2024-25 Utica Comets and ECHL thread

[Bad Goalie]

• s
  
• 
  Watched
  
• 
  Search forums
  
• 
  Mark forums read
  

2023-24 Utica Comets and ECHL thread​

• Thread starter NJDevs26
• Start date Jun 17, 2023

• Forums
• Eastern Conference
• Metropolitan Division
• New Jersey Devils

Prev

• 1
• …
• 46
• 47
• 48

Ignore thread Watch Reply

Bad Goalie​

Registered User​

Jan 2, 2014 19,942 8,449

• Sunday at 4:34 PM

• Add bookmark
• #1,176

The Comets put up one of, if not their best, efforts of the season last night outshooting the Laval Rocket 33/19 and leaving Rocket parts all over the ice only to come up on the short end of a 3-2 score.

The Comets got goals from Mike Hardman (#14) and Shane Bowers (#3, what a disappointment he has been), but Daws and company could not keep the Rocket goal total below that of the Comets.
The 2 new acquisitions at the TDL, Gruden and McLaughlin, have been pointless in all 3 games since they arrived.

The Comets last 5 games, combined with the results that Belleville and Syracuse have had, has put a huge damper on their desperate quest for a playoff spot. You can Add Cleveland to that mix now as well since they have met with a slump that has seen them fall into a tie with Syracuse for 4th with Belleville chomping at their heels 2 points behind. The battle for that 5th spot is going to be interesting to watch. I think the Comets will be among those watching it play out.

The Comets ran into a buzz saw named Laval. They have played them 3 times in those 5 games and lost all 3 by scores of 5-1, 4-1, and 3-2. Combine that with a really hard fought 2-1 loss to the Crunch an the Comets closing in on 5th returned to an impossible task as they now sit 14 points behind Syracse/Cleveland and 12 behind Belleville. Laval is the #1 team in the entire AHL. The Comets having to run into them when they were playing the best they have all season was unfortunate. They had won 5 of 7/10-/5/6 before taking on the Rocket and then it all went to Hell. Their 8/6 point deficit ballooned right back to ain't no chance.

My hope for their claim to having a successful recovery from one of the worst starts in AHL history was to reach .500. At 23-28-4-2 with 15 games remaining, they will have to finish the season at 10-5. That might be just as impossible.

• 

Reactions:Its Always Sundstrom, Hockey Sports Fan and Guttersniped


Quote Reply

Report Edit








[IMG alt="Hockey Sports Fan"]https://hfboards-data.community.forum/avatars/l/105/105633.jpg?1624547933[/IMG]

Hockey Sports Fan​

Registered Loser​

Sponsor


Jun 30, 2010 10,422 3,827 Connecticut

• Monday at 8:22 PM

• Add bookmark
• #1,177

You sure you got the right thread?

hmmm i’m gonna say no but blame the board meltdown







Like Gift Quote Reply

Report

Bad Goalie​

Registered User​

Jan 2, 2014 19,942 8,449

• Tuesday at 12:09 AM

• Add bookmark
• #1,178

I thought I'd take a look at the outlook for next season from a roster that can't score enough goals, are nothing better than average skaters or less (Except CASEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), are poor at puck control and maneuvering with the puck (again except CASEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, have a low hockey IQ (you guessed it except CASEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Here's a list of the "players" who still have a contract for next season:

Defense
1) Seamus Casey (and that's only if he's still here) - I think NJ wants to cook him for one more season. God help them when they have to eat the results if they trade him. If they still question his ability to handle the NHL forecheck and net front protection, I would advocate something I've never felt comfortable with, but in his case I do.
Move the kid up to forward. His skating, puck handling, passing, shot accuracy, IQ (both hockey and human), and ability to elude opposition skaters who go at him are all at a high skill level. The NHL has become a league where the right type of smaller forwards can excel. In either case this kid has the goods.

2) Topias Vilen - Last year of his ELC and a solid member of the Top 6.

3) Colton White - He is versatile D-man playing on either the right or left side. He will, be on the last year of his NHL 2-way deal. He is a veteran by AHL rules and offers leadership qualities.

