets up new game for the 3rd. It's the same thing as scoreless.
19:24
Brian Halonen
2-2
End of Period 2
2-2
SOG 15-10 Utica
Period 3
3 on 1 and Poulter makes a brilliant stop!
Comets can't keep themselves in the hunt without doing something that blows a great effort.
7:03
Nolan Foote
Cross-checking
A dumb penalty to take in the O-zone.
Crunch with 2 shots at the end, but the Comets have killed it.
The Comets have fallen off as the Crunch have picked up their game and are taking it to the Comets.
Osipov lucky as his stick is tripped over by a Crunch player going to the net. No call. WHEW!
Big glove stop by Isaac on a shot form the left dot.
Isaac a glove stop on a shot by Crozier from the right dot. He holds on.
TV TO
9:35 to go.
Osipov shot gloved and held on by Tomkins.
Crozier shoots and Poulter is hurt. There was crowd in front and 2 or 3 guys fell over and one is on top of Isaac. Poulter is down on his front side and in obvious pain while trying to bend his left leg. He's being tended.
After a consultation and leg movement on the ice with no weight on the leg he tentatively gets up. He's gradually testing his left leg. Now putting full pressure on it. Takse a couple of squats and moves to his net. He puts the mask on and says he'll stay with it. Look for the Crunch to start firing rubber from anywhere to see if he's really OK.
The Best the Comets can do for him is to get the puck out of their zone and keep it out.
Bowers shot and Tomkins is there.
Crunch the other way and the puck trickles in to Poulter. Seamus is protecting Isaac by getting right into a Crunch player in the high slot preventing him from any nonsense against Isaac! This kid has a high IQ! Wish the rest of these guys did.
Another shot and a save. Isaac looks okay.
Parent and Schmelzer out 2 on 1. Parent carrying it and from the inside of the right dot near the hash mark he shoots .............................and .................... S___C____O____R_____E_____S!!!!!!!
14:09
Xavier Parent
3-2 Utica
Engaras beats a Crunch and carries it into the low slot and Tomkins stops him. Damn! Areal good move and he got in alone. That would have been a huge goal. Most surprising is we haven't seen that kind of move from Filip in the 3 seasons he has been with the Comets.
TV TO
3:51 to go
Austin Strand shoots and Tomkins holds on.
Tomkins will be headed off at some point. Comets playing all D. Not the way to do this guys!
He's gone 2:20 to go.
Comets sinking too deep and allowing the Crunch to maneuver.
Comets getting a penalty with 1:21 to go. No, not a penalty, They conference and call it off. Anyone Syracuse is livid.
1:00 to go
Poulter blockers a shot from the top of the circle out of play.
:46 to go and TO Syracuse.
9 seconds later and the Comets get the puck off a battled for draw that squirts to the right boardsboards. Osipov gets it on the boards dot high. He backhands it up the boards. Foote out battles Crozier at the blueline and takes off with the puck up the left side. Just before the blueline he hits Schmelzer in stride streaking (Really? LOL) down the middle and he BURIES IT from the right hash mark.
19:23
Ryan Schmelzer EN
4-2 Utica
Period 3 Ends/Game Ends
3rd Period SOG:
12-8 Crunch
Final Score:
Utica Comets 4 Syracuse Crunch 2
SOG:
UTC - 9 15 8 = 32
SYR - 8 10 12 = 30
PPs:
UTC - 1/3
SYR - 1/3
Scoring:
Adam Beckman (10) from Strand (9) and Vilen (12) PP
Brian Halonen (16) Unassisted
Xavier Parent (10) from Schmelzer (12) and Willman (14)
Ryan Schmelzer (11) from Nolan Foote (EN)
Poulter 28/30
3 *s
#3 - Ryan Schmelzer (Utica Comets) 1G/1A
#2 - Jack Finley (Syracuse Crunch) 1G
#1 - Xavier Parent (Utica Comets) GWG
This was a close fought game from the drop of the puck with the teams trading several minute spans of dominance.
Both goalies were on top of their games. The goals they surrendered were all good goals.
The hitting was hard and often with some bone jarring hits laid on by both teams.
After a bit of poor play early on the Comets went back to the style that has made them successful of late; hard forecheck, attacking the puck carrier in all 3 zones, playing the body, and working to get the puck out of their D-zone and deep into the attacking zone.
They still fail to prevent some point blank shots, but Poulter has been good at defending his net and tonight was no different.
They are not a skillful puck management team and that hurts their offensive efforts, but as long as they don't stop working they still get their chances. I guess by the law of averages, they get some past the keeper.
It's been a team effort for quite a spell now and as long as they continue to play that way, positive outcomes will keep mounting up.
This new style of play that Parent has them buying into has resulted in 9 wins in their last 14 games in which they have scored 4 or more goals in 7 of them. They have also won games 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, and 3-1.
3 of the 5 losses were by 1 goal and 1 of those was in OT so another point.
For a team playing as badly as they did in losing 13 straight to begin the season, they have crawled back winning 16 and losing 8 since then.
That's still leaves them 5 games below .500, but that's the first number they have to be shooting to reach - .500. That would be an accomplishment in itself.
The 2 teams ahead of them in the standings have only won 18 games. 2 more than Utica's 16, but Syracuse has earned 10 loser points while Belleville and Utica have 5 loser points each.
Utica trails 5th place Syracuse by 9 points with 2 games in hand.
Belleville is in 6th place and the Comets trail them by just 4 points, but Belleville has 3 games in hand on Utica and 5 on Syracuse. The Comets task to reach 5th place is a huge uphill battle, but at least they are finally in an actual battle.
They have 30 games left in their 72 game schedule. Syracuse is definitely in reach, but there is little room for error. We'll have to see what the status vs Bellevillle is when they catch up in their GP.
Comets next game is tomorrow evening in Utica vs the Belleville Senators at 7 pm. It doesn't matter what the games in hand are if the Comets keep beating both the Crunch and Senators head to head. The Comets got 3 out of 4 Pts vs Belleville last weekend, but the OT game gave the Sens 2 as well. If they were an out of Division team those 3 points would have been much bigger.
The Comets will have 3 more games left with Belleville this season and 7 with Syracuse including the final 2 games of the season.
It's been frustrating as Hell as a fan. I can't imagine what it's been like for the Comets who really can't stomach losing.
Utica Comets at Syracuse Crunch
Forwards:
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(24) Halonen (13) Malone (25) Foote
(67) Parent (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(34) Beckman (15) Bowers (61) Stillman
D-Pairs:
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(93) Misyul (44) Osipov
(6) White (22) Casey
Goal - (1) Poulter
Period 1
Comets kept the puck in the Crunch end for the better part of the 1st 5 minutes, but continually turned it over, made crap passes, passed the puck directly to Crunch players, and only managed 2 shots.
The Crunch got their 1st shot at 5:53 by Pouliot right in the low slot. Poulter the save, but Finley went to the rebound uncontested and scored at 5:54. Horrible team defensive play led to that goal.
5:54
Jack Finley
1-0 Crunch
Scrum after the goal resulted in matching penalties.
Pouliot
Legare
2 each for Roughing
5:54
4 on 4 very uneventful.
Crunch get another great chance with a shot in close and the rebound put on Isaac as well. Isaac saving their bacon as usual.
The Crunch get another penalty .
10:21
Conor Geekie
Roughing
Stillman a shot in close stopped by Tomkins, but he is laid out in the crease. Penalty coming out of this.
Looks like Stillman might have lost a chicklet.
11:06
Tobie Bisson
Double minor - High Sticking
Comets get a 5 on 3 for 1:15.
The best scoring chance during the 5 on 3 was for Syracuse. The Comets turned the puck over time after time and the Crunch just kept shooting it down the ice. The 5 on 3 was frittered away by very poor IQ play.
Still have the remainder of the double minor to go.
The 1st penalty of the double minor is killed.
As the 2nd minor is about to end Beckman passes the puck to Strand at the right point and then sets up for a return pass that he calls for. Strand answers and Beckman blasts a 1-timer and beats Tomkins clean high glove side. Another slap shot goal for Beckman.
15:02
ADAM BECKMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PP
1-1
Period ends with the score
1-1
SOG;
9-8 Utica
Period 2
Parent splits the D and shoots. Tomkins the save. X falls
and slides down the slot and into Tomkins. No call.
Legare a shot stopped.
Bowers shoots and is stopped.
The Malone line is on
Foote a backhander stopped.
Willman hits the post.
At the end of their shift Halonen gets a chance and it's Tomkins again.
Parent gets on the ice and Parent shoots high and wide.
Halonen shot stopped.
Parent shoots, save and Parent fires the rebound on.
Halonen sends Parent in clean and his attempt is fluffed and slides into Tomkins.
Shots at this point with 14:01 to go in the 2nd 8-0 Utica.
Too many good chances and nothing to show for it. Would have to guess that the Crunch will get their chances.
Poulter a stop.
Poulter again with a big stop. This one on the doorstep!
Those are the 1st 2 shots of the period for the Crunch.
Casey defends vs a 2 on 1. Breaks it up!
All good things for the Comets in the period and then they get called on the dumbest of possible penalties!
12:44
Parent to serve it
Too many men
The Crunch turn on the pressure.
2 saves by Poulter on Crozier
Now the refs even the calls by giving the Crunch their chance at a 2 -man advantage.
14:18
Ryan Schmelzer
Closing hand on the puck. He grabbed the puck as it fell out of the sky and threw it up the ice. LOL
5 on 3 for :25.
1st penalty killed.
With :33 seconds left on the kill the Crunch score.
The Comets dominated the period and then the PP bug cost them. They are #24 in the AHL on the PK.
15:43
Conor Sheary
2-1 Crunch. PPG
TV TO
3:34 to go
Period winding down and the Crunch defender turns it over on an attempted pass through the middle from the right faceoff circle. Right to Halonen who walks in and .............................
_____________________________________SCORES!!!!!!_________________________________________________
What a bad move for the Crunch. Instead of going to the dressing room up 2-1, a costly turnover makes it 2-2. That sets up new game for the 3rd. It's the same thing as scoreless.
19:24
Brian Halonen
2-2
End of Period 2
2-2
SOG 15-10 Utica
Period 3
3 on 1 and Poulter makes a brilliant stop!
Comets can't keep themselves in the hunt without doing something that blows a great effort.
7:03
Nolan Foote
Cross-checking
A dumb penalty to take in the O-zone.
Crunch with 2 shots at the end, but the Comets have killed it.
The Comets have fallen off as the Crunch have picked up their game and are taking it to the Comets.
Osipov lucky as his stick is tripped over by a Crunch player going to the net. No call. WHEW!
Big glove stop by Isaac on a shot form the left dot.
Isaac a glove stop on a shot by Crozier from the right dot. He holds on.
TV TO
9:35 to go.
Osipov shot gloved and held on by Tomkins.
Crozier shoots and Poulter is hurt. There was crowd in front and 2 or 3 guys fell over and one is on top of Isaac. Poulter is down on his front side and in obvious pain while trying to bend his left leg. He's being tended.
After a consultation and leg movement on the ice with no weight on the leg he tentatively gets up. He's gradually testing his left leg. Now putting full pressure on it. Takse a couple of squats and moves to his net. He puts the mask on and says he'll stay with it. Look for the Crunch to start firing rubber from anywhere to see if he's really OK.
The Best the Comets can do for him is to get the puck out of their zone and keep it out.
Bowers shot and Tomkins is there.
Crunch the other way and the puck trickles in to Poulter. Seamus is protecting Isaac by getting right into a Crunch player in the high slot preventing him from any nonsense against Isaac! This kid has a high IQ! Wish the rest of these guys did.
Another shot and a save. Isaac looks okay.
Parent and Schmelzer out 2 on 1. Parent carrying it and from the inside of the right dot near the hash mark he shoots .............................and .................... S___C____O____R_____E_____S!!!!!!!
14:09
Xavier Parent
3-2 Utica
Engaras beats a Crunch and carries it into the low slot and Tomkins stops him. Damn! Areal good move and he got in alone. That would have been a huge goal. Most surprising is we haven't seen that kind of move from Filip in the 3 seasons he has been with the Comets.
TV TO
3:51 to go
Austin Strand shoots and Tomkins holds on.
Tomkins will be headed off at some point. Comets playing all D. Not the way to do this guys!
He's gone 2:20 to go.
Comets sinking too deep and allowing the Crunch to maneuver.
Comets getting a penalty with 1:21 to go. No, not a penalty, They conference and call it off. Anyone Syracuse is livid.
1:00 to go
Poulter blockers a shot from the top of the circle out of play.
:46 to go and TO Syracuse.
9 seconds later and the Comets get the puck off a battled for draw that squirts to the right boardsboards. Osipov gets it on the boards dot high. He backhands it up the boards. Foote out battles Crozier at the blueline and takes off with the puck up the left side. Just before the blueline he hits Schmelzer in stride streaking (Really? LOL) down the middle and he BURIES IT from the right hash mark.
19:23
Ryan Schmelzer EN
4-2 Utica
Period 3 Ends/Game Ends
3rd Period SOG:
12-8 Crunch
Final Score:
Utica Comets 4 Syracuse Crunch 2
SOG:
UTC - 9 15 8 = 32
SYR - 8 10 12 = 30
PPs:
UTC - 1/3
SYR - 1/3
Scoring:
Adam Beckman (10) from Strand (9) and Vilen (12) PP
Brian Halonen (16) Unassisted
Xavier Parent (10) from Schmelzer (12) and Willman (14)
Ryan Schmelzer (11) from Nolan Foote (EN)
Poulter 28/30
3 *s
#3 - Ryan Schmelzer (Utica Comets) 1G/1A
#2 - Jack Finley (Syracuse Crunch) 1G
#1 - Xavier Parent (Utica Comets) GWG
This was a close fought game from the drop of the puck with the teams trading several minute spans of dominance.
Both goalies were on top of their games. The goals they surrendered were all good goals.
The hitting was hard and often with some bone jarring hits laid on by both teams.
After a bit of poor play early on the Comets went back to the style that has made them successful of late; hard forecheck, attacking the puck carrier in all 3 zones, playing the body, and working to get the puck out of their D-zone and deep into the attacking zone.
They still fail to prevent some point blank shots, but Poulter has been good at defending his net and tonight was no different.
They are not a skillful puck management team and that hurts their offensive efforts, but as long as they don't stop working they still get their chances. I guess by the law of averages, they get some past the keeper.
It's been a team effort for quite a spell now and as long as they continue to play that way, positive outcomes will keep mounting up.
This new style of play that Parent has them buying into has resulted in 9 wins in their last 14 games in which they have scored 4 or more goals in 7 of them. They have also won games 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, and 3-1.
3 of the 5 losses were by 1 goal and 1 of those was in OT so another point.
For a team playing as badly as they did in losing 13 straight to begin the season, they have crawled back winning 16 and losing 8 since then.
That's still leaves them 5 games below .500, but that's the first number they have to be shooting to reach - .500. That would be an accomplishment in itself.
The 2 teams ahead of them in the standings have only won 18 games. 2 more than Utica's 16, but Syracuse has earned 10 loser points while Belleville and Utica have 5 loser points each.
Utica trails 5th place Syracuse by 9 points with 2 games in hand.
Belleville is in 6th place and the Comets trail them by just 4 points, but Belleville has 3 games in hand on Utica and 5 on Syracuse. The Comets task to reach 5th place is a huge uphill battle, but at least they are finally in an actual battle.
They have 30 games left in their 72 game schedule. Syracuse is definitely in reach, but there is little room for error. We'll have to see what the status vs Bellevillle is when they catch up in their GP.
Comets next game is tomorrow evening in Utica vs the Belleville Senators at 7 pm. It doesn't matter what the games in hand are if the Comets keep beating both the Crunch and Senators head to head. The Comets got 3 out of 4 Pts vs Belleville last weekend, but the OT game gave the Sens 2 as well. If they were an out of Division team those 3 points would have been much bigger.
The Comets will have 3 more games left with Belleville this season and 7 with Syracuse including the final 2 games of the season.
It's been frustrating as Hell as a fan. I can't imagine what it's been like for the Comets who really can't stomach losing.