4) Mikael Diotte - I assume this season will slide contract wise since he suffered a season ending injury after only 7 GP (2 with Utica and the last 5 with ECHL Adirondack. If so he will be on the 1st year of his ELC. He was lost on the AHL ice and after not having played anywhere near enough games to change that, I would assume he opens up in Adirondack. That's it for D-men under contract.

5) - Santeri Hatakka - He is an RFA and will have to be re-signed. There's a question as to whether NJ sees that as feasible. He is injured way more than he is healthy. This was his 4th season as a pro.
1- 41GP AHL San Jose
9 GP NHL San Jose
2 - 8 GP AHL San Jose
0 GP AHL Utica
3 - 12 GP NHL NJ
48 GP AHL Utica
4 - 12 GP AHL Utica to date

Hatakka and White would have to clear waivers. If the Devils re-sign Dumolin or sign another veteran with a better history, I think they try to send Santeri to Utica.

The rest of this year's D-corps is very unlikely to be re-signed if the Comets are to have a better season than the basement dweller in the the North Division where they have been since the 1st game of the 2024-25 AHL season.

- Dmitry Osipov (UFA) - A 28-yr-old 6'4"/229 LB RD acquired on 1/29/24 in an AHL trade with the Hershey Bears for Jace Isley. Isley was on an AHL 2-way contract with Utica. Before and after the trade Jace hasn't played a single AHL game. He.s been in the ECHL. Dmitry has played 31 games for the Comets thus far this season.

- Austin Strand (UFA) - A 28-yr-old 6'3"/194 LB RD acquired on 1/6/25 from the AHL Rockford IceHogs for future considerations. Utica is the 6th AHL team he has played for. He has played 28 games with the Comets thus far.

- Tory Dello (UFA) - A 28-yr-old 6'0"/194 LB RD was signed on 3/13 one day ahead of the AHL TDL. He was acquired from AHL Grand Rapids for future considerations. He has played 1 game after arriving in time to do such.

All 3 of these guys are 28-yrs-old. 2 were acquired for future considerations and the other for an ECHL player meaning the teams they came from literally gave them to Utica to get them off their hands.
I haven't really seen enough of Dello to make an informed decision (1GP), but if any get a contract it should be one at most and he should only be signed for depth. Not as the #7, but for DEPTH!!!! The situation would occur when the Comets have employed their #7 and still need a player to take the ice for 6 D.

They will be UFAs and they will have trouble being signed to PLAY for any AHL team. If they are signed, they will likely end up as depth on another AHLteam or in the ECHL on an AHL 2-way and hope to play their way up when the AHL team needs help. That usually happens to most AHL teams. Look at Utica who is currently employing all 3 of them.

NJ needs to do something about constructing a solid top 6 with a 7th to who can adequately step in at any time when NJ recalls someone or the Comets suffer an injury. This guy might also sub in and out all season to give guys a break now and then. He is an adequate AHL player who is behind 6 guys who are just a bit better.

Forwards:
9 forwards already have contracts for 2025-26. Considering the outcome this season some of these guys are not the best choices moving forward.

1) Xavier Parent was just signed by NJ to a 1-yr 2-way NHL contract for 2025-26. His Comets' $ will be $85K.
He can play all 3 forward spots, but his best game comes on LW.
He has 26 Pts (11G/15A) in 46 GP. His numbers are down due to having missed 11 games and the lack of output from the linemates he has been jockeyed around with. He is more of a setup man than a scorer. He only had 15 goals last season in 71 GP, but amassed 30 assists. His 15 assists this season are not indicative of the number of passes he has provided to team mates who have wasted them.

There are still 15 games to go and time to put up more points. He will definitely be a Comet next season.

2) Brian Halonen - He will be on the final year of a 2-yr, 2-way NHL contract. He has 33 Pts, 21 goals in 50 GP. He has 21 goals but must shoot or try to shoot at least 10 times per game. Once he has the puck he is extremely reluctant to give it up, but he is always expecting to get the puck from anybody else who has it when he is on the ice. There is definitely a degree of selfishness in his game.


if you multiply those 10 efforts I just mentioned , he has tried to score a goal 560 times. He has 21. If he passed a little more often and went to empty space and got a return pass or ended up in front for rebounds those numbers would be higher.