Last edited:
Mgd31
Registered User
2/8/25
Belleville Senators at Utica Comets
Forwards:
(25) Foote (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
( 39) Hardman (13) Malone (24) Halonen
(5) Gambardella (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(34) Beckman (15) Bowers (61) Stillman
D-Pairs:
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(93) Misyul (44) Osipov
(6) White (22) Casey
Goal - (56) Brodeur
Comets get 2 chances and Merilainen
stops Stillman and Casey.
Sens go the other way. Brodeur a stop.
Another shot and it's in.
Sens score.
2:24
Donovan Sebrango
1-0 Sens
Legare is stopped.
The Sens into the Comets end.
Washkrunk shoots and scores
4:03
Keean Washkrunk
2-0 Sens
4:03 into the 1st and the Sens lead it 2-0.
SOG are 3-3
Leevi Merilainen has made 2 fantastic saves. Not so much Brodeur. 2 goals against on 3 shots.
I'll call him Leevi from here.
Can't let this get completely out of hand.
Beckman stopped by a diving sprawling save by LEEVI!
Legare and Jorian Donovan drop the mitts and go at it. Legare landed several rights. I didn't see a single punch from Donovan land.
5 each for fighting.
If Leevi keeps up this type of Goaltending the Comets are in for a long disappointing night.
Comets 6 on 5 due to a delayed penalty and the Comets controlled the puck, but couldn't get into the Sen's zone in 3 tries.
They finally get it in on the PP
- Foote is stopped at the doorstep.
- Beckman stopped again
- Another stop on Beckman.
- Foote shoots from the top of the right circle. High wrist shot and he.................................................?
S________C__________O_________R_________E_________S!!!!!!!!!!!!
8:47
Nolan Foote
2-1 Sens.
2 on 1 and Vilen sticks it aside.
Great stop by Brodeur.
Sens all over the Comets here.
Things settle down now and neither team makes any threats.
Vilen a great pass to Malone breaking on the net and his tip goes just wide. Malone has to pot that one. all alone with an open side.
Beckman hits the post!
Strand gets a stick up behind the play. A really dumb move. You can't get conned into making dumb plays. Every hockey player has to know that. DUMB!! Comets to the PK.
16:59
Strand
High-sticking
Brodeur makes a big stop of his own.
Comets kill it.
1st ends
2-1 Belleville
SOG:
10-8 Belleville Comets won last night and Belleville lost in Rochester. That combo put the Comets 4 points behind 6th place Belleville.
Period 2
The Sens are pressing early and the puck comes out toward the blueline. It hits a Zebra and Foote gets past the point man and picks up the puck and goes the other way. He goes all thew way in and shoots from the inside right hashmarks. Leevi seems to have blocked it........NO!!!! It trickles through him and
WE HAVE A TIE GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:47
Nolan Foote
2-2
It's Belleville 2 and Nolan Foote 2, LOL.
Beckman a hard shot off the rush off Leevi's shoulder.
The Sens go the other way and Brodeur makes a big stop. The Comets are penned in and running around. They can' t clear the zone. It results in Colton White taking a penalty.
2:44
Colton White
Tripping
Comets clear.
They clear again.
Leagre breaks up the next attempt at the blueline and goes the other way and shoots on Leevi who holds on.
Comets kill it!
Legare with a chance in front, stopped.
Stillman a shot form the right boards, stopped and covered.
TV TO
12:50 to go
Icing Sens.
Out of play in the Comets end.
Icing Comets.
Shot defelected out of play in the Comets end.
Malone on the leftv side goes to the post fakes the backhand and tries a short shot to the far side. Leevi truns it to the far corne with his stick.
Trand rips a shot over Leevi's heads from just inside the blueline.
Out of play in the Sen's end.
Sens ice it.
Comets point shot deflected far out and out of play over the net.
TV TO
9:47 to go
Casey 1 timer point shot over the net.
Stillman shot stopped.
Halonen shot stopped.
Osipov stopped.
Parent stopped right on the doorstep.
Long shot from the right boards. Brodeur smothers it.
TV TO
5:11 to go.
Beckman a shot from the slot and Leevi holds on. Can't score through the 6-hole.
Comets icing with 3 to go.
Sens shoot a rebound right through the net front just short of the golaline. That was really close!
Shot from the point over the Sen's net out of play.
:59 to go.
Stillman hands out the biggest check of the night sendin the Sen over the boards and almost into his bench.
Osipove lays another one on inside the left side blueline. The game has seen hits, but the hard ones are picking up and most coming from Uitca.
There's the buzzer to end the 2nd.
2nd period SOG:
8-5 Utica
2-period total :
16-15 Utica
Period 3
Here we go it's just like a 0-0 game. Comets need to dig down deep. They really need this one and they have to know it. Nothing stupid. Limit Sens time in your zone and get into the Sens's end.
This is a 4-point night again. They got it 2 ways last night by defeating Syracuse while Belleville was losing to Rochester.
Halonen shot over the crossbar.
Parent carries it in and takes a backhander and the rebound came off the pad and Halonen was right there, but whiffed on a wave at it.
2 on 1 with Beckman and Stillman. Beckman's pass is broken up. Stillman gets Beckman back in ,but his attrempted shot never happens as the Sen gets a stick on his.
Brodeur a stop. brodeur races on a dump in and gets there 1st. he hits engaras who shoots and it's blockered away by Leevi.
Broseur smothers the puck as players fight for it at the edge of his crease.
Brodeur blockers a hard blast from the high slot off the glass.
Long shot from the left point gloved and held by Brodeur. Sens are shooting any time they haveany kind of chance. Hoping to make anything work for them.
Stillman and his line are in chasing a loose puck. from his knee and a long reach it gets it across to Legare who is stopped.
Back into the Comets ennd and they getito out and Legare gets rihgt to the doorstep on the laft side and hjis shot is stopped by Leevi.
Comets called for icing. 13:50 to go.
Comets exerting effort 3 times, but can't get the puck through the Sen's dedicated effort to defy them.
Vilen shot stopped.
Point shot out of play.
TV TO
12:17 to go
Strand on the rush takes a pass from Malone and shoots fromm the high slot as it arrived and Leevi grabbed it like picking cherries even though it was real hard wrister.
Bowers and Beckman moving in and they are thwarted.
BRODEUR comes out of his crease to cut down the angle on point blnk effort coming from the dot. It's ripped and he gloves the high slot. FANTASTIC. His best stop of the night . In fact his best stop as a Comet. WOW
Comets ice it.
TV TO
9:52 to go.
Brodeur scoops up a shot from the left circle.
The Sens are baiting after every whistle. Hoping like Hell to draw one.
Halonen had an open net after receiving a perfect pass from Strand and his 1-timer missed the net!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That could be the game. S**T, Damn, F**k!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Parent shot an easy stop along the ice.
The Sens get their chance on a shoit from 10 feet in nthe right circle. Shot goes completely out of play.
Casey threads a shot through traffic but Leevi tracked and gloved it.
Comets going to the PK.
14:26
Nolan Foote
Interference.
Comets all over the puck and schmelzer clears it down.
Cleared out again.
Down the ice again.
Legare grabs it and carries it all the way down the ice. Eating time off the clock.
The Sensare back in again. The Comets shoot it down. PK is over.
Offsides Sens
3:22 to go.
Halonen has no hockey IQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He had the puck in the left circle. 2 mates in the crease on each side of Leevi. Shoot the damed puck and hope for a tip or rebound. Nope, he tries to go back to the point.
Pilon fires from the slot and Brodeur gobbles it up and stays on top of it. Another big stop on a shot from a player totally all alone in a great sp[ot to score. Again he was out on top of his crease out of the paint.
Buzzer goes and we are going to OT. S**T!
Both are guaranteed a loser point, but the advantage in that case goes to the Sens the worst they can end up with is the Comets pick up a single point on them.
Well, it's still the Comets with 2 more points.
Schmelzer, Foote. and Casey.
Fotte wins the draw to his left directly to Casey.
- He backpaedals and causes the Sen coming at him to miss when he switches up and heads forward.
- Across the red line after faking to move back again and the original guy now chacin g him runs into the boards.
-Casey carries it across the blueline and steps insdie the Sen who was going to hold him up on the boards. This kid has moves up his ass and edges like no other I've ever seen in this league. Not sure a lot of NHLers have those edges either.
-That puts him in the clear and he walks in on Leevi.
-He dekes right and then left all standing in Leevi's face who went with 2nd move to the left and was completely out of the play when Casey brought it back to the right and slid across the goalline. Casey was actually coasting to Leevi while making thoise moves. Leevi was lost. I doubt he's ever seen something like that before.
COMETS WIN IT 3-2 in OT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have no idea where that stupid NHL Stanley Cup image came from. I'll recap in a new post.
Belleville Senators at Utica Comets
Forwards:
(25) Foote (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
( 39) Hardman (13) Malone (24) Halonen
(5) Gambardella (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(34) Beckman (15) Bowers (61) Stillman
D-Pairs:
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(93) Misyul (44) Osipov
(6) White (22) Casey
Goal - (56) Brodeur
Comets get 2 chances and Merilainen
stops Stillman and Casey.
Sens go the other way. Brodeur a stop.
Another shot and it's in.
Sens score.
2:24
Donovan Sebrango
1-0 Sens
Legare is stopped.
The Sens into the Comets end.
Washkrunk shoots and scores
4:03
Keean Washkrunk
2-0 Sens
4:03 into the 1st and the Sens lead it 2-0.
SOG are 3-3
Leevi Merilainen has made 2 fantastic saves. Not so much Brodeur. 2 goals against on 3 shots.
I'll call him Leevi from here.
Can't let this get completely out of hand.
Beckman stopped by a diving sprawling save by LEEVI!
Legare and Jorian Donovan drop the mitts and go at it. Legare landed several rights. I didn't see a single punch from Donovan land.
5 each for fighting.
If Leevi keeps up this type of Goaltending the Comets are in for a long disappointing night.
Comets 6 on 5 due to a delayed penalty and the Comets controlled the puck, but couldn't get into the Sen's zone in 3 tries.
They finally get it in on the PP
- Foote is stopped at the doorstep.
- Beckman stopped again
- Another stop on Beckman.
- Foote shoots from the top of the right circle. High wrist shot and he.................................................?
S________C__________O_________R_________E_________S!!!!!!!!!!!!
8:47
Nolan Foote
2-1 Sens.
2 on 1 and Vilen sticks it aside.
Great stop by Brodeur.
Sens all over the Comets here.
Things settle down now and neither team makes any threats.
Vilen a great pass to Malone breaking on the net and his tip goes just wide. Malone has to pot that one. all alone with an open side.
Beckman hits the post!
Strand gets a stick up behind the play. A really dumb move. You can't get conned into making dumb plays. Every hockey player has to know that. DUMB!! Comets to the PK.
16:59
Strand
High-sticking
Brodeur makes a big stop of his own.
Comets kill it.
1st ends
2-1 Belleville
SOG:
10-8 Belleville Comets won last night and Belleville lost in Rochester. That combo put the Comets 4 points behind 6th place Belleville.
Period 2
The Sens are pressing early and the puck comes out toward the blueline. It hits a Zebra and Foote gets past the point man and picks up the puck and goes the other way. He goes all thew way in and shoots from the inside right hashmarks. Leevi seems to have blocked it........NO!!!! It trickles through him and
WE HAVE A TIE GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:47
Nolan Foote
2-2
It's Belleville 2 and Nolan Foote 2, LOL.
Beckman a hard shot off the rush off Leevi's shoulder.
The Sens go the other way and Brodeur makes a big stop. The Comets are penned in and running around. They can' t clear the zone. It results in Colton White taking a penalty.
2:44
Colton White
Tripping
Comets clear.
They clear again.
Leagre breaks up the next attempt at the blueline and goes the other way and shoots on Leevi who holds on.
Comets kill it!
Legare with a chance in front, stopped.
Stillman a shot form the right boards, stopped and covered.
TV TO
12:50 to go
Icing Sens.
Out of play in the Comets end.
Icing Comets.
Shot defelected out of play in the Comets end.
Malone on the leftv side goes to the post fakes the backhand and tries a short shot to the far side. Leevi truns it to the far corne with his stick.
Trand rips a shot over Leevi's heads from just inside the blueline.
Out of play in the Sen's end.
Sens ice it.
Comets point shot deflected far out and out of play over the net.
TV TO
9:47 to go
Casey 1 timer point shot over the net.
Stillman shot stopped.
Halonen shot stopped.
Osipov stopped.
Parent stopped right on the doorstep.
Long shot from the right boards. Brodeur smothers it.
TV TO
5:11 to go.
Beckman a shot from the slot and Leevi holds on. Can't score through the 6-hole.
Comets icing with 3 to go.
Sens shoot a rebound right through the net front just short of the golaline. That was really close!
Shot from the point over the Sen's net out of play.
:59 to go.
Stillman hands out the biggest check of the night sendin the Sen over the boards and almost into his bench.
Osipove lays another one on inside the left side blueline. The game has seen hits, but the hard ones are picking up and most coming from Uitca.
There's the buzzer to end the 2nd.
2nd period SOG:
8-5 Utica
2-period total :
16-15 Utica
Period 3
Here we go it's just like a 0-0 game. Comets need to dig down deep. They really need this one and they have to know it. Nothing stupid. Limit Sens time in your zone and get into the Sens's end.
This is a 4-point night again. They got it 2 ways last night by defeating Syracuse while Belleville was losing to Rochester.
Halonen shot over the crossbar.
Parent carries it in and takes a backhander and the rebound came off the pad and Halonen was right there, but whiffed on a wave at it.
2 on 1 with Beckman and Stillman. Beckman's pass is broken up. Stillman gets Beckman back in ,but his attrempted shot never happens as the Sen gets a stick on his.
Brodeur a stop. brodeur races on a dump in and gets there 1st. he hits engaras who shoots and it's blockered away by Leevi.
Broseur smothers the puck as players fight for it at the edge of his crease.
Brodeur blockers a hard blast from the high slot off the glass.
Long shot from the left point gloved and held by Brodeur. Sens are shooting any time they haveany kind of chance. Hoping to make anything work for them.
Stillman and his line are in chasing a loose puck. from his knee and a long reach it gets it across to Legare who is stopped.
Back into the Comets ennd and they getito out and Legare gets rihgt to the doorstep on the laft side and hjis shot is stopped by Leevi.
Comets called for icing. 13:50 to go.
Comets exerting effort 3 times, but can't get the puck through the Sen's dedicated effort to defy them.
Vilen shot stopped.
Point shot out of play.
TV TO
12:17 to go
Strand on the rush takes a pass from Malone and shoots fromm the high slot as it arrived and Leevi grabbed it like picking cherries even though it was real hard wrister.
Bowers and Beckman moving in and they are thwarted.
BRODEUR comes out of his crease to cut down the angle on point blnk effort coming from the dot. It's ripped and he gloves the high slot. FANTASTIC. His best stop of the night . In fact his best stop as a Comet. WOW
Comets ice it.
TV TO
9:52 to go.
Brodeur scoops up a shot from the left circle.
The Sens are baiting after every whistle. Hoping like Hell to draw one.
Halonen had an open net after receiving a perfect pass from Strand and his 1-timer missed the net!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That could be the game. S**T, Damn, F**k!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Parent shot an easy stop along the ice.
The Sens get their chance on a shoit from 10 feet in nthe right circle. Shot goes completely out of play.
Casey threads a shot through traffic but Leevi tracked and gloved it.
Comets going to the PK.
14:26
Nolan Foote
Interference.
Comets all over the puck and schmelzer clears it down.
Cleared out again.
Down the ice again.
Legare grabs it and carries it all the way down the ice. Eating time off the clock.
The Sensare back in again. The Comets shoot it down. PK is over.
Offsides Sens
3:22 to go.
Halonen has no hockey IQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He had the puck in the left circle. 2 mates in the crease on each side of Leevi. Shoot the damed puck and hope for a tip or rebound. Nope, he tries to go back to the point.
Pilon fires from the slot and Brodeur gobbles it up and stays on top of it. Another big stop on a shot from a player totally all alone in a great sp[ot to score. Again he was out on top of his crease out of the paint.