He will be a Comet unless NJ sees that mindset change when he comes to camp next season. He is also not real effective in the D-zone either. Other guys are often covering for him.

3) Shane Bowers - He will be on the last of a 2-yr, 2-way NHL contract paying him $200K. The fact he is making even more right now at $225K and has 3 goals at the moment, he's stealing money. I don't know who has been assessing this guy's play, but he is #15 in team scoring with 14 points in 51G and that's just not cutting it.

4) Mike Hardman - He will be on the final year of a 2-yr, 2-way NHL deal paying him $350K/yr. He has 24Pts/14G in 45GP. His 26 points rank him #6 in team scoring. He doesn't hit and doesn't play a hard offensive game. For the money, I'm not impressed with his game either.

5) Ryan Schmelzer - Again an iron man. He was the only Comet last season to play all 72 Games and he currently is the only Comet to have played all 57games this season. That is quite an accomplishment for a guy who hits in all 3 zones, digs the corners, backchecks his balls off, covers the net front like a center should, kills penalties, and centers the top line. Not bad for a guy who pencils in at #3 center when every season camp opens, but seems to end up on top before too long. He led the team in scoring last season and is #4 thus far this season. He has had a hand in Nolan Foote ascending to the top of the team scoring list as his center.
Ryan will be on the the 2nd year of an NHL 2-yr/2-way contract paying him $275K/year. If you watch the Comets play game after game he is the guy who appears to be doing the most to earn his NJ salary more than the rest who are receiving one.

6) Jonathan Gruden - He will be on the 2nd of a 2-yr/ 2-way NHL contract that he signed with Pittsburgh and the Devils inherited that contract. He will be paid $250K. I see no reason that NJ will want him up there so that means he will end up in Utica provided he clears waivers.

7) Josh Filmon - Will enter the 2nd year of his ELC. This season he has played 9 games with the Comets and the rest have been with Adirondack. He showed no ability to play in the AHL. Will that change next season? Only time will tell, but he won't be a key cog if he does make it.

8) Dylan Wendt - He will be on the 2nd year of an NHL 2-way contract. He has been with Adirondack for most of the season. He has played 8 games with Utica and has been called up on several occasions, but usually sat out as a depth player. An NHL 2-way player that can't even make the AHL team does not say much for his future.

That's it for signed NHL contracts.

Signed AHL Contracts:
Jack Malone - He will on Yr 2 of a 2yr AHL standard contract.
He is the only one.

The following will be UFAs:
- Max Willman - He's making $275K and has 6G and 20PtS. Another guy stealing money.

- Justin Dowling - He had 4 PTs (2G/2A) in 7 GP with the Comets before being called up to NJ. He is in the 2nd yr of a NJ NHL 2-way contract. It paid him $500K to play in Utica and $775K to play in NJ. He would be welcome in Utica on a new contract. His destiny is in NJ's hands unless his agent can find him a guaranteed NHL slot somewhere else. I'm going to go with the Devils.

- Marc McLaughlin - He is on a 1-yr/2-way NHL deal signed with Boston and inherited by NJ. It pays him $120K to play in Utica.

- Sam Laberge - He is on a 1yr/2-way NHL deal paying him $120K in Utica.

There are 2 guys that will become RFAs;

1) Nolan Foote - He is on 1yr/2-way NHL contract paying him $150K in Utica. That's BS for the season he has been having. He's making crap compared to the other guys NJ brought in for much more money. Nolan is the team's leading scorer with 18G/21A/39Pts. Will NJ qualify him? We'll have to wait and see.

2) Nathan Legare - He is on a NJ 1yr/2-way NHL deal. He makes $85K to play in Utica. He has put up a new personal total in goals with 11. Coupled with 5 assists he has 16 Pts. Coach Parent has seen something in him that Dineen never did. He is more than just a banger, crasher, 4th line defensive forward. He has moved up the lineup and is still the same physical player, but has a chance to show a little offense. NJ brought him up and Keefe was impressed with the way he played as were many posters on this site. He's not an NHL regular, but he can hold his own in an emergency callup. I hope they qualify him.