Buzzer goes and we are going to OT. S**T!
Both are guaranteed a loser point, but the advantage in that case goes to the Sens the worst they can end up with is the Comets pick up a single point on them.
Well, it's still the Comets with 2 more points.
Schmelzer, Foote. and Casey.
Fotte wins the draw to his left directly to Casey.
- He backpaedals and causes the Sen coming at him to miss when he switches up and heads forward.
- Across the red line after faking to move back again and the original guy now chacin g him runs into the boards.
-Casey carries it across the blueline and steps insdie the Sen who was going to hold him up on the boards. This kid has moves up his ass and edges like no other I've ever seen in this league. Not sure a lot of NHLers have those edges either.
-That puts him in the clear and he walks in on Leevi.
-He dekes right and then left all standing in Leevi's face who went with 2nd move to the left and was completely out of the play when Casey brought it back to the right and slid across the goalline. Casey was actually coasting to Leevi while making thoise moves. Leevi was lost. I doubt he's ever seen something like that before.
COMETS WIN IT 3-2 in OT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have no idea where that stupid NHL Stanley Cup image came from. I'll recap in a new post.
2/8/25
Belleville Senators at Utica Comets (Recap)
Final score:
Utica Comets 3 Belleville Senators 2 (OT)
SOG:
BEL 10 5 8 0 = 23
UTC 8 8 6 1 = 23
PPs:
BEL - 0/3
UTC - 1/1
Scoring:
Nolan Foote (14) from Vilen (13) and Beckman (17)
Nolan Foote (14) unassisted
Casey (3) from Schmelzer (13)
Brodeur 21/23
3 ***s
#3 - Jeremy Brodeur (Utica Comets) 21/23
#2 - Nolan Foote (Utica Comes) 2G
#1 - Seamus Casey (Utica Comets) GWG
Comets move to 17-21-3-2 # points behind 6th place Belleville and remain 9 behind 5th place Syracuse and the last playoff spot. Still wishful thinking.
Comets now 10-5 in their last 15 games.
Next up in Providence on 2/14 at 7pm and then right back in Utica the next night, 2/15, at 7pm vs the Rochester Americans.
The only thing that can be stated is they have to keep this up. They dug this hole for themselves with their 13 straight losses to open the season. It's all up to them. Keep the pedal to the metal.
Belleville Senators at Utica Comets (Recap)
Final score:
Utica Comets 3 Belleville Senators 2 (OT)
SOG:
BEL 10 5 8 0 = 23
UTC 8 8 6 1 = 23
PPs:
BEL - 0/3
UTC - 1/1
Scoring:
Nolan Foote (14) from Vilen (13) and Beckman (17)
Nolan Foote (14) unassisted
Casey (3) from Schmelzer (13)
Brodeur 21/23
3 ***s
#3 - Jeremy Brodeur (Utica Comets) 21/23
#2 - Nolan Foote (Utica Comes) 2G
#1 - Seamus Casey (Utica Comets) GWG
Comets move to 17-21-3-2 # points behind 6th place Belleville and remain 9 behind 5th place Syracuse and the last playoff spot. Still wishful thinking.
Comets now 10-5 in their last 15 games.
Next up in Providence on 2/14 at 7pm and then right back in Utica the next night, 2/15, at 7pm vs the Rochester Americans.
The only thing that can be stated is they have to keep this up. They dug this hole for themselves with their 13 straight losses to open the season. It's all up to them. Keep the pedal to the metal.
OmNomNom
Taco is Love, Taco is Life
I told you it was unbelievable!
The moves on one play defy the game. He made 4 MOVES to escape everybody and then put the goalie's jock on the ice and that keeper had been more than just outstanding all game long. Leevi Merilainen was sent down by Ottawa in order to keep playing during the Four Nations. The 22-yr-old Finn is 8-3-1 for the Ottawa Sens with a 1.99 GAA and .925 SV% in his 12 GP up there.
Casey has developed his skating beyond that of most hockey players anywhere to compensate for his size. His edges are something else. I have never seen a defender make room for himself in order to either escape a forecheck or enable him to make a tape to tape pass or simply clear the zone like Casey does ROUTINELY! IF NJ trades this talent away I believe it will historically be one of the worst trades they have ever made.
I think Nemec is a good offensive D-man, but he can't do what Seamus can. Seamus has an IQ that's off the map, both mentally and hockey wise. His passing is almost always tape to tape no matter the speed of the guy he's sending it to or how far away he is. He can elude guys trying to defend against him when skating in open ice as if it's the simplest thing in the world. He knows when to go deep and when not to. He eludes opponents coming at him on the O-blueline regularly or dumps it when he knows he can't. Incidentally, that dump is more often than not either a direct pass to a mate or a shot on goal or a tippable shot just wide of the posts. He sees the ice like only few every generation do. He doesn't seem to, do anything with the puck that doesn't involve a plan. If you are on the ice with him you better be ready, because he knows where you are and you could be receiving the puck at any moment. In the O-zone don't just stand still looking at him unless you are pointblank wide open for a serious scoring chance. Move your ass to that dangerous open ice spot and he will find you if possible
First let me say Happy Valentine's Day to all the Hot lovers out there.
2/14/25
Utica Comets at Providence Bruins
(When I was a kid watching the AHL in Rochester the Providence team was the Providence Reds. Eddie Giacomin and Marcel Paille played goal for them at different times and both were outstanding AHL keepers. Remember, there were only 6 NHL teams back then.)
Forwards:
(25) Foote (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(67) Parent (13) Malone (24) Halonen
(5) Gambardella (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(34) Beckman (15) Bowers (61) Stillman
D-Pairs:
(8) Hatakka (17) Nemec
(6) White (22) Casey
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
Goal - (50) Daws
Period 1
Ex-Comet Michael DiPietro is in the net for the Bruins. He leads the AHL in goaltending with a 1.99 GAA and his SV% of .928 is 2nd.
First shot of the night is in Vs Daws. JFC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1:20
Georgii Merkulov
1-0
Now the Comets go to the PK. As of now the Comets have not been out of their own end. Very obvious call.
2:54
Nemec
Tripping
Providence has 6th best PP in the AHL.
Comets catch a break here as the Bruins head to the box.
3:32
Patrick Brown
Tripping
4 on 4
15:57 - Comets cross the Blueline into the O-zone for the 1st time.
Nemec Penalty ends
Comets to a short PP
Casey has possession and moves down the right side. Moving up and down, in and out looking for someone with a good position to shoot. No one as the Comets do their normal PP of just standing still while the Puck possessor moves around.
Casey moves into the dot and then back out, finally sends it out to Nemec at the point, across to Beckman on the left side, who rifles it back to Casey who takes it down between the circles and shoots...........
glove save by DP, but he can't hold it .... Halonen on the doorstep whiffs at the puck that bounced right to him. Bruins clear it.
Back to 5 on 5
Comets 2 more shots and then a whistle as DP hods on
Comets contriol
DP a save.
Utica has controlled action since the Nemec penalty ended. Problem is not many SOG, 3-3 at the moment.
TV TO
12:01 to go.
Another TV TO
9:38 to go.
White stopped on a long wrister.
Malone stopped in close.
Vilen mashed into the boards behind his own net.
Bruins called on the hit.
12:31
Trevor Kuntar
Boarding
Comets to the PP
Cleared out off the draw.
Comets in and cleared right back out.
Schmelzer in close/ shot/ and DP deflects it out.
Schmelzer another shot stopped.
Gambardella stopped.
All even.
Halonen shot blocked right in front.
TV TO
2:50 to go.
Comets back to the PK
17:55
Hatakka
Holding
Bruins shot wide and all the way down
Back in.
2 shots by Brown stopped.
Tufte in clean and Daws stops him.
PK successful
Comet clear it out and that's it. Big scrum going on. Zebras get control.
End of the 1st
1-0 Bruins
SOG: 10-9 Comets
At 1 point it was 3-0 Bruins very early.
Then the Comets took controol and had a 10-3 advantage, but Providence came on strong and put 5 Daws in the last 4 minutes.
Period 2
Lettieri shoots and Daws Blockered it wide.
Beckman blown up in his own zone.
Stillman shot kicked out
Beckman shot gloved for a whistle.
These are the 1st shots of the period for the Comets 4 minutes in. The same as the 1st period.
Nemec is hit hard on the offensive boards without the puck!
Comets to the PP
Tyler Pitlick
Interference
4:19
Lose the Drawa snd it's all the way down.
Comets get back in and after a struggle it's out again. Halonen carries it in and shoots/blocked/puck goes behind the net/Halonena and a bruin go behind the net with Schmelzer following/ Neither of the 1st 2 get it and Schmelzer comes out from behind the net and shoots from between the bottom of the left circle and DP's right post / HE shoots and. ...............................................SCORES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SCHMELZER
A PPG
4:56
It's tied 1-1
2 on 0 for the Bruins.
A DIVING POKECHECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT WAS STILLMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He came out of nowhere and knocked the puck off a stick and into the corner. The Comets ice it.
Wow, what a play!
Bruins get the next 4 shots over the time since Schmelzer scored. Daws stopped them all.
Legare after lugging it all the way up the ice while the Comets changed gets a backhand on net. Good work by Legare as the Comets were gassed from the Bruins' pressure.
TV TO
11:46 to go.
Schmelzer and Willman get a couple shots, but DP turned them aside.
McLKaughlin stopped by Daws on the doorstep after he collected a bouncing puck that ended up in front of the Comets net.
Another shot by Tufte easily turned aside.
TV TO
9:58 to go
Mast a slapper gloved and held by Daws.
Schmelzer backhand in the net front smothered by DP.
Providence breaks out after winning the draw. They break in on a 3on2 and a pass goes to Mason Millman in nthe clearand he wrists it from the just inside the top of the left circle and beat a kneeling Daws low glove side.
Mason Millman (a D-man joining the rush)
11:43
2-1 Bruins
From Schmelzer's backhander in front at 13:08, the Bruins have scored a goal and put 11 shots on Daws while Foote got the only Comets shot in that time span.
The 2nd period mercifully ends.
SOG:
17-9 Providence
2-period total;
26-19 Bruins
Period 3
Comets have come out with some life, but haven't challenged DP.
JC!
NEMEC while azily picks up the puck in his own end with abruin moving in on him Lazily sends it offf the boards directly to a Bruin inside the right Blueline. Thta Bruin races in and Nemec moves to challenge him However, he passes it to the guy Nemec threw the puck out to avoid now standing all alone at the inside of the bottom of the left circle.
He wristed it immediately to the empty left side (Nico's right). W
Daws coming across made a great glove save........ but........ he didn't glove it!........He airmailed it straight up and it eventually fell back to earth behind him and bounced into the net...........G O A L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nemec saw it and waved at it with his hand and either missed or actually tapped it in. Doesn't matter it's a goal.
3:31
Riley Duran
3-1 Providence
The goal was the 1st shot on net for either team in the 3rd period.
From the faceoff the puck comes into the Comets end along the left wing boards and somehow ends up on Pitlick's stick all alone in between the hashmarks and he burties it. Foote was the only Comet to show up behind Pitlick, but not close enough to make anything happen.
3:48
Tyler Pitlick
4-1 Bruins
2 goals in :17 seconds
Another classic case of another Daws implosion. Not all his fault but this is what seems to happen to him a lot. Once things start to go bad on him, it just gets worse.
Bruins get 3 of the next 4 shots with Stillman getting the 1st of the period for the Comets. 6:52 have gone by in the period.
Bruins playing the d-game and the Comets manage shots and then Willman gets called and the CVomets go ot the PK.
11:08
Willman
Tripping
The Bruins manage 3 shots on goal.
PK successful
T
That didn't stop them. They get 3 more SOG in less than a minute.
Coloton white manages the Comets 2nd shot of the period at 14:46.
Comets to the PP. Big F-ing deal!
14:46
Frederic Brunet
Comets pull Daws
Comets manage 3 shots wth a 6 on 4 advantage.
6 seconds after the PP ends Riley Duran scoreds intoi the open net.
18:50
Riley Duran
5-1
That's the end. Thank God.
FInal score:
Providence Bruins 5 Utica Comets 1
SOG:
UTC 10 9 8 = 27
PRO 9 17 12 = 38
PP:
UTC 1/4
PRO 0/3
Scoring:
Schmelzer (12) from Halonen (10) PPG
Daws - 33/37
Comets next game:
2/15/25 (tomorrow) vs Rochester Americans
7pm at the Adirondack Bank Center (the Utca Aud)
Comets record:
17-22-3-2
tailfins
2/14/25
Utica Comets at Providence Bruins
(When I was a kid watching the AHL in Rochester the Providence team was the Providence Reds. Eddie Giacomin and Marcel Paille played goal for them at different times and both were outstanding AHL keepers. Remember, there were only 6 NHL teams back then.)
Forwards:
(25) Foote (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(67) Parent (13) Malone (24) Halonen
(5) Gambardella (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(34) Beckman (15) Bowers (61) Stillman
D-Pairs:
(8) Hatakka (17) Nemec
(6) White (22) Casey
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
Goal - (50) Daws
Period 1
Ex-Comet Michael DiPietro is in the net for the Bruins. He leads the AHL in goaltending with a 1.99 GAA and his SV% of .928 is 2nd.
First shot of the night is in Vs Daws. JFC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1:20
Georgii Merkulov
1-0
Now the Comets go to the PK. As of now the Comets have not been out of their own end. Very obvious call.
2:54
Nemec
Tripping
Providence has 6th best PP in the AHL.
Comets catch a break here as the Bruins head to the box.
3:32
Patrick Brown
Tripping
4 on 4
15:57 - Comets cross the Blueline into the O-zone for the 1st time.
Nemec Penalty ends
Comets to a short PP
Casey has possession and moves down the right side. Moving up and down, in and out looking for someone with a good position to shoot. No one as the Comets do their normal PP of just standing still while the Puck possessor moves around.
Casey moves into the dot and then back out, finally sends it out to Nemec at the point, across to Beckman on the left side, who rifles it back to Casey who takes it down between the circles and shoots...........
glove save by DP, but he can't hold it .... Halonen on the doorstep whiffs at the puck that bounced right to him. Bruins clear it.
Back to 5 on 5
Comets 2 more shots and then a whistle as DP hods on
Comets contriol
DP a save.
Utica has controlled action since the Nemec penalty ended. Problem is not many SOG, 3-3 at the moment.
TV TO
12:01 to go.
Another TV TO
9:38 to go.
White stopped on a long wrister.
Malone stopped in close.
Vilen mashed into the boards behind his own net.
Bruins called on the hit.
12:31
Trevor Kuntar
Boarding
Comets to the PP
Cleared out off the draw.
Comets in and cleared right back out.
Schmelzer in close/ shot/ and DP deflects it out.
Schmelzer another shot stopped.
Gambardella stopped.
All even.
Halonen shot blocked right in front.
TV TO
2:50 to go.
Comets back to the PK
17:55
Hatakka
Holding
Bruins shot wide and all the way down
Back in.
2 shots by Brown stopped.
Tufte in clean and Daws stops him.
PK successful
Comet clear it out and that's it. Big scrum going on. Zebras get control.
End of the 1st
1-0 Bruins
SOG: 10-9 Comets
At 1 point it was 3-0 Bruins very early.
Then the Comets took controol and had a 10-3 advantage, but Providence came on strong and put 5 Daws in the last 4 minutes.
Period 2
Lettieri shoots and Daws Blockered it wide.
Beckman blown up in his own zone.
Stillman shot kicked out
Beckman shot gloved for a whistle.
These are the 1st shots of the period for the Comets 4 minutes in. The same as the 1st period.
Nemec is hit hard on the offensive boards without the puck!
Comets to the PP
Tyler Pitlick
Interference
4:19
Lose the Drawa snd it's all the way down.
Comets get back in and after a struggle it's out again. Halonen carries it in and shoots/blocked/puck goes behind the net/Halonena and a bruin go behind the net with Schmelzer following/ Neither of the 1st 2 get it and Schmelzer comes out from behind the net and shoots from between the bottom of the left circle and DP's right post / HE shoots and. ...............................................SCORES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SCHMELZER
A PPG
4:56
It's tied 1-1
2 on 0 for the Bruins.