Joe Gambardella and Filip Engaras are on AHL contracts and will become UFA at the end of the season.

Goal -
Poulter will be an RFA.
Daws is signed for next season.
Malek should be coming over.
The way things stack up now, Poulter gets a new contract and he plays in tandem with Malek and Daws backs up Marky.
This all depends upon what Fitz thinks and as a result what he does in the off season.

Tyler Brennan has been in ECHL Adirondack. he still has 1 year left on his ELC and hasn't played a single AHL game as of now.. He can't possibly be in the plans for AHL duty.

It will depend upon what NJ does in constructing a team for 2025-26 as to what players listed here are brought back. Considering the Comets' plight, it would behoove the Devils to improve this roster and let some of these guys find new work elsewhere. If they just re-sign everyone who has an expired contract, it would be criminal.

 

[Bad Goalie]

3/19/25

Charlotte Checkers at Utica Comets

Forwards:
(67) Parent (28) McLaughlin (24) Halonen
(39) Hardman (13) Malone (11) Legare
(14) Gruden (15) Bowers (5) Gambardella
(25) Foote (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman

D-Pairs:
(6) White (22) Casey
(8) Hatakka (44) Osipov
(83) Vilen (7) Strand

Goal - (50) Daws

Final Score:
Utica 4 Charlotte 3

Some mini-miracles occurred last night:

1) The Comets scored 3 goals on their 1st 5 shots withthe third goal coming at 9:32. Cooper Black was puled and replaced by Kaapo Kahkonen. The Comets would only get 1 goal off of him.

2) This mini-miracle was the 4th goal which came vs Kahkonen. It was a BREAKAWAY goal by Xavier Parent. The Comets don't score on breakaways.

3) Mini-miracle #3 was Charlotte didn't score a PPG. I mean they only got 1 PP, but the Comets almost always surrender a PPG. LOL

4) Mini-miracle #4 was holding a 4-3 lead through the entire 20 minutes of the 3rd period. They just don't hold 1 goal leads for a 20-minute 3rd.

5) Jack Malone scored a natural hat trick on 1/22 giving him 6 on the season. Between that event and last night he scored 1 on 2/15. Last night he scored 2 more, totaling 9 on the season. So 5 goals in 2 games and 4 for the rest of the season. 5 of his 9 goals have been critical in points for the Comets. More interesting is that the games he has scored in have resulted in 4 wins and 2 ties. When Malone scores, the Comets win or tie, but in either case come away with points.
So, he has only scored in 6 games and the Comets have won 4 and tied 2.

SOG:
CLT - 7 12 12 = 31
PP:
CLT - 0/1
UTC - 0/2

Scoring:
Malone (8) from Casey (14) and Hardman (11)
Malone (9) from Hardman (12) and Casey (15)
Legare (12) from Hardman (13)
Parent (12) from McLaughlin (1) - 10 counting (9 with Providence)

Utica jumped out to the early 3-goal lead, but Charlotte got 1 back for a 3-1 1st period lead.
In the second the Checkers tied it up in the first 6 minutes. As I commented earlier, the Comets have a real hard time holding leads. A minute after the Checkers tied it up Parent got loos on a breakaway from inside the Comets blueline and out raced a trailing defender and beat KahKonen to give the Comets back the lead by 1 and the Comets held it for the rest of the game. In the closing minute the Comets had 2 chances to score on the open net. The first from just outside the Blueline went wide. I won't say who ,but aComet got the puck just outside the post and tried to cram it in and failed . he got the puck back and still all alone in front shot it wide. If this isn't indicative of the Comets and the problem they have scoring, nothing epitomizes it more than this!

3 *s
#3 - Xaver Parent (Utica Comets) 1G - GWG
#2 - Mike Hardman (Utica Comets) 3A
#1 - Jack Malone (Utica Comets) 2G

Record:
24-28-4-2
!2 points behind both Syracuse and Cleveland and 10 behind Belleville. A snowballs chance in Hell of bypassing 3 teams for a playoff berth.

Next up 3/22/25 vs Charlotte Checkers at 7pm in the Adirondack Bank Center (Utica Aud)

 

[Bad Goalie]

Looking at the prospects list and wondering who we can expect to sign and most likely be in Utica next season. Looking for your opinions and/or thigs you make actually know.

Must sign by this summer:
1) Cole Brown - He will be 20. He is already listed as playing for NCAA Notre Dame for '25-26. The charts say he has to sign by 6/1/25. If he goes off to Notre Dame what does that mean for his rights with NJ? Do those rights carry through his college career? (I should know the answer to that, LOL.)

2) Ethan Edwards - He graduates this year. He becomes a UFA if he doesn't sign by 8/15. What do you think the odds are he signs with the Devils?

The following guys have at least 1 more year, but most will be at least 20, which is the age Canadian Jrs become eligible to play in the AHL. Europeans and Americans not playing Canadian Jrs can turn pro at any age.
1) Sean Lachance - He will be 22 to start next season and is expected to sign an ELC after he finishes this season with BU. I assume he will be in Utica.

2) Samu Salminen - He will be 22 to start next season. Currently he is finishing up his season with NCAA Denver. It's his 3rd NCAA season. He's had a decent year. Will he come out or go the 4th year and then the UFA route? He has one year left before he has to sign.

3) Lenni Hameenaho - He will be 20 to start next season. He has had a really good year in the LIIGA. Not exactly a lot more to prove after a near PPG (51Pts/58GP) this season. Is he committed to more time there or can he sign? If he is able, will he sign or will he re-sign in the the LIIGA and wait until that deal is up to come over? He has until 6/1/27 to make up his mind.

4) Matyas Melovsky - He will be 21. He had a really good year going in the QMJ. I thought I read he had suffered a season ending injury with his numbers as of then 78Pts/55GP.
If so, will he be healthy for training camp? He still has another year before he has to sign. He's a center and has progressed from nothing to a very decent prospect. You can't tell me the Devils organization doesn't need centers. If there's a chance, you sign him up and shoot for the moon.

5) Victor Hurtig - Like Edwards he will be 23. He is winding up year 3 of NCAA hockey at Michigan Tech after 2 at Michigan State. He has never put up decent numbers, but as a D-man, like many others, he may be more defensively oriented. What's your take on him. He has 1 more year to make up his mind.

6) Charlie Leddy - He will be 21. He is finishing up yr 3 in the NCAA with Quinnipiac after playing the first 2 at Boston College. Like Hurtig his numbers are not so hot, but he is also a D-man so the numbers might not matter as to his defensive skill set. What say you? He has 1 more year before he has to sign or he can walk.

7) Chase Cheslock - He will be 20. He's been at NCAA U of St. Thomas for 1 and 1/2 seasons.
Numbers this season were good. He has until 8/15/27 to make up his mind. Is he a guy NJ takes a chance on a some point?

2 other guys I have questions about.
1) Kasper Pikkarainen - He will be 19, but looks like he didn't play much at all this season. Was he injured so badly it cost him a season. Was he a promising prospect? Has he simply dropped out of the game? Does anybody know? He has until 6/1/28 to decide.

2) Anton Silayev - He will be 19. We usually don't talk about Russians at this age. However, he has played his 18-yr-old season in the KHL as a regular D-man and has excelled. He has also stated he wants to play over here. Can he get free for this next season or like the majority of Russian players has he been or will he be signed up for multiple seasons so he can't get out. There are an indefinite number of years before the Devils lose his rights.

He has some kinks to get out as have been identified by those who have been watching him closely. He and Casey (who the Devils would like to cook for another season and he is A-OK with that) would be an incredible pair playing together for a season in Utica and then moving up into the Devils top 6 together in '26-27!