A DIVING POKECHECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT WAS STILLMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He came out of nowhere and knocked the puck off a stick and into the corner. The Comets ice it.
Wow, what a play!
Bruins get the next 4 shots over the time since Schmelzer scored. Daws stopped them all.
Legare after lugging it all the way up the ice while the Comets changed gets a backhand on net. Good work by Legare as the Comets were gassed from the Bruins' pressure.
TV TO
11:46 to go.
Schmelzer and Willman get a couple shots, but DP turned them aside.
McLKaughlin stopped by Daws on the doorstep after he collected a bouncing puck that ended up in front of the Comets net.
Another shot by Tufte easily turned aside.
TV TO
9:58 to go
Mast a slapper gloved and held by Daws.
Schmelzer backhand in the net front smothered by DP.
Providence breaks out after winning the draw. They break in on a 3on2 and a pass goes to Mason Millman in nthe clearand he wrists it from the just inside the top of the left circle and beat a kneeling Daws low glove side.
Mason Millman (a D-man joining the rush)
11:43
2-1 Bruins
From Schmelzer's backhander in front at 13:08, the Bruins have scored a goal and put 11 shots on Daws while Foote got the only Comets shot in that time span.
The 2nd period mercifully ends.
SOG:
17-9 Providence
2-period total;
26-19 Bruins
Period 3
Comets have come out with some life, but haven't challenged DP.
JC!
NEMEC while azily picks up the puck in his own end with abruin moving in on him Lazily sends it offf the boards directly to a Bruin inside the right Blueline. Thta Bruin races in and Nemec moves to challenge him However, he passes it to the guy Nemec threw the puck out to avoid now standing all alone at the inside of the bottom of the left circle.
He wristed it immediately to the empty left side (Nico's right). W
Daws coming across made a great glove save........ but........ he didn't glove it!........He airmailed it straight up and it eventually fell back to earth behind him and bounced into the net...........G O A L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nemec saw it and waved at it with his hand and either missed or actually tapped it in. Doesn't matter it's a goal.
3:31
Riley Duran
3-1 Providence
The goal was the 1st shot on net for either team in the 3rd period.
From the faceoff the puck comes into the Comets end along the left wing boards and somehow ends up on Pitlick's stick all alone in between the hashmarks and he burties it. Foote was the only Comet to show up behind Pitlick, but not close enough to make anything happen.
3:48
Tyler Pitlick
4-1 Bruins
2 goals in :17 seconds
Another classic case of another Daws implosion. Not all his fault but this is what seems to happen to him a lot. Once things start to go bad on him, it just gets worse.
Bruins get 3 of the next 4 shots with Stillman getting the 1st of the period for the Comets. 6:52 have gone by in the period.
Bruins playing the d-game and the Comets manage shots and then Willman gets called and the CVomets go ot the PK.
11:08
Willman
Tripping
The Bruins manage 3 shots on goal.
PK successful
T
That didn't stop them. They get 3 more SOG in less than a minute.
Coloton white manages the Comets 2nd shot of the period at 14:46.
Comets to the PP. Big F-ing deal!
14:46
Frederic Brunet
Comets pull Daws
Comets manage 3 shots wth a 6 on 4 advantage.
6 seconds after the PP ends Riley Duran scoreds intoi the open net.
18:50
Riley Duran
5-1
That's the end. Thank God.
FInal score:
Providence Bruins 5 Utica Comets 1
SOG:
UTC 10 9 8 = 27
PRO 9 17 12 = 38
PP:
UTC 1/4
PRO 0/3
Scoring:
Schmelzer (12) from Halonen (10) PPG
Daws - 33/37
Comets next game:
2/15/25 (tomorrow) vs Rochester Americans
7pm at the Adirondack Bank Center (the Utca Aud)
Comets record:
17-22-3-2
tailfins
Last edited:
2/15/25
Rochester Americans at Utica Comets
Forwards:
(5) Gambardella (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(25) Foote (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(67) Parent (13) Malone (24) Halonen
(34) Beckman (15) Bowers (61) Stillman
D-Pairs:
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(6) White (22) Casey
(93) Misyul (17) Nemec
Goal - (1) Poulter
Period 1
1st minute saw an Amerk out deke 3 Comets and cross into the crease and Poulter stopped him.
Another Amerk in close and Poulter another stop.
Comets ice it. Amerks win the draw and Rathbone shoots, a tip is stopped by Poulter.
Willman a good chance in the slot and it was blocked
Poulter a stop on a Misyul turnover.
White turnover at the O-blueline and Casey angled back to take the Amerk out.
Beckman stopped art the doorstep.
Amerk breakaway tripped from behind.
Pebatly shot.
Here we go,
Graham Slaggert___________S----A-----V-----E Poulter!!!!!!!!!
TV TO
13:50 to go
Bowers is worthless!!!!!!!!!!
Engaras in clean and he's stopped by Sandstrom who smothers it.
Comets 2nd SOG.
Casey is so smooth and smart.
Another Amerk all alone in front and Poulter is big again.
I don't care how good Isaac is if these guys don't get their heads out of their asses, this game will belong to Rochester.
Halonen can't do anything except shoot the puck and he misses more than he hits.
Parent a good chance on the rush and Sandstrom says no.
Amerks move all over the Comets end passing the puck to one another with little problem and shoot the puck when they get the chance they worked for. Comets do nothing like this. I have said it all season they are an offensively challenged team and that's being kind.
2 on 1 Comets and Beckman shoots wide.
Beckman shoots wide again.
Halonen shoots and it doesn't get through.
Comets best effort of the period and none of their shots were on the net.
TV TO
8:17 to go
Casey a good chance and it's sticked aside and the Comets miss the rebound. He was trying to get a shot that somebody could into the net.
Gambardella tries a wraparound and it goes through the crease and Legare is on the other side and taps it in while being tied up.
G_______________________O__________________A___________________L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6:10
Legare
1-0 Comets
Poulter another stop.
Beckman in clean again and again he fails to finish. Keeper flat on the ice and Beckman can't get it up even a foot.
Beckman a clean shot from the low slot and he fails again. Comets could be ahead 5-0 on Beckman chances alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DAMN.
TV TO
5:49 to go
Legare powers to the net. A big pile and the Comets wack at it and the whistle goes.
Comets get a good breakout and Halonen is so eager for the puck he goes off sides and ruins a big opportunity. Now Halonen is open for a shot and he whistles a hard shot way wide.
Casey wrister from the blueline and it's gloved for a whistle.
Comets 2 shots. Schmelzer both times and he's stopped on both.
Amerks getting a PK but right now are 6 on 5 and they work for as real good chance and Poulter is there again.
Comets to the PK.
19:15
Legare
Cross-checking
2 good chances and the Comets blocked them both in the last 10 seconds.
1st period comes to an end
Comets 1-0
SOG:
13-11 Utica
The Comets in the 1st 10 minutes were outshot 7-2. 11-4 Utica for the last 10
Period 2
Comets still on the PK.
Long shot held by Poulter.
Amerks hav been working all game long to get faceffs in the Utica zone. Comets can't beat them at the draw. Rochester gets all kinds of good offnse from the draws.
Amerks won the draw and have shot wide, over the net, and wide again.
PK is over, but the Comets can't get the puck out.
It's all Rocheter in the 1st 3 minutes just like the 1st period.
Strand point shot stopped by Sandstrom.
Rathbone a 1 -timer from the slot and it's a tie game.
5:24
Rathbone
1-1
When the Comets stop a rush they aimlessly throw the puck away. The Amerks find a mate in the same situations and the result is a brealout, rush, shot on goal, etc. Something positive.
Nemec misses the net form the top of the circle.
Parent stopped. Halonen stopped.
Ref blows a call. Stillman stops a puck with his hand and picks it up. Ref calls a hand pass. You can't "hand pass" the puck to yourself.
TV TO
11:56 to go
Schmelzer in with Foote and Ryan gets too close before trying a pass to Foote and Sandstrom smothers it as it's crossing his crease.
Poulter stop and holds.
Misyul point shot over the net.
Comets getting a PP.
TV TO
9:55 to go
10:05
Josh Dunne
Holding
Parent a good chance from the right dot and Sandstrom gloves it. Faceoff
Casey shot tipped wide.
Casey shot stopped and the Amerks clear the zone.
Amewks shoot it down the ice.
Amerks shoot it down again.
Once Casey left the ice the PP was s**t.
Poulter comes out and his stick breaks in half as he plays the puck to deny an Amerk. He makes an amzing save moving backwards to his net. Comets get up the ice and Poulter doesn't have a stick yet.
The Comets maintain posession and from the left corner Parent centers directlt to Malone coming down the slot. He SHOOTS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>and ...............
S__________C_____________O______________R______________E________________S
13:38
Malone
2-1 Comets.
Amerks icing.
Off the draw Willman shoots and is stopped by Sandstrom who holds on.
Foote and Willman break in. Foote attempts a shot /pass to Willman in the low slot and Willman was tied up.
Somehow Schmelzer was called
14:27
Schmelzer
High-sticking
3 good efforts by the Amerks blocked, deflected, and blocked out of play.
No SOG.
Long shot stopped by Poulter.
Another Poulter save and it's cleared down the ice.
From the right side. Foote whiffs at a loose puck and Komarov skates past him and wires it home from the dot.
16:23
Vsevolod Komarov
2-2
Stillman stopped on a great chance. Nemec passed him the puck from the top of the lright circle and he 1-timed it from the left circle and Sandstrom denied him.
Sandstrom stops Foote from the high slot and holds on.
Period 2 is over
2-2
SOG:
14-8 Utica
2-period total:
27-19 Utica.
Period 3
1st :26 seconds 2 SOG stopped by Isaac.
Sandstom laying down on the ice. Halonen has the puck inside the bottom of the left circle. A guy who never saw a shot he wouldn't take instead tried to pass the puck to a Comet tied up at the slot. All he had to do was wrist a shot into the open net and he tries to pass it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOCKEY IQ????????????????????????????????????????????
Parent shot held onto.
Nemec tries a stick check and is walked and forces Poulter to make a stop. I don't think he wants to be here. Can't wait to get back to NJ and this is just a waste of his time and he doesn't want to get hurt. Casey worked his way in and just missed over the blocker.
Casey is just so smooth. Handles the puck better than any Comet we've seen and that include 8 seasons with Vancouver. He is so smaret. Handles the puck as if it's glued to hidss stick.
Gambardella shoots from the slot and it's over the net and out of play. They are going to regret their failures in the 1st 5 minutes of this period.
Vilen carries it in. Hits Parent in the left circle. With his back to the net backhands the puck to Halonen in stride. Halonen takes it down the inside of the left circle and............................................................ ????????????
S________________C____________O____________________R_____________E__________________S
5:22
Halonen
3-2 Comets
Comets very sloppy in their zone and blow sevearl efforts to recover the puck and are lucky as a shot is deflected out of play.
TV TO
13:23 to go
Stillman is in clean and falls down and shoots from the seast of his pants and shot it wide.
Icing Amerks. 10:18 to go.
TV TO
9:18 to go
Big Sandstrom stop and his d-man scoops it up as it's rolling towards his goal line.
2 on 1 and Halonen shoots it into the glove.
Comets continue to try and stop the Amerk rushes with their sticks. No one is playing the body! The Amerks keep posession as a result. If this keeps up the Amerks will pot one. They keep getting chances.
This katy bar the door crap does not work with the Comets
Poulter a big stop and he holds on.
TV TO
5:54 to go
2 on 1 and poulter is HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Amerks are pouring it on. Comets are backing in.
Poulter stop and he holds on 3:13 to go.
Rochester TO
Sandstrom is gone. 6 on 5.
Amerks worked it all over the zone and Utica never has a chance at the puck because they are all packed in to prevent a shot.
That philosophy didn't work. Rosen has a clear shot from the right dot and buries it.
It worked.
17:25
Isaak Rosen
3-3
It was all Rochester after the goal.
Period 3 ends.
3-3
SOG:
9-5 Rochester
We are going to OT.
Comets called on a penalty.
:37
Foote
Tripping
Comets send it down.
Amerks back in. Hit the post!
1-timer blocked
Puck out of tthe zone.
Rochester back in and a wrister from the inside of the left circle is in.
1:49
Noah Ostlund PPG
4-3
Rochester wins.
Only shot of the OT for either team and it's a goal.
Final Score -
Rochester Americans 4 Utica Comets 3
Scoring:
Legare (6) from Gambardella (7) and White (12)
Malone (7) from Parent (10) and Nemec (18)
Halonen (17) from Parent (11) and Vilen (14)
Poulter 25/29
After closing in last weekend the Comets get 1 pt on the weekend. Belleville got 3 and Syracuse got 2.
The Comets now trail Belleville by 7 and Syracuse by 11. Their chances of getting to the final playoff spot just got even more remote. Even more remote due to the games in hand:
Belleville 2
Syracuse 3
Comets record:
17-22-4-2
Next up
at Belleville Senators
2/17/25 at 3:30 pm
Rochester Americans at Utica Comets
Forwards:
(5) Gambardella (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(25) Foote (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(67) Parent (13) Malone (24) Halonen
(34) Beckman (15) Bowers (61) Stillman
D-Pairs:
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(6) White (22) Casey
(93) Misyul (17) Nemec
Goal - (1) Poulter
Period 1
1st minute saw an Amerk out deke 3 Comets and cross into the crease and Poulter stopped him.
Another Amerk in close and Poulter another stop.
Comets ice it. Amerks win the draw and Rathbone shoots, a tip is stopped by Poulter.
Willman a good chance in the slot and it was blocked
Poulter a stop on a Misyul turnover.
White turnover at the O-blueline and Casey angled back to take the Amerk out.
Beckman stopped art the doorstep.
Amerk breakaway tripped from behind.
Pebatly shot.
Here we go,
Graham Slaggert___________S----A-----V-----E Poulter!!!!!!!!!
TV TO
13:50 to go
Bowers is worthless!!!!!!!!!!
Engaras in clean and he's stopped by Sandstrom who smothers it.
Comets 2nd SOG.
Casey is so smooth and smart.
Another Amerk all alone in front and Poulter is big again.
I don't care how good Isaac is if these guys don't get their heads out of their asses, this game will belong to Rochester.
Halonen can't do anything except shoot the puck and he misses more than he hits.
Parent a good chance on the rush and Sandstrom says no.
Amerks move all over the Comets end passing the puck to one another with little problem and shoot the puck when they get the chance they worked for. Comets do nothing like this. I have said it all season they are an offensively challenged team and that's being kind.
2 on 1 Comets and Beckman shoots wide.
Beckman shoots wide again.
Halonen shoots and it doesn't get through.
Comets best effort of the period and none of their shots were on the net.
TV TO
8:17 to go
Casey a good chance and it's sticked aside and the Comets miss the rebound. He was trying to get a shot that somebody could into the net.
Gambardella tries a wraparound and it goes through the crease and Legare is on the other side and taps it in while being tied up.
G_______________________O__________________A___________________L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6:10
Legare
1-0 Comets
Poulter another stop.
Beckman in clean again and again he fails to finish. Keeper flat on the ice and Beckman can't get it up even a foot.
Beckman a clean shot from the low slot and he fails again. Comets could be ahead 5-0 on Beckman chances alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DAMN.
TV TO
5:49 to go
Legare powers to the net. A big pile and the Comets wack at it and the whistle goes.
Comets get a good breakout and Halonen is so eager for the puck he goes off sides and ruins a big opportunity. Now Halonen is open for a shot and he whistles a hard shot way wide.
Casey wrister from the blueline and it's gloved for a whistle.
Comets 2 shots. Schmelzer both times and he's stopped on both.
Amerks getting a PK but right now are 6 on 5 and they work for as real good chance and Poulter is there again.
Comets to the PK.
19:15
Legare
Cross-checking
2 good chances and the Comets blocked them both in the last 10 seconds.
1st period comes to an end
Comets 1-0
SOG:
13-11 Utica
The Comets in the 1st 10 minutes were outshot 7-2. 11-4 Utica for the last 10
Period 2
Comets still on the PK.