There is no reason to mess with this very promising duo. Cook 'em for a season together and then get ready to watch their fantastic careers blossom and excel for years to come. A big, fast, excellent skater with physicality and size factor that takes all kinds of ice away from attacking forwards to compensate for the size of his mate who has extrordinary skating and puck skills to match a hockey IQ that's off the charts.
Seamus will be the offensive kingpin of the pair that can still play D, while Anton will be the defensive gem with offensive spurts of his own due to his amazing skating talent. If Fitz moves on from either of these 2, he will reveal a total lack of hockey acumen. Meaning he has no business in the position he occupies.


*Cam Squires - He will be 20. He has had a good season in the QMJ. Will he be turning pro?

 

[Bad Goalie]

3/22/25
Charlotte Checkers at Utica Comets 7pm

Forwards:
(39) Hardman (13) Malone (11)Legare
(15) Bowers (26) Schmelzer (20 Willman)
(67) Parent (28) McLaughlin (24) Halonen
(14) Gruden (16) Engaras (5) Gambardella

D-Pairs
(8) Hatakka (3) Dello
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(6) White (22) Casey

Goal - (1) Poulter

Period 1

Strand (2) from Engaras (8) and Halonen (13)
2:03
Utica 1-0

!st period ends with the Comets leading 1-0.

SOG:
14-6 Utica

Period 2

White
Boarding
1:14

Gruden (1 - *8 OA) from Bowers (12) and Strand (11)

Gruden
2:26
SHG

At 8:07 the Comets led in SOG 25-9
Doesn't matter if you don't score. It only takes a single shot and it's 2-1.

Checkers get the next 5 Sog and it's 2-1.

Ben Steeves
14:02
2-1

Comets always get too comfortable and let opponents creep back into games that they have been dominated in.
Comets gave up a 2on1 after failing to dump the puck in from the neutral zone. Terrible play.

Halonen can't handle any puck passed to him. It is unbelievable. That explains why he won't pass the puck on the rush because he will unlikely flub any return pass. So, he goes it alone and usually turns it over.

Period 2 ends

2-1 Utica
Remember when the Shots were 25-9 Utica?
Period 2 Sog:
13-10 Utica

2 -period total:
27-16 - Utica

Cleveland, Syracuse, and Belleville won last night (Friday 3/21) All 3 picked up 2 more points on the idle .Comets. Tonight Cleveland and Belleville have both lost and Syracuse is losing 2-0 after 2 periods. Comets could pick up 2 on all of them, not that it will matter in the long run.

Period 3

Parent
Elbowing
Comets coming apart after building a 2-0 lead.

Oliver Okuliar (tipped right in front of Poulter. He had no chance.
Utica's tendency to be scored upon on the PP has killed them all season long.
2-2
4:06 PPG
2:19

15:58 to go
Charlotte has controlled this game thus far in the 3rd.

MCLaughlin whiffs at an on the ice pass all alone on an empty side of the net from 6 feet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nobody pressuring him. No excuse for that!

Casey is hit hard along the side boards by ex-Comet Kyle Criscuolo. McLaughlin went after him and they went at it at the Comets Blueline. McLaughlin got the best of him in a very short tilt.

Willman
Tripping
9:20
Comets PK unit fails to clear 5 times with wimpy strength on the puck resulting in it staying in the zone. Only reason the Checkers haven't taken the lead is Poulter.

Comets are terrible on the puck any where on the ice since about 6 minutes into the game. If I were to guess I'd say they have given up on the season as they are merely going through the motions and failing miserably in all 3 zones.

Checkers have outshot the feeble efforts of the Comets 11-3 Charlotte with 5:29 to go. Poulter stops a clean breakaway with a Checker allowed behind the entire team. There is no excuse for that kind of failure this late in the game.

Halonen continues to fail in puck control every time he touches it. It is so sickening.

If this goes to OT, don' be shocked if Parent puts him out there.

2 minutes left in regulation.

Hardman decked behind the Checkers net. PP for the Comets with 1:28 to go.

Justin Sourdif
Elbowing
18:23

1 minute to go.

Comets have been good but in the end could not get a shot off.

Comets get a point.


Now it's OT.

4 on 3 PP for :22 seconds.

PP ends. Halonen has turend it over 3 times.

McLaughlin backhander is wide.

Parent stopped right in front off a turnover.

Net's off. They will finally go 3 on 3 with 1:28 to go.

Benning scores on a slapper after Poulter was a miracle man. McLaughlin and Parent could do nothing to disruipt the Checkers and after 2 amazing stops, the Checkers win it. Comets had their chance. Failed.

Checkers win it.
3:59
Michael Benning (Jim Benning's nephew)
3-2 Checkers win it in OT.

Final Score -
Charlotte Checkers 3 Utica Comets 2 (OT)

SOG:
CLT - 6 10 11 3 = 30
UTC - 14 13 6 2 = 35
Remember back when the shots were 25-9?
It's been all Chekers since. SOG for the Checkers since then 21-10.

PP:
CLT - 1/3
UTC - O/2

Scorinng:
Strand (2) from Engaras (8) and Halonen (13)
Gruden (*1) from Bowers (12) and Strand (11) SH vs a Checkers PP
* Gruden
1 goal for Utica
7 for W-B/Scranton

Poulter 27/30

 

[Triumph]

Must sign by this summer:
1) Cole Brown - He will be 20. He is already listed as playing for NCAA Notre Dame for '25-26. The charts say he has to sign by 6/1/25. If he goes off to Notre Dame what does that mean for his rights with NJ? Do those rights carry through his college career? (I should know the answer to that, LOL.)

To be fair, nobody knows the answer because the CBA doesn't cover this, because previously players were ineligible for the NCAA if they played junior hockey. I suspect the Devils will lose his rights but I don't know. I don't know if he would've helped Utica much anyway.

2) Ethan Edwards - He graduates this year. He becomes a UFA if he doesn't sign by 8/15. What do you think the odds are he signs with the Devils?

I would've said 50-50 before today but someone posted here that Birnell reported that he's supposed to join Utica so let's call it 90-10 that he signs.

*Cam Squires - He will be 20. He has had a good season in the QMJ. Will he be turning pro?

He is under contract and will be turning pro, yes. Also I think you are getting confused between Melovsky and Max Graham - Graham did suffer a season-ending injury and as you noted by his absence, is no longer Devils property.

 

[Bad Goalie]

3/23/25
Utica Comets at Rochester Americans
Forwards:
(15) Bowers (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(39) Hardman (13) Malone (11) Legare
(67) Parent (28) McLaughlin (24) Halonen
(5) Gambardella (16) Engaras (14) Gruden

D-pairs:
(6) White (22) Casey
(8) Hatakka (3) Dello
(83) Vilen (7)

Goal - (50) Daws

Gmbardella and Engaras out 2 on 1. Gamby turns it into a breakaway as he speeds past the defender. Stopped by Levi.
Gamby retrieves the puck behind the net and he centers it to Engaras who........?
S____________________C___________O_________________R_________E____________S!!!!!!!!!!

Engaras
2:49
1-0 Utica

McLaughlin has missed 2 golden opportunities. One shot wide left and the other wide right.

Comets starting out like they have in their last few games. They control the action, spend lots of time in the O-zone, and score.
History has shown them to all of a sudden forget everything they were doing, allow the opponent back into the game, and eventually lose. This one has yet to play out.

Gruden a huge face to face legal check laying out the Amerk. WOW!

Comets game withering. Can't make passes and can't take them. Losing the puck off their sticks without an opponent causing them a problem. Rochester taking the play to the Comets.

Comets to the PK.

Legare
Tripping
16:06

Parent
Roughing
10 minute misconduct
16:06

Jagger Joshua
Roughing
10 minute misconduct
16:06

White was in the box but he left and went to the room.
I think the penalties were to White and Parent served it.

Whomever is posting the penalties for the Amerks has been doing a s**t job. No post for several minutes on a simple 2 minute penalty.
Gots the wrong names a couple times. He has to go back and change names.

Comets literally standing still on this PK.
Comets kill most by standing still and then Rochester gets called

Metsa
Hooking
18:02

The PP has been very uneventful. Have 2 seconds left to start the 2nd.