Long shot held by Poulter.
Amerks hav been working all game long to get faceffs in the Utica zone. Comets can't beat them at the draw. Rochester gets all kinds of good offnse from the draws.
Amerks won the draw and have shot wide, over the net, and wide again.
PK is over, but the Comets can't get the puck out.
It's all Rocheter in the 1st 3 minutes just like the 1st period.
Strand point shot stopped by Sandstrom.
Rathbone a 1 -timer from the slot and it's a tie game.
5:24
Rathbone
1-1
When the Comets stop a rush they aimlessly throw the puck away. The Amerks find a mate in the same situations and the result is a brealout, rush, shot on goal, etc. Something positive.
Nemec misses the net form the top of the circle.
Parent stopped. Halonen stopped.
Ref blows a call. Stillman stops a puck with his hand and picks it up. Ref calls a hand pass. You can't "hand pass" the puck to yourself.
TV TO
11:56 to go
Schmelzer in with Foote and Ryan gets too close before trying a pass to Foote and Sandstrom smothers it as it's crossing his crease.
Poulter stop and holds.
Misyul point shot over the net.
Comets getting a PP.
TV TO
9:55 to go
10:05
Josh Dunne
Holding
Parent a good chance from the right dot and Sandstrom gloves it. Faceoff
Casey shot tipped wide.
Casey shot stopped and the Amerks clear the zone.
Amewks shoot it down the ice.
Amerks shoot it down again.
Once Casey left the ice the PP was s**t.
Poulter comes out and his stick breaks in half as he plays the puck to deny an Amerk. He makes an amzing save moving backwards to his net. Comets get up the ice and Poulter doesn't have a stick yet.
The Comets maintain posession and from the left corner Parent centers directlt to Malone coming down the slot. He SHOOTS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>and ...............
S__________C_____________O______________R______________E________________S
13:38
Malone
2-1 Comets.
Amerks icing.
Off the draw Willman shoots and is stopped by Sandstrom who holds on.
Foote and Willman break in. Foote attempts a shot /pass to Willman in the low slot and Willman was tied up.
Somehow Schmelzer was called
14:27
Schmelzer
High-sticking
3 good efforts by the Amerks blocked, deflected, and blocked out of play.
No SOG.
Long shot stopped by Poulter.
Another Poulter save and it's cleared down the ice.
From the right side. Foote whiffs at a loose puck and Komarov skates past him and wires it home from the dot.
16:23
Vsevolod Komarov
2-2
Stillman stopped on a great chance. Nemec passed him the puck from the top of the lright circle and he 1-timed it from the left circle and Sandstrom denied him.
Sandstrom stops Foote from the high slot and holds on.
Period 2 is over
2-2
SOG:
14-8 Utica
2-period total:
27-19 Utica.
Period 3
1st :26 seconds 2 SOG stopped by Isaac.
Sandstom laying down on the ice. Halonen has the puck inside the bottom of the left circle. A guy who never saw a shot he wouldn't take instead tried to pass the puck to a Comet tied up at the slot. All he had to do was wrist a shot into the open net and he tries to pass it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOCKEY IQ????????????????????????????????????????????
Parent shot held onto.
Nemec tries a stick check and is walked and forces Poulter to make a stop. I don't think he wants to be here. Can't wait to get back to NJ and this is just a waste of his time and he doesn't want to get hurt. Casey worked his way in and just missed over the blocker.
Casey is just so smooth. Handles the puck better than any Comet we've seen and that include 8 seasons with Vancouver. He is so smaret. Handles the puck as if it's glued to hidss stick.
Gambardella shoots from the slot and it's over the net and out of play. They are going to regret their failures in the 1st 5 minutes of this period.
Vilen carries it in. Hits Parent in the left circle. With his back to the net backhands the puck to Halonen in stride. Halonen takes it down the inside of the left circle and............................................................ ????????????
S________________C____________O____________________R_____________E__________________S
5:22
Halonen
3-2 Comets
Comets very sloppy in their zone and blow sevearl efforts to recover the puck and are lucky as a shot is deflected out of play.
TV TO
13:23 to go
Stillman is in clean and falls down and shoots from the seast of his pants and shot it wide.
Icing Amerks. 10:18 to go.
TV TO
9:18 to go
Big Sandstrom stop and his d-man scoops it up as it's rolling towards his goal line.
2 on 1 and Halonen shoots it into the glove.
Comets continue to try and stop the Amerk rushes with their sticks. No one is playing the body! The Amerks keep posession as a result. If this keeps up the Amerks will pot one. They keep getting chances.
This katy bar the door crap does not work with the Comets
Poulter a big stop and he holds on.
TV TO
5:54 to go
2 on 1 and poulter is HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Amerks are pouring it on. Comets are backing in.
Poulter stop and he holds on 3:13 to go.
Rochester TO
Sandstrom is gone. 6 on 5.
Amerks worked it all over the zone and Utica never has a chance at the puck because they are all packed in to prevent a shot.
That philosophy didn't work. Rosen has a clear shot from the right dot and buries it.
It worked.
17:25
Isaak Rosen
3-3
It was all Rochester after the goal.
Period 3 ends.
3-3
SOG:
9-5 Rochester
We are going to OT.
Comets called on a penalty.
:37
Foote
Tripping
Comets send it down.
Amerks back in. Hit the post!
1-timer blocked
Puck out of tthe zone.
Rochester back in and a wrister from the inside of the left circle is in.
1:49
Noah Ostlund PPG
4-3
Rochester wins.
Only shot of the OT for either team and it's a goal.
Final Score -
Rochester Americans 4 Utica Comets 3
Scoring:
Legare (6) from Gambardella (7) and White (12)
Malone (7) from Parent (10) and Nemec (18)
Halonen (17) from Parent (11) and Vilen (14)
Poulter 25/29
After closing in last weekend the Comets get 1 pt on the weekend. Belleville got 3 and Syracuse got 2.
The Comets now trail Belleville by 7 and Syracuse by 11. Their chances of getting to the final playoff spot just got even more remote. Even more remote due to the games in hand:
Belleville 2
Syracuse 3
Comets record:
17-22-4-2
Next up
at Belleville Senators
2/17/25 at 3:30 pm
2/17/25
Utica Comets at Belleville Senators
Forwards:
(5) Gambardella (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(25) Foote (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(34) Beckman (13) Malone (24) Halonen
(67) Parent (15) Bowers (61) Stillman
D-Pairs:
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(6) White (22) Casey
(8) Hatakka (44) Osipov
Goal - (1) Poulter
Leevi Merilainen is the Sens goalie. I will refer to him as Leevi.
Comets to the PP at 18:55.
Foote struck in the face with a stick.
4 minutes
1:04
Garrett Pilon
High-sticking.
Foote 2 shots: 1st wide and 2nd hit Stillman and went out of play.
Foote shot deflected out of play.
Halonen 1-timer hits Leevi in the mask and it goes out of play.
2 on 1 shortie. Poulter stops Gagner
1st minor over.
Vilen high over the net and off the glass.
Sens send it down.
Parent in clean splitting the D and the save was made by Leevi.
With the PP almost over Parent is stopped again.
Cleared down again and the double minor is wasted. Hard pressed to even get a shot on goal. 3 in the 4 minutes.
Poulter a stop.
TV TO
13:39 to go
Bowers a good chance off the rush and it's blockered away by Leevi.
Another 2 on 1 and Poulter makes the stop.
Bowers a shot and stop by Leevi.
Malone a shot and it's stopped by Leevi
Halonen stopped on a post to post stop by Leevi.
Legare a real long shot easily turned to the corner by Leevi.
Gagner a shot on Poulter and he holds on.
TV TO
7:12 to go
Davies a long shot held onto by Poulter.
Hatakka looks as rusty as it's possible to be. All things hockey he is not performing well.
Leevi a stop on Schmelzer just off the left of the post on the rush.
TV TO
4:54 to go
Poulter deflects a shot.
Bowers another great chance and he shoots it wide short side. The guy just can't do "the hockey".
Halonen centers from behind the net to Malone but his stick is lifted from behind.
Schmelzer a back hand wraparound just got to by Leevi coming across his crease.
White shot from the point stopped.
Casey goes down the right side, dangles into the circle, shoots low and it's stopped, but the rebound is there for Gambarella and he misses it in a crowd. Casey always shoots with a purpose and this was to get somebody in front a chance to score.
Period 1 comes to an end
0-0
SOG:
16-6 Utica
I have a sick feeling about this period for the Comets. It was a big effort, but they just couldn't finish. In their season when they come out hot to start a game and don't score in a period that they dominate, the 2nd period goes the other way. I hope that's not the case again.
An aside -
Nolan Foote is presented the puck on so many breakouts with the chance to get behind the D or get in with a mate that he can hit on the pass for a great chance.
Problem? He is just so damned slow that he can't stay ahead of the guy who is chasing him. When he has 1 guy to beat, the "power forward" can't power past him. The guy rubs him out on the boards. This where the "power forward" very often just "powers" through the attempted rub out. Foote is not just slowed down but loses the puck in the process. Often he is actually knocked to the ice.
He has so many shots blocked because he is so slow getting to where he wants to shoot that a defender ends up in his shooting lane as he gets it off. Like the rest of the Comets, he shoots so many shots either over the net, high and wide, or directly into the 6-hole. Someone has to tell the Comets no hockey player has ever scored in that spot. I guess their answer to that fact is shoot wide, over the net, or both - high and wide.
Period 2
1st :35 seconds and 4 whistles.
5th whistle and still 15 seconds remain.
Foote shoots from the blueline with 4 guys in front and the puck hits somebody and goes wide. Leevi had no idea where the puck was.
Bowers goes 1 on 1 and is stripped like he wasn't there.
Beckman behind the net to Stillman in the left circle and he can't get a shot away. The guy has probably had more great chances than any other Comet this season and he just pisses them away one after another after another.
Comets to the PK.
3:36
Casey
High-sticking
Comets clear it down.
Belleville in and right back down the ice.
Willman and Bowers 2 on 1 and Willman is stopped.
Poulter a big stop off his mask with bodies in front.
Comets send it down.
Sens offsides.
PK is over.
Parent 1-timer from out high and he's stopped.
Leevi another stop off a Malone wrister.
Osipov shot kicked out.
Bowers stopped from the bottom of the left circle.
Stillman walked right in and he's stopped.
Vilen stopped.
Leevi is the story in this one so far. If only the Comets had a couple of snipers instead of just shooters.
SOG: 25-7
Want to suck the life out of the Comets? Let the Sens score first!
TV TO
12:16 to go
Poulter lunges out and covers a puck rolling through his crease. The Comets lost 5 board battles in that sequence.
White gets called. Comets to the PK for the 2nd time this period.
8:28
White
Interference
Poulter a very good stop on a shot form the top of the circle with another Sen standing right there waiting for a dropped puck that Poulter knocked away. Sen shot off the post.
Save by Poulter.
The Sens have been in the zone for the whole PP and the Comets can't change. Poutler swallows a wrister. Comets can change up.
Strand shoots it down the ice.
Sens back in.
A good shot stopped by Poulter.
Even up.
Poulter a blocker stop on a hard shot from the top of the circle.
Malone shot off Leevi's chest.
Parent a blocked shot.
The PP has turned the Sens on.
2 on 1 and Osipov blocks the pass a few feet in front of Poulter, kicks away a pass effort, and another Comet blocks a shot on the backside post.
Hatakka turns it over and that Sen fires a shot from the top of the circle and Poulter snares it with a flash of leather.
TV TO
7:10 to go
The Sens are back in this hockey game and the Comets have a battle on their hands.
Icing on the Comets.
Comets offsides.
Ice is tilting.
Schmelzer a shot form top of the right circle and Leevi had trouble with it, but he finally covered it.
TV TO
5:57 to go
Comets several, efforts but nothing comes from it.
Poulter stops a shot and traps it on his chest.
Foote is in all alone and he can't beat Leevi while crossing through his crease.
Remember that one!
2 on 1 for the Sens and Poulter stops Washkurkuk
Sens come back in 3 on 2 and Washkurkuk shoots from the left hash mark and scores.
Comets turned the puck over 2 times in the neutral zone allowing the Sens to capitalize on the errors and brought the puck back in with the Comets all out of position and burned them.
18:26
Keean Washkurak
1-0 Sens
Man did I get this right.
Sens dump it in. Comets can't get control.
Vilen gets the puck and passes it directly to a Sen right at the dot in the right circle.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He walks inside to the lower hashmark and shoots. Poulter pads it to the other side of the ice.
Sens pick it up. D pass it L point to R point and he shoots it and Poulter blocks it away.
Sens get it at the left point again.
Wide of the bottom of the left circle Crookshank wires a cross ice pass to Wyatte Wylie who shoots from the lower right hash mark and beats Poulter high glove side pushing back to his left.
:34 seconds later they strike again.
19:00
Wyatte Wylie
2-0 Sens
Now White gets called again.
19:44
White
Slashing
Bongiovanni gets an identical scoring chance at the lower right hash mark off a cross ice pass from the left circle. This time Poulter got there in time and blocked it aside.
Do the Comets D-men know how to play in their own zone on the offside? This was Deja Vu all over again
Period 2 ends
2-0 Senators
SOG:
12-12
2-period total
28-18 Utica
Comets controlled the game all the way to the middle of the 2nd period, took a penalty, and survived a total onslaught by the Sens. The Comets killed it and from that point it was an even game, but you could see the Comets wilting. They started turning pucks over, losing board battles, mispassing, poor d-zone coverage, and it all bit them in the ass. S**t like happens so often with the weak mind set Comets, the confidence goes and they implode. That was the exact story of the final 1:34 of the 2nd period. The 5 on the ice (Hatakka/Osipov/Foote/Schmelzer/Willman) fell apart and Poulter was fed to the wolves.
Comets changed it up and the same failures overtook the next 5. Vilen guilty of the biggest blunder of the game. (Vilen/Strand/Parent/Malone/Halonen). Nobody did a thing to stop the goal setup after Vilen gave the puck directly to a Senator.
The goal came from the right hash. Vilen gave the puck up from the right end boards. Think he might have come back off the boards and been there to thwart that pass for the goal?
Nope he came off the boards and went to Poulter's right post leaving the whole right side behind him wide open. The puck went around to the left. He looked behind him, saw nothing and went back to the same post. If he had looked for the next danger from where he was protecticng instead of puck watching, he wouldn't have given Wylie the chance to sneak down off the point and who knows what happens if he had.
I mean he didn't pick up anybody and simply whipped back around to watch the goal go past his keeper. Osipov had gone to the left side to fill in for the missing Vilen. It was Vilen's job to make the same switch instead of creeping back to the left side.
Period 3
The Sens said we are ahead and you will not get back in this one. The Comets who had pushed the Sens to the limit and refused to let them up the ice for 30 minutes lost their edge after the Sens attacked the Hell out of them after Utica took a penalty. From there the ice started to tilt and in the end they fell apart and gave up 2 goals inside the last 2 minutes of the period 34 seconds apart.
Goals in the last minutes of periods have plagued them all season long, not to mention goals in the 1st minutes of a period all season as well. If you take away the goals at the starts and ends of periods, the Comets would have a much different record.
Playing from behind right off the bat plays on their weak belief in themselves. They are not a strong willed group. They know they have difficulty scoring and they have difficulty keeping opponents off the scoreboard with slim leads. So, when things go south they have a tendency to self destruct.
A minute into the 3rd they take a tripping penalty.
They kill it off.
They get 3 SOG in the next 3 minutes and get a call in their favor.
6:59
Filip Ross
Tripping
They don't get a shot on Leevi during the PK.
Fast forward..............................................................................................6 and 1/2 minutes left in the game and the Comets still only have 3 SOG. Their last shot was a point shot by Vilen at 5:52
In fact at this point Casey has 1 of the other 2 SOG. The only shot by a forward was by Beckman at 3:33.
Halonen gets a SOG at 13:31
Osipov and Casey get 2 more. That's 6 SOG in 15:07 of the 3rd period of a game they trail 2-0. Only 2 of the 6 came from a forward. Think the Sens know how to deny chances to forwards? Think maybe the forwards when needing to turn it up a notch simply don't have another notch and just fall apart? I's always rinse and repeat loss after loss.
Now Bowers is penalized.
15:50
Bowers
Cross-checking
The minor hasn't been killed and Strand gets something.
17:31
Strand
10 minute Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct. He must have swore at a ref.
Doesn't effect the Comets number on the ice. Comets still down 5-4 foe 19 more seconds.
2:10 left and Poulter looking to the bench.
1:33 he goes. Took the Comets almost a full minute to gain enough puck control for Isaac to get off the ice.
19:34 and the ENG is scored.
19:34
Cole Reinhardt
3-0 Senators
After the goal:
19:34
Schmelzer
Roughing
Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct
19:34
Jan Jenik
Roughing
Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct
19:34
Beckman
Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct
19:34
Halonen
Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct
19:43
Bowers fell to the ice just across the Sens blueline and Hodgson was on top of him pushing him repeatedly into the ice on the back of his neck. Osipov isn't taking this and drops everything and literally dives through the air knocking Hodgson off Bowers and the linesmen jump right in.
19:43
Osipov
Roughing
Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct
19:43
Hayden Hodgson
Roughing
Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct
19:43
Donovan Sebrango
Game Misconduct - Leaving the bench
17 seconds to go and Poulter makes another save.
Game over!
Final Score -
Belleville Senators 3 Utica Comets 0
SOG:
UTC - 16 12 6 = 34
BEL - 6 12 5 = 23
Poulter 20/22
Leevi stoned the Comets 34/34 and was the game's 1st Star.
A weekend ago and the Comets were creeping up on both the Senators and the Syracuse Crunch. They were trailing the Sens by 3 points for 6th place and Syracuse in the their headlights. After tonight that whole dream sequence was snuffed out.
After tonight with a 17-23-4-2 record they trail the Senators by 9 and the Crunch by 11. Right back out of the picture. I said it wold take a miracle and that possibility seems hopeless.
Next up for the Comets?
Wednesday, 2/19, vs these same Belleville Senators at 7 pm at the Adirondack Bank Center (at the Utica Aud).
Utica Comets at Belleville Senators
Forwards:
(5) Gambardella (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(25) Foote (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(34) Beckman (13) Malone (24) Halonen
(67) Parent (15) Bowers (61) Stillman
D-Pairs:
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(6) White (22) Casey
(8) Hatakka (44) Osipov
Goal - (1) Poulter
Leevi Merilainen is the Sens goalie. I will refer to him as Leevi.
Comets to the PP at 18:55.
Foote struck in the face with a stick.
4 minutes
1:04
Garrett Pilon
High-sticking.
Foote 2 shots: 1st wide and 2nd hit Stillman and went out of play.
Foote shot deflected out of play.
Halonen 1-timer hits Leevi in the mask and it goes out of play.
2 on 1 shortie. Poulter stops Gagner
1st minor over.
Vilen high over the net and off the glass.
Sens send it down.
Parent in clean splitting the D and the save was made by Leevi.
With the PP almost over Parent is stopped again.
Cleared down again and the double minor is wasted. Hard pressed to even get a shot on goal. 3 in the 4 minutes.
Poulter a stop.
TV TO
13:39 to go
Bowers a good chance off the rush and it's blockered away by Leevi.
Another 2 on 1 and Poulter makes the stop.
Bowers a shot and stop by Leevi.
Malone a shot and it's stopped by Leevi
Halonen stopped on a post to post stop by Leevi.
Legare a real long shot easily turned to the corner by Leevi.
Gagner a shot on Poulter and he holds on.
TV TO
7:12 to go
Davies a long shot held onto by Poulter.
Hatakka looks as rusty as it's possible to be. All things hockey he is not performing well.
Leevi a stop on Schmelzer just off the left of the post on the rush.
TV TO
4:54 to go
Poulter deflects a shot.
Bowers another great chance and he shoots it wide short side. The guy just can't do "the hockey".
Halonen centers from behind the net to Malone but his stick is lifted from behind.
Schmelzer a back hand wraparound just got to by Leevi coming across his crease.
White shot from the point stopped.
Casey goes down the right side, dangles into the circle, shoots low and it's stopped, but the rebound is there for Gambarella and he misses it in a crowd. Casey always shoots with a purpose and this was to get somebody in front a chance to score.
Period 1 comes to an end
0-0
SOG:
16-6 Utica
I have a sick feeling about this period for the Comets. It was a big effort, but they just couldn't finish. In their season when they come out hot to start a game and don't score in a period that they dominate, the 2nd period goes the other way. I hope that's not the case again.
An aside -
Nolan Foote is presented the puck on so many breakouts with the chance to get behind the D or get in with a mate that he can hit on the pass for a great chance.
Problem? He is just so damned slow that he can't stay ahead of the guy who is chasing him. When he has 1 guy to beat, the "power forward" can't power past him. The guy rubs him out on the boards. This where the "power forward" very often just "powers" through the attempted rub out. Foote is not just slowed down but loses the puck in the process. Often he is actually knocked to the ice.
He has so many shots blocked because he is so slow getting to where he wants to shoot that a defender ends up in his shooting lane as he gets it off. Like the rest of the Comets, he shoots so many shots either over the net, high and wide, or directly into the 6-hole. Someone has to tell the Comets no hockey player has ever scored in that spot. I guess their answer to that fact is shoot wide, over the net, or both - high and wide.
Period 2
1st :35 seconds and 4 whistles.
5th whistle and still 15 seconds remain.
Foote shoots from the blueline with 4 guys in front and the puck hits somebody and goes wide. Leevi had no idea where the puck was.
Bowers goes 1 on 1 and is stripped like he wasn't there.
Beckman behind the net to Stillman in the left circle and he can't get a shot away. The guy has probably had more great chances than any other Comet this season and he just pisses them away one after another after another.
Comets to the PK.
3:36
Casey
High-sticking
Comets clear it down.
Belleville in and right back down the ice.
Willman and Bowers 2 on 1 and Willman is stopped.
Poulter a big stop off his mask with bodies in front.
Comets send it down.
Sens offsides.
PK is over.
Parent 1-timer from out high and he's stopped.
Leevi another stop off a Malone wrister.
Osipov shot kicked out.
Bowers stopped from the bottom of the left circle.
Stillman walked right in and he's stopped.
Vilen stopped.
Leevi is the story in this one so far. If only the Comets had a couple of snipers instead of just shooters.
SOG: 25-7
Want to suck the life out of the Comets? Let the Sens score first!
TV TO
12:16 to go
Poulter lunges out and covers a puck rolling through his crease. The Comets lost 5 board battles in that sequence.
White gets called. Comets to the PK for the 2nd time this period.
8:28
White
Interference
Poulter a very good stop on a shot form the top of the circle with another Sen standing right there waiting for a dropped puck that Poulter knocked away. Sen shot off the post.
Save by Poulter.
The Sens have been in the zone for the whole PP and the Comets can't change. Poutler swallows a wrister. Comets can change up.
Strand shoots it down the ice.
Sens back in.
A good shot stopped by Poulter.
Even up.
Poulter a blocker stop on a hard shot from the top of the circle.
Malone shot off Leevi's chest.
Parent a blocked shot.
The PP has turned the Sens on.
2 on 1 and Osipov blocks the pass a few feet in front of Poulter, kicks away a pass effort, and another Comet blocks a shot on the backside post.
Hatakka turns it over and that Sen fires a shot from the top of the circle and Poulter snares it with a flash of leather.
TV TO
7:10 to go
The Sens are back in this hockey game and the Comets have a battle on their hands.
Icing on the Comets.
Comets offsides.
Ice is tilting.
Schmelzer a shot form top of the right circle and Leevi had trouble with it, but he finally covered it.
TV TO
5:57 to go
Comets several, efforts but nothing comes from it.
Poulter stops a shot and traps it on his chest.
Foote is in all alone and he can't beat Leevi while crossing through his crease.
Remember that one!
2 on 1 for the Sens and Poulter stops Washkurkuk
Sens come back in 3 on 2 and Washkurkuk shoots from the left hash mark and scores.
Comets turned the puck over 2 times in the neutral zone allowing the Sens to capitalize on the errors and brought the puck back in with the Comets all out of position and burned them.
18:26
Keean Washkurak
1-0 Sens
Man did I get this right.
Sens dump it in. Comets can't get control.
Vilen gets the puck and passes it directly to a Sen right at the dot in the right circle.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He walks inside to the lower hashmark and shoots. Poulter pads it to the other side of the ice.
Sens pick it up. D pass it L point to R point and he shoots it and Poulter blocks it away.
Sens get it at the left point again.
Wide of the bottom of the left circle Crookshank wires a cross ice pass to Wyatte Wylie who shoots from the lower right hash mark and beats Poulter high glove side pushing back to his left.
:34 seconds later they strike again.
19:00
Wyatte Wylie
2-0 Sens
Now White gets called again.
19:44
White
Slashing
Bongiovanni gets an identical scoring chance at the lower right hash mark off a cross ice pass from the left circle. This time Poulter got there in time and blocked it aside.
Do the Comets D-men know how to play in their own zone on the offside? This was Deja Vu all over again
Period 2 ends
2-0 Senators
SOG:
12-12
2-period total
28-18 Utica
Comets controlled the game all the way to the middle of the 2nd period, took a penalty, and survived a total onslaught by the Sens. The Comets killed it and from that point it was an even game, but you could see the Comets wilting. They started turning pucks over, losing board battles, mispassing, poor d-zone coverage, and it all bit them in the ass. S**t like happens so often with the weak mind set Comets, the confidence goes and they implode. That was the exact story of the final 1:34 of the 2nd period. The 5 on the ice (Hatakka/Osipov/Foote/Schmelzer/Willman) fell apart and Poulter was fed to the wolves.
Comets changed it up and the same failures overtook the next 5. Vilen guilty of the biggest blunder of the game. (Vilen/Strand/Parent/Malone/Halonen). Nobody did a thing to stop the goal setup after Vilen gave the puck directly to a Senator.
The goal came from the right hash. Vilen gave the puck up from the right end boards. Think he might have come back off the boards and been there to thwart that pass for the goal?
Nope he came off the boards and went to Poulter's right post leaving the whole right side behind him wide open. The puck went around to the left. He looked behind him, saw nothing and went back to the same post. If he had looked for the next danger from where he was protecticng instead of puck watching, he wouldn't have given Wylie the chance to sneak down off the point and who knows what happens if he had.
I mean he didn't pick up anybody and simply whipped back around to watch the goal go past his keeper. Osipov had gone to the left side to fill in for the missing Vilen. It was Vilen's job to make the same switch instead of creeping back to the left side.
Period 3
The Sens said we are ahead and you will not get back in this one. The Comets who had pushed the Sens to the limit and refused to let them up the ice for 30 minutes lost their edge after the Sens attacked the Hell out of them after Utica took a penalty. From there the ice started to tilt and in the end they fell apart and gave up 2 goals inside the last 2 minutes of the period 34 seconds apart.
Goals in the last minutes of periods have plagued them all season long, not to mention goals in the 1st minutes of a period all season as well. If you take away the goals at the starts and ends of periods, the Comets would have a much different record.
Playing from behind right off the bat plays on their weak belief in themselves. They are not a strong willed group. They know they have difficulty scoring and they have difficulty keeping opponents off the scoreboard with slim leads. So, when things go south they have a tendency to self destruct.
A minute into the 3rd they take a tripping penalty.
They kill it off.
They get 3 SOG in the next 3 minutes and get a call in their favor.
6:59
Filip Ross
Tripping
They don't get a shot on Leevi during the PK.
Fast forward..............................................................................................6 and 1/2 minutes left in the game and the Comets still only have 3 SOG. Their last shot was a point shot by Vilen at 5:52
In fact at this point Casey has 1 of the other 2 SOG. The only shot by a forward was by Beckman at 3:33.
Halonen gets a SOG at 13:31
Osipov and Casey get 2 more. That's 6 SOG in 15:07 of the 3rd period of a game they trail 2-0. Only 2 of the 6 came from a forward. Think the Sens know how to deny chances to forwards? Think maybe the forwards when needing to turn it up a notch simply don't have another notch and just fall apart? I's always rinse and repeat loss after loss.
Now Bowers is penalized.
15:50
Bowers
Cross-checking
The minor hasn't been killed and Strand gets something.
17:31
Strand
10 minute Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct. He must have swore at a ref.
Doesn't effect the Comets number on the ice. Comets still down 5-4 foe 19 more seconds.
2:10 left and Poulter looking to the bench.
1:33 he goes. Took the Comets almost a full minute to gain enough puck control for Isaac to get off the ice.
19:34 and the ENG is scored.
19:34
Cole Reinhardt
3-0 Senators
After the goal:
19:34
Schmelzer
Roughing
Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct
19:34
Jan Jenik
Roughing
Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct
19:34
Beckman
Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct
19:34
Halonen
Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct
19:43
Bowers fell to the ice just across the Sens blueline and Hodgson was on top of him pushing him repeatedly into the ice on the back of his neck. Osipov isn't taking this and drops everything and literally dives through the air knocking Hodgson off Bowers and the linesmen jump right in.
19:43
Osipov
Roughing
Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct
19:43
Hayden Hodgson
Roughing
Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct
19:43
Donovan Sebrango
Game Misconduct - Leaving the bench
17 seconds to go and Poulter makes another save.
Game over!
Final Score -
Belleville Senators 3 Utica Comets 0
SOG:
UTC - 16 12 6 = 34
BEL - 6 12 5 = 23
Poulter 20/22
Leevi stoned the Comets 34/34 and was the game's 1st Star.
A weekend ago and the Comets were creeping up on both the Senators and the Syracuse Crunch. They were trailing the Sens by 3 points for 6th place and Syracuse in the their headlights. After tonight that whole dream sequence was snuffed out.
After tonight with a 17-23-4-2 record they trail the Senators by 9 and the Crunch by 11. Right back out of the picture. I said it wold take a miracle and that possibility seems hopeless.
Next up for the Comets?
Wednesday, 2/19, vs these same Belleville Senators at 7 pm at the Adirondack Bank Center (at the Utica Aud).
Last edited:
The NJ Devils have recalled D-men Seamus Casey, Simon Nemec, Forward Chase Stillman, and Goalie Tyler Brennan.
Haula and Bratt will be back from the 4 Nations.
Nico Hischier is practicing today.
Markstrom and Siegenthaler have been placed on IR.
Could be many reasons for all of this, but I'm going here.
I don't think Haula and Bratt will practice right away. Be given a rest after the 4 Nations while the rest of the Devils have been resting this whole time. They will be ready for the game on Saturday along with Hischier and I have to believe Jack will likely be in the lineup as well.
Misyul, Daws, and Nemec were scratched last night in Belleville.
Nemec is back in NJ because his time in Utica expires since the Devils are back at it. Thus, he returns.
Daws to back up Allen? Most likely. He hasn't played since Valentine's Day, a 5-1 loss in Providence. He wasn't dressed last night in Belleville as Brodeur was the backup. Have to believe he was already on his way to NJ if he wasn't there already.
I can't believe Stillmam gets time with the Devils and if he does it's only to watch from the press box. If not, so be it. The guys sucks anyways.
Brennan can't seriously be considered as a goalie for the Devils. Practicing with the Devils to keep Allen off the ice is the best use he could give them. He has yet to even play and AHL game
Casey might be staying with Siegs on IR. The idea hurts the Comets, but in their state I guess it doesn't really matter. He is a RD and it does him no favor to ask him to play on his off side. The Devils managed just fine without Siegs prior to this day's call-ups and I don't see Casey improving the left side above what NJ has been doing.
Comets are just as well off with Poulter and Brodeur.
Hatakka has not looked good in either of his 2 starts. I think that was to be expected. The guy hasn't played since forever and it looks like it.
Nemec and Casey are right D. Strand and Osipov are a far cry from the 2 who will be missing. Misyul and Vilen have been left side Comets for 2 seasons and will be just fine with Hatakka as the 3rd. White and Hatakka have both played on the right side. I hate to bring him up, but MacKinnon is available as well.
It's interesting that AHL.com, who always lists any movement up or down by players having an impact on every AHL team, makes no mention of these moves.
Comets play at home tomorrow vs the Belleville Senators. The only player leaving the roster taht wasn't expected would be Casey and he's the only real loss. (I don't mention Nemec because he was a Devil when the break started and I assumed he would only be here until the Devils got going again. Jack Hughes is the only Devil still involved in the 4 Nations Tournament.
Haula and Bratt will be back from the 4 Nations.
Nico Hischier is practicing today.
Markstrom and Siegenthaler have been placed on IR.
Could be many reasons for all of this, but I'm going here.
I don't think Haula and Bratt will practice right away. Be given a rest after the 4 Nations while the rest of the Devils have been resting this whole time. They will be ready for the game on Saturday along with Hischier and I have to believe Jack will likely be in the lineup as well.
Misyul, Daws, and Nemec were scratched last night in Belleville.
Nemec is back in NJ because his time in Utica expires since the Devils are back at it. Thus, he returns.
Daws to back up Allen? Most likely. He hasn't played since Valentine's Day, a 5-1 loss in Providence. He wasn't dressed last night in Belleville as Brodeur was the backup. Have to believe he was already on his way to NJ if he wasn't there already.
I can't believe Stillmam gets time with the Devils and if he does it's only to watch from the press box. If not, so be it. The guys sucks anyways.
Brennan can't seriously be considered as a goalie for the Devils. Practicing with the Devils to keep Allen off the ice is the best use he could give them. He has yet to even play and AHL game
Casey might be staying with Siegs on IR. The idea hurts the Comets, but in their state I guess it doesn't really matter. He is a RD and it does him no favor to ask him to play on his off side. The Devils managed just fine without Siegs prior to this day's call-ups and I don't see Casey improving the left side above what NJ has been doing.
Comets are just as well off with Poulter and Brodeur.
Hatakka has not looked good in either of his 2 starts. I think that was to be expected. The guy hasn't played since forever and it looks like it.
Nemec and Casey are right D. Strand and Osipov are a far cry from the 2 who will be missing. Misyul and Vilen have been left side Comets for 2 seasons and will be just fine with Hatakka as the 3rd. White and Hatakka have both played on the right side. I hate to bring him up, but MacKinnon is available as well.
It's interesting that AHL.com, who always lists any movement up or down by players having an impact on every AHL team, makes no mention of these moves.
Comets play at home tomorrow vs the Belleville Senators. The only player leaving the roster taht wasn't expected would be Casey and he's the only real loss. (I don't mention Nemec because he was a Devil when the break started and I assumed he would only be here until the Devils got going again. Jack Hughes is the only Devil still involved in the 4 Nations Tournament.
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I see Filmon is now tied for top goal scorer on Adirondack. Modest numbers but it's a bad team.
I continue to think the lack of centers in the minors is making it difficult for everyone else to impress.
I continue to think the lack of centers in the minors is making it difficult for everyone else to impress.
It's one of the biggest concerns, but the necessary hockey skill levels of this year's Comets is low.
Filmon needed a lot more than a center to make it in the AHL. Perhaps he simply wasn't ready or just maybe he is one of those players who succeed in the ECHL, but can't adapt to the AHL when called up. Those who follow the AHL closely see these kinds of players every season.
barriers
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Looks like Comets won yesterday. Impressive outcome for a shorthanded team!
So dumping Stillman was the key that unlocked their potential?
1/7/25 - 1/19/25
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It's even more exasperating when listed like this!
It's been 131 days since the season opened and I 'm not going to go back to the date that players for the Comets could have been acquired, but Mike Hartman was the only forward they acquired for this season and he is not a center. He's a LW who can play RW or Center in an emergency, C 1 time and RW 3 times.
- Mike Hardman (LW) signed to a 2-yr NHL 2-way. $350 K in Utica. He can score, but has been injured twice , thus missing 11 games. He has 13 goals in those 35 which is close to 1 goal every 3 GP. His overall AHL avg. is 1 goal/4 GP so he is slightly over his historical average. He if he paly every game they have left at the same pace his goal total will be 22. He only has 8 assists in his 35 GP which projects to 36 Pts. This says he isn't helping to set up many goals. I'm not sure 36 Pts is worth $350 K!
- Adam Beckman (LW), the return for the Clarke trade, 1-yr NHL 2-way. $125 in Utica.
- Colton White (LD/RD), Signed to an NHL 2-way contract. $275 K in Utica.
- Seamus Casey (RD) started the sxeason in NJ, but once their D-corps was all healthy he was sent to Utica where they expect him to work on all the things he needs to master to be an NHL D-man. He has been the most impresssive Comet on the ice since his arrival on 11/17. I expect his recall on 2/18 will be short and he will be reassigned to the Comets. Playing either Seamus or Simon on their wrong side would be a mistake.
After a poor season seeing the Comets miss the playoffs NJ management went right back to the nearly empty well.
- Shane Bowers (C/RW) was re-signed to a new NHL 2-way for 2 more seasons. $200 K in Utica. I can't figure out for the life of me who saw this guy play and sadi here's a good choice as cneter for the Utica Comets center stareved roster. Whoever it was should be fired. This guy isn't even a poor center, he is flat out terrible in the middle yetthatv his his nightly position. Can't pass to save his life and is non-physical to boot. He's played 42 of the Comets 46 games only because he spent time in NJ and that's amazing to boot.
He has 2 goals and 1o assists for 12 Pts. He's not close to earning that $200 K.
- Max Willman (LW/RW) was re-signed to a new 1-yr 2-way NHL contract. $275 K in Utica. Has played lot of RW with Foote and the 2 switch wings during every shift. I guess you'd call them. ambiwingdous, LOL. Willman is allergic to physicality. Cannot move with the puck. He's a turnover machine in that capacity. Would score a lot if the net was 10 ft tall and another 10 foot wide. He's got 4 goals thus far. $275 K is pretty good pay for 4 goals. I'd loved to have made that kind of money for doing next to nothing. He's also a -19 and kills penalties which are not reflected in the +/- numbers. The Comets place #25 in AHL PK%. Looks like he's not exactly sparkling there as well and I can attest to that from having watched him on every one of them.
- Laberge (LW/RW) was given a new 1-Yr NHL 2-way contract. $120 K in Utica.
- Legare (RW) was given a new 1-yr NHL 2-way contract. $85 K in Utica
Legare and Laberge are the wings on the Comets checking/defensive line. They are physical grinders (plumbers extrordinaire). Not top level players but have value for what they provide. Problem is that Laberge is injured a lot during fights or other rougfh stuff. He has only played in 26 of the Comets 47 games to date.
- Santeri Hatakka (LD/RD) was re-signed to a 1-yr NHL 2-way. $125 K in Utica. He's apretty good D-man when healthy. Played 8 games in '22-23 before being acquired by the Devcils and din't play another game all season as he recovered from the injury in San Jose. He seemed to have recovered and played 12 games in NJ and 48 in Utica, but did suffer smller injuries. This season he had been injured in preseon and was activated for a reconditioning stint inUtica in on 2/8 and has played in 3 of the Comets 4 games since arriving. He missed the 1st game after playing in the first. He is the epitome of rusty.
- Nick DeSimone (RD) was re-signed to 1-yr NHL 1-way. $775 K in Utica. He was thought to be the Devils' extra D-man, But he started the season in Utica. Was called up on 11/9 only to be returned on 11/16 and recalled again on 11/18. NJ returned him on 12/10 and he played 3 more games for the Comets. He\was recalled to NJ on 12/26. They attempted to return him on 1'5 and he was claimed off the waiver wire by the Utah Hockey Club.
So much for Nick DeSimone
- Ryan Schmelzer (C) and team Captain) was rewarded for his services over the past 3 years, in which a planed 3/4 Center ended up a 1/2 Center and finished 23-24 as the teams leading scorer. He was given an NHL 2-way contract. $275 K in Utica. Ryan is doing the same job he has been doing for this his 4th season. The projected #3/4 center on good AHL team is currently trailing the team's #2 and 3 point leaders by 2 points with 26, while the 2 above him, Beckman and Halonen, have 28.
Foote leads the team with 32. Guess who has been Nolan's center on his recent rise to the top of the scoring ladder? That's right if you guessed Schmelzer!
- Brian Halonen (LW/RW) was re-signed to new 2-yr NHL 2-way. $80 K in Utica. He is a 1-way hockey player. He is not good defensively. He is allergic to passing the puck until he has no other option or he's in desperation to clear the zone or give it up toi egt his ass moving out of the zone for a return pass (which he always expects and is frustrated when he doesn't get it. He is of the simplistic mind set, "If I shoot enough, I will score." He reminds me so much of Graeme Clarke, who also never saw a chance to shoot that he would give up no matter if it was actually a good scoring chance. He and Halonen missed the net more often than they hit it, but because of their volume of shots did/do score goals. Not the neumber that their shot totals would justify. Both had assists in their point totals which were most often missed attempts that a mate put away rather than from passes which would have shown them to be good linemates. Kevin Dineen put wings with Clarke who were employed to feed him. Parent being his main lackey.
Justin Dowling (C) starting the 2nd yr of a 2-yr NHL 2-way. $500 K in Utica.
Justin was the Comets #1 center and after a deep discussion with the many Vancouver followers that i had developed a good psoting relationship over the 8 yrs that the Comets were the Canucks farm, They assured nme he was a good AHL cednter, but probably best suited for the #2 slot.
Last season he put up 40 points in 57 games due to injuries, especially a shoulder injury in the latter part of the season that saw him moved to LW because he was too weak to make the strong passes from the middle. He was still very effective on the outskirts which often saw him moving into the middle of the ice or down low whent the spots opended up . He understands how to find open space withn the puck and he can also handle the puck weel These are 2 parts of his skill set that the other centers are missing,. Schmelzer is the closest to also possessing said skills. That would make Dowling a great # 2 and Schmelzer a great #3. However, the Devils management has apparently never been hard pressed by the Comets GM, an assistant GM for the Devils, to acquire., Perhaps their accomadation was to allow him to sign his own son to AHL contracts for the past 2 seasons.
- Nolan Foote (LW) was a mainstay in Utica except he was injured for most of year 3. His ElELC ended and the Devils gave him a 1-yr 2-way NHL contract to get it right. He was their final cut from the Big Club. He started off slowl down here, but has turned it up and now leads the team in Points with 32, 4 points ahaead of both Halonen and Beckman. He has 16 goals to Halonen's 18 and the 2 have been matching each other goal for goal for several games. Nolan has also been padding his Assist totals with 16 that's 2 points behind the leaders tied at 18, Nemec and Beckman. Don't think he's going to be chasing Nemec any longer unless NJ is disappointed in this go round.
After 46 games 18 assists and 18 goals are low numberes for a team in the running. One good reason why the Comets are not one of them.
- Simon Nemec is on the 3rd year of his NJ 3-yr ELC.
Hehad played 65 games with Utica in '22-23.
He was basically a NJ Devil for the 23-24 season while only playing 13 games with the Comets.
He was sent to the Comets right out of the '24-25 camp after the acquisiton of D-men in the offseason. The reason was to let him play every day and work on the things the Devils felt he needed to improve upon to be a complete NHL D-man. He has played 34 games with the Comets and after a slow start regained his previous staure as a very good offensive AHL D-man. Before his recent recall he had amassed 23 Pts on 5G/18A. His Assist total is tied for the Comets lead with Adam Beckman.
The Comets still had players on NJ ELCs:
- Chase Stillman (RW) is on yr-2 of a 3-yr ELC. He is not looking like anything the Devils will ever put on their roster. Yr-3 will be it for him unless he has an epiphany. Currently posting 3G/6A/9Pts/40GP. Terrible for any kid on the 2nd season of his 3-yr ELC, but for a 1st round selection albeit however known to be a poor selection for the 1st round, he is looking like a guy one would wonder why he was drafted in the 1st place. He did put up 24 Pts his 1st season with 14G/10A/54GP so maybe this is something like a sophomore Slump, but it will take a monumental effort to overcome.
- Daniil Msyul (LD) is finishing up yr-2 of a 2-yr ELC. He is playing well, but not well enough to warrant a promotion to the NHL next season. As a 24-yr-old RFA you have to wonder if he will be offered a substantial raise to remain with NJ, be a trade piece, or if he is already planning a return to the motherland.
Topias Vilen (LD) is another LD not considered to be NHL material yet, but he has another season on his 3-yr ELC. Have to wait and see where NJ is on the left side at the end of next season. IMO he is inching ahead of Misyul and Hatakka making him a better trade piece and a #4 on the NJ LD depth chart. Have to wonder where the Devils see him. Casey is not a LD and Vilen and Misyul wish they could skate and handle the puck like he does. Nemec will have to up his game if Casey continues to advance his game. Have to wonder where he will sit at the end of his 2nd of a 3yr ELC barring Fitz doing anything stupid with a prospoect as shiny as he is.
Newbies added on NHL deals:
-Josh Filmon began year 1 of his 3-yr ELC and could not make a dent in the forward group in Utica.
Considering what this team is up front, not even being able to stay on the roster is not a particularly good sign.
He is a young 20 with a March birth date so he has time to grow and develop his game. He has finally set himself at a high level in the ECHL by moving to the top of the Adirondack scoring lead, His 15 goals are tied for the lead with 4-yr pro Kevin O'Neil also on an AHL contract with the Utica Comets (he has not played a game with Utica). Granted that team is nothing compared to where they were last seaon, but it's not a bad thing. It's probably too early to pass any career judgement on the kid, but he better make the Comets next season right out of camp and start making a contrribution right away.
- Dylan Wendt was a RW signed at the end of last season to a 2-yr ELC. He was a FA signing out of NCAA Western Michigan. This was yr #1 and like Filmon he couldn't stay on the roster and was sent to Adirondack very early on 10/23. He has had 3 recalls and has played a total of 6 games with 2 assists. In Adirondack he has 22 points, 7G/15A in 38 GP.
- Mikael Diotte (RD) began yr-1 of a 3-yr NHL 2-way ELC and made the roster out of camp and played 5 games, recording1 Assist and a -5. He was sent to Adirondack on 10/29 coinciding with the return of Topias Vilen Injured since the beginning of the season. He has since been recalled on 1 additonal time, but sent back to Adirondack 3 days later after not having played in a game.
The rest of their roster was composed of AHL contracts:
- Xavier Parent (LW) signed a 1-yr AHL contract after the Devils didn't offer him another contract. He's the best of the AHL contracts. His 22 Pts (10G/12A) place him 6th in Points behind Foote, Halonen, Beckman, Schmelzer, and Nemec. His numbers are better than all the guys NJ signed for the bigger money - Hardman, Willman, and Bowers.
- Joe Gambardella is a workhorse with big stick handling skills and the ability to get the puck to others. He is on the 2nd of a 2-yr AHL deal.
The rest are:
- Jack Malone (C) is a 24-yr-old rookie signed to a 2-yr AHL contract after 4 years in the NCAA, 3 with Cornell and the last with Boston College. He has become a regular as the 4th Center due to the act that they don't have anyone else. He's played 37 games and only put up 10 points on 7G/3A.
- Filip Engaras (C) has a 1 yr standard AHL deal. It's his 3rd season with the Comets and he has played in 37 of the Comets 46 games. He has settled into the 3rd spot of the Comets centers usually between Gambardella and Legare. He has 8 Pts with 2G/6A.
- Will MacKinnon (D) has played both sides in 36 of the Comets 46 games and has been on their roster for almost every day. He has 2 assists. The way the D have worked out there have been most nights where he was the 6th best available guy.
- Dmitri Osipov was acquired on 11/29 in a trade for Adirondack Thunder player Jace isley, who was on an AHL contract with Utica. Osipov is an 8-yr pro splittling time between the ECHL 123 GP and the AHL 217 (192 at the time of the trade). He is a very physical D-man who seems to love to hit.
- Austen Strand was acquired 1/5 in a trade with AHL Rockford for future considerations. Like Osipov, he too is a big hitter.
It seems these 2 were acquired to make the Comets D harder to play against. They have dished aout a lot of heavy checks. They are both RD so with Nemec and Casey both on the right side only 1 could play.
Osipov was suspended by the AHL for 2 games because of an altercation in Belleville on Saturday (2/15). So MacKinnon was in the lineup on the right side.
Have to believe that Mac will be seen a lot more when Hatakka goes back up. Missing DeSimone, Welinski (looked for another job after not being played as a regular and was released on on 11/26), Hatakka (when he is done with his conditioning stint) and however long Nemec and/or Casey are still in NJ) the Comets D will be stretched super thin. Strand, Osipov, and MacKinnon will be on the right with Vilen, Misyul, and White onn the left. There are no more D here and that would probably mean they call up Diotte (RD) and maybe even van de Leest (LD)
I really think Casey will be back as soon as Hatakka has to go back. The Devils might even put Hatakka on waivers to keep him in Utica. What NHL team would claim a guy wh ohasn't plyed in si long to place him on their NHL roster which they would have to do by NHL rules. In this case Seamus could stay up there, though I don't think NJ wants him doing anything but playing and I don't see it in NJ at this time.
That's how the Comets were constructed and how their roster has been adjusted this season. NJ has made no efforts whatsoever to improve the center situation or bring in a veteran winger who has a history of scoring goals. The Comets only have 3 veterans by AHL rules so whether or not the players they could acquire are vets or not it wouldn't matter.
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It's even more exasperating when listed like this!
It's been 131 days since the season opened and I 'm not going to go back to the date that players for the Comets could have been acquired, but Mike Hartman was the only forward they acquired for this season and he is not a center. He's a LW who can play RW or Center in an emergency, C 1 time and RW 3 times.
- Mike Hardman (LW) signed to a 2-yr NHL 2-way. $350 K in Utica. He can score, but has been injured twice , thus missing 11 games. He has 13 goals in those 35 which is close to 1 goal every 3 GP. His overall AHL avg. is 1 goal/4 GP so he is slightly over his historical average. He if he paly every game they have left at the same pace his goal total will be 22. He only has 8 assists in his 35 GP which projects to 36 Pts. This says he isn't helping to set up many goals. I'm not sure 36 Pts is worth $350 K!
- Adam Beckman (LW), the return for the Clarke trade, 1-yr NHL 2-way. $125 in Utica.
- Colton White (LD/RD), Signed to an NHL 2-way contract. $275 K in Utica.
- Seamus Casey (RD) started the sxeason in NJ, but once their D-corps was all healthy he was sent to Utica where they expect him to work on all the things he needs to master to be an NHL D-man. He has been the most impresssive Comet on the ice since his arrival on 11/17. I expect his recall on 2/18 will be short and he will be reassigned to the Comets. Playing either Seamus or Simon on their wrong side would be a mistake.
After a poor season seeing the Comets miss the playoffs NJ management went right back to the nearly empty well.
- Shane Bowers (C/RW) was re-signed to a new NHL 2-way for 2 more seasons. $200 K in Utica. I can't figure out for the life of me who saw this guy play and sadi here's a good choice as cneter for the Utica Comets center stareved roster. Whoever it was should be fired. This guy isn't even a poor center, he is flat out terrible in the middle yetthatv his his nightly position. Can't pass to save his life and is non-physical to boot. He's played 42 of the Comets 46 games only because he spent time in NJ and that's amazing to boot.
He has 2 goals and 1o assists for 12 Pts. He's not close to earning that $200 K.
- Max Willman (LW/RW) was re-signed to a new 1-yr 2-way NHL contract. $275 K in Utica. Has played lot of RW with Foote and the 2 switch wings during every shift. I guess you'd call them. ambiwingdous, LOL. Willman is allergic to physicality. Cannot move with the puck. He's a turnover machine in that capacity. Would score a lot if the net was 10 ft tall and another 10 foot wide. He's got 4 goals thus far. $275 K is pretty good pay for 4 goals. I'd loved to have made that kind of money for doing next to nothing. He's also a -19 and kills penalties which are not reflected in the +/- numbers. The Comets place #25 in AHL PK%. Looks like he's not exactly sparkling there as well and I can attest to that from having watched him on every one of them.
- Laberge (LW/RW) was given a new 1-Yr NHL 2-way contract. $120 K in Utica.
- Legare (RW) was given a new 1-yr NHL 2-way contract. $85 K in Utica
Legare and Laberge are the wings on the Comets checking/defensive line. They are physical grinders (plumbers extrordinaire). Not top level players but have value for what they provide. Problem is that Laberge is injured a lot during fights or other rougfh stuff. He has only played in 26 of the Comets 47 games to date.
- Santeri Hatakka (LD/RD) was re-signed to a 1-yr NHL 2-way. $125 K in Utica. He's apretty good D-man when healthy. Played 8 games in '22-23 before being acquired by the Devcils and din't play another game all season as he recovered from the injury in San Jose. He seemed to have recovered and played 12 games in NJ and 48 in Utica, but did suffer smller injuries. This season he had been injured in preseon and was activated for a reconditioning stint inUtica in on 2/8 and has played in 3 of the Comets 4 games since arriving. He missed the 1st game after playing in the first. He is the epitome of rusty.
- Nick DeSimone (RD) was re-signed to 1-yr NHL 1-way. $775 K in Utica. He was thought to be the Devils' extra D-man, But he started the season in Utica. Was called up on 11/9 only to be returned on 11/16 and recalled again on 11/18. NJ returned him on 12/10 and he played 3 more games for the Comets. He\was recalled to NJ on 12/26. They attempted to return him on 1'5 and he was claimed off the waiver wire by the Utah Hockey Club.
So much for Nick DeSimone
- Ryan Schmelzer (C) and team Captain) was rewarded for his services over the past 3 years, in which a planed 3/4 Center ended up a 1/2 Center and finished 23-24 as the teams leading scorer. He was given an NHL 2-way contract. $275 K in Utica. Ryan is doing the same job he has been doing for this his 4th season. The projected #3/4 center on good AHL team is currently trailing the team's #2 and 3 point leaders by 2 points with 26, while the 2 above him, Beckman and Halonen, have 28.
Foote leads the team with 32. Guess who has been Nolan's center on his recent rise to the top of the scoring ladder? That's right if you guessed Schmelzer!
- Brian Halonen (LW/RW) was re-signed to new 2-yr NHL 2-way. $80 K in Utica. He is a 1-way hockey player. He is not good defensively. He is allergic to passing the puck until he has no other option or he's in desperation to clear the zone or give it up toi egt his ass moving out of the zone for a return pass (which he always expects and is frustrated when he doesn't get it. He is of the simplistic mind set, "If I shoot enough, I will score." He reminds me so much of Graeme Clarke, who also never saw a chance to shoot that he would give up no matter if it was actually a good scoring chance. He and Halonen missed the net more often than they hit it, but because of their volume of shots did/do score goals. Not the neumber that their shot totals would justify. Both had assists in their point totals which were most often missed attempts that a mate put away rather than from passes which would have shown them to be good linemates. Kevin Dineen put wings with Clarke who were employed to feed him. Parent being his main lackey.
Justin Dowling (C) starting the 2nd yr of a 2-yr NHL 2-way. $500 K in Utica.
Justin was the Comets #1 center and after a deep discussion with the many Vancouver followers that i had developed a good psoting relationship over the 8 yrs that the Comets were the Canucks farm, They assured nme he was a good AHL cednter, but probably best suited for the #2 slot.
Last season he put up 40 points in 57 games due to injuries, especially a shoulder injury in the latter part of the season that saw him moved to LW because he was too weak to make the strong passes from the middle. He was still very effective on the outskirts which often saw him moving into the middle of the ice or down low whent the spots opended up . He understands how to find open space withn the puck and he can also handle the puck weel These are 2 parts of his skill set that the other centers are missing,. Schmelzer is the closest to also possessing said skills. That would make Dowling a great # 2 and Schmelzer a great #3. However, the Devils management has apparently never been hard pressed by the Comets GM, an assistant GM for the Devils, to acquire., Perhaps their accomadation was to allow him to sign his own son to AHL contracts for the past 2 seasons.
- Nolan Foote (LW) was a mainstay in Utica except he was injured for most of year 3. His ElELC ended and the Devils gave him a 1-yr 2-way NHL contract to get it right. He was their final cut from the Big Club. He started off slowl down here, but has turned it up and now leads the team in Points with 32, 4 points ahaead of both Halonen and Beckman. He has 16 goals to Halonen's 18 and the 2 have been matching each other goal for goal for several games. Nolan has also been padding his Assist totals with 16 that's 2 points behind the leaders tied at 18, Nemec and Beckman. Don't think he's going to be chasing Nemec any longer unless NJ is disappointed in this go round.
After 46 games 18 assists and 18 goals are low numberes for a team in the running. One good reason why the Comets are not one of them.
- Simon Nemec is on the 3rd year of his NJ 3-yr ELC.
Hehad played 65 games with Utica in '22-23.
He was basically a NJ Devil for the 23-24 season while only playing 13 games with the Comets.
He was sent to the Comets right out of the '24-25 camp after the acquisiton of D-men in the offseason. The reason was to let him play every day and work on the things the Devils felt he needed to improve upon to be a complete NHL D-man. He has played 34 games with the Comets and after a slow start regained his previous staure as a very good offensive AHL D-man. Before his recent recall he had amassed 23 Pts on 5G/18A. His Assist total is tied for the Comets lead with Adam Beckman.
The Comets still had players on NJ ELCs:
- Chase Stillman (RW) is on yr-2 of a 3-yr ELC. He is not looking like anything the Devils will ever put on their roster. Yr-3 will be it for him unless he has an epiphany. Currently posting 3G/6A/9Pts/40GP. Terrible for any kid on the 2nd season of his 3-yr ELC, but for a 1st round selection albeit however known to be a poor selection for the 1st round, he is looking like a guy one would wonder why he was drafted in the 1st place. He did put up 24 Pts his 1st season with 14G/10A/54GP so maybe this is something like a sophomore Slump, but it will take a monumental effort to overcome.
- Daniil Msyul (LD) is finishing up yr-2 of a 2-yr ELC. He is playing well, but not well enough to warrant a promotion to the NHL next season. As a 24-yr-old RFA you have to wonder if he will be offered a substantial raise to remain with NJ, be a trade piece, or if he is already planning a return to the motherland.
Topias Vilen (LD) is another LD not considered to be NHL material yet, but he has another season on his 3-yr ELC. Have to wait and see where NJ is on the left side at the end of next season. IMO he is inching ahead of Misyul and Hatakka making him a better trade piece and a #4 on the NJ LD depth chart. Have to wonder where the Devils see him. Casey is not a LD and Vilen and Misyul wish they could skate and handle the puck like he does. Nemec will have to up his game if Casey continues to advance his game. Have to wonder where he will sit at the end of his 2nd of a 3yr ELC barring Fitz doing anything stupid with a prospoect as shiny as he is.
Newbies added on NHL deals:
-Josh Filmon began year 1 of his 3-yr ELC and could not make a dent in the forward group in Utica.
Considering what this team is up front, not even being able to stay on the roster is not a particularly good sign.
He is a young 20 with a March birth date so he has time to grow and develop his game. He has finally set himself at a high level in the ECHL by moving to the top of the Adirondack scoring lead, His 15 goals are tied for the lead with 4-yr pro Kevin O'Neil also on an AHL contract with the Utica Comets (he has not played a game with Utica). Granted that team is nothing compared to where they were last seaon, but it's not a bad thing. It's probably too early to pass any career judgement on the kid, but he better make the Comets next season right out of camp and start making a contrribution right away.
- Dylan Wendt was a RW signed at the end of last season to a 2-yr ELC. He was a FA signing out of NCAA Western Michigan. This was yr #1 and like Filmon he couldn't stay on the roster and was sent to Adirondack very early on 10/23. He has had 3 recalls and has played a total of 6 games with 2 assists. In Adirondack he has 22 points, 7G/15A in 38 GP.
- Mikael Diotte (RD) began yr-1 of a 3-yr NHL 2-way ELC and made the roster out of camp and played 5 games, recording1 Assist and a -5. He was sent to Adirondack on 10/29 coinciding with the return of Topias Vilen Injured since the beginning of the season. He has since been recalled on 1 additonal time, but sent back to Adirondack 3 days later after not having played in a game.
The rest of their roster was composed of AHL contracts:
- Xavier Parent (LW) signed a 1-yr AHL contract after the Devils didn't offer him another contract. He's the best of the AHL contracts. His 22 Pts (10G/12A) place him 6th in Points behind Foote, Halonen, Beckman, Schmelzer, and Nemec. His numbers are better than all the guys NJ signed for the bigger money - Hardman, Willman, and Bowers.
- Joe Gambardella is a workhorse with big stick handling skills and the ability to get the puck to others. He is on the 2nd of a 2-yr AHL deal.
The rest are:
- Jack Malone (C) is a 24-yr-old rookie signed to a 2-yr AHL contract after 4 years in the NCAA, 3 with Cornell and the last with Boston College. He has become a regular as the 4th Center due to the act that they don't have anyone else. He's played 37 games and only put up 10 points on 7G/3A.
- Filip Engaras (C) has a 1 yr standard AHL deal. It's his 3rd season with the Comets and he has played in 37 of the Comets 46 games. He has settled into the 3rd spot of the Comets centers usually between Gambardella and Legare. He has 8 Pts with 2G/6A.
- Will MacKinnon (D) has played both sides in 36 of the Comets 46 games and has been on their roster for almost every day. He has 2 assists. The way the D have worked out there have been most nights where he was the 6th best available guy.
- Dmitri Osipov was acquired on 11/29 in a trade for Adirondack Thunder player Jace isley, who was on an AHL contract with Utica. Osipov is an 8-yr pro splittling time between the ECHL 123 GP and the AHL 217 (192 at the time of the trade). He is a very physical D-man who seems to love to hit.
- Austen Strand was acquired 1/5 in a trade with AHL Rockford for future considerations. Like Osipov, he too is a big hitter.
It seems these 2 were acquired to make the Comets D harder to play against. They have dished aout a lot of heavy checks. They are both RD so with Nemec and Casey both on the right side only 1 could play.
Osipov was suspended by the AHL for 2 games because of an altercation in Belleville on Saturday (2/15). So MacKinnon was in the lineup on the right side.
Have to believe that Mac will be seen a lot more when Hatakka goes back up. Missing DeSimone, Welinski (looked for another job after not being played as a regular and was released on on 11/26), Hatakka (when he is done with his conditioning stint) and however long Nemec and/or Casey are still in NJ) the Comets D will be stretched super thin. Strand, Osipov, and MacKinnon will be on the right with Vilen, Misyul, and White onn the left. There are no more D here and that would probably mean they call up Diotte (RD) and maybe even van de Leest (LD)
I really think Casey will be back as soon as Hatakka has to go back. The Devils might even put Hatakka on waivers to keep him in Utica. What NHL team would claim a guy wh ohasn't plyed in si long to place him on their NHL roster which they would have to do by NHL rules. In this case Seamus could stay up there, though I don't think NJ wants him doing anything but playing and I don't see it in NJ at this time.
That's how the Comets were constructed and how their roster has been adjusted this season. NJ has made no efforts whatsoever to improve the center situation or bring in a veteran winger who has a history of scoring goals. The Comets only have 3 veterans by AHL rules so whether or not the players they could acquire are vets or not it wouldn't matter.
- Apr 20, 2005
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Only comment: I believe Hatakka was already waived / is not on a conditioning assignment. If so, he’s in Utica as long as the Devils want.
Thanx.
I just checked it out and the fact he was waived is plastered all over the internet if you simply google, "NJ Devils waive Santeri Hatakka." When you're lazy and just go by hearsay, you can get ambushed real easy. LOL!
Guess they knew he wasn't going to be claimed. Then again maybe they know he can't be fixed and are done with his injury battles. Some guys just aren't cut out for this game. It's as if their bodies are made of cardboard, tin foil, and plastic. They just keep tearing, creasing, and breaking. Sometimes it's minor and he's back shortly. Then it's weeks. Then it's months to a whole season.
I feel for the guy, but if that's how his body functions it may be time for another line of work. Professional hockey isn't a no contact, no slapshot recreational beer league.
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