End of the first.
Utica 1-0
SOG:
7-7

Period 2

I was correct on the White call. He was the guy who got 2 and 10 and Parent served the 2. White is sitting in the box serving his misconduct at the beginning of the 2nd. It hasn't been changed in the 1st period play by play.

Comets continue to misplay pucks while applying good pressure. Their momentary flubs give Levi the chance to move and square up so what could have been a real good scoring chance turns into an easier stop by Levi.

Comets D-coverage is so weak and the Amerks are getting way too mnay good chances. Either Daws becomes a miracle worker or the Amerks are going to dent the scoring column.

The Comets on the other end are now blowing chances by missing the net on several chance one right after another. Their shooting accuracy leaves much to be desired. It's not like I haven't pointed this out in game after game.

Also like usual, the Comets stretch out the SOG total but don't score on any of them.

Then they get called for a penalty.

Engaras
High-Sticking
7:02

Daws stops a great chance. Lik the last PP the Comets just stand still when the Amerks get possession.

The boo bugs are out en masse as the penalty ends the Comets bring it in and a centering pass form behincd the net to Halonen in the net front ends up in tNhe net.

G_________________________O____________________A______________________L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Halonen
9:24
2-0 Comets

Gruden takes an Ame3rk into Levi wiping him out.

Gruden to the box.
Interference
11:53

They just can't help themselves with dumb offensive zone penalties. This Gruden move was totally un

Levi stops Bowers on a SH chance. This guy is not a goal scorer. 4 goals on the season. $225K whicjkh as of now equals $622/goal. Postyers keep telling me NJ won't spend the money to get good players for Utica. The Amount they are spending on those they did bring in was is proving to be a very poor use of their money.

This game is playing out exactly likre last night. Comets SOG thus far in the 2nd 17 to 8 for the Amerks Yesterday it was 25-9 for both periods. They still found all kinds of ways not to score which ended up costing them an eventual 3-2 OT loss.
Charlotte went ape in the 3rd tying it up while shutting the Comets offense down almost completely. Thye have no answer for a team who that crank their game up.

Here they go again. Half assed attempts to interfere withn the Amerks in their end and they surrender a last minute goal. They play the last minute of periods like they are matter of factly over and nothing bad can happen. Even after that's been proven wrong, they keep on doing it.

Nikita Novikov
18:59
2-1 Utica

Now they score again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2, THAT"S TWO goals in the last minute. This team deserves no sympathy with the way they just curl up and die. 2 goals in 17 seconds in the last minute.

This also a habit of Daws. He gives up 1 and then gives up another right after it.

Erik Brannstrom
19:18
2-2



Period 3

What else have I told you all season besides the last minutes of periods. That's right for those of you who have paid attention, they aslo suck in opening minutes of periods. So what just happened is just old hat.

Noah Ostlund
1:10
3-2 Rochester

Over the course of the end of the 2nd and the start of the 3rd, Utica a has given Rochetsr 3 goals in 2 minutes and 11 seconds.

SOG right now in the 3rd with 8:34 to go is 10-3. The score is 3-2 and Daws is the only reason that's all it is. You know, in the game of hockey 1 goal is the kind of thing a team can crank it up to get 1 back.

Utica is moving at half speed in their own end. They are just watching the Amerks do their thing. A stick swipe when being skated past is the normal reaction. No physicality. They aren't even going through the motions. One guy will do the right thing but gets little support from anybody else. Their is no attention to any Amerk no matter where he is. They look like they just want to get back on the bus and go home. Moreso, get those last 12 games overwith so they can literally go home.

Rochester finished it off with an ENG with :22 seconds to go.

Anton Wahlberg
19:30
4-2 Rochester

OH BOY, stand up and cheer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Utica scores with 1 second to go. YEAH!
Strand
19:59
4-3 Rochester
Final Score
Rochester 4 Utica Comets 3

SOG:
UTC - 7 18 11 = 36
ROC - 7 13 16 = 36

Scoring:
Filip Engaras (3) from Gambardella (11)
Halonen (22) from McLaughlin (11)
Strand (3) from Hardman 914) and McLaughlin (12)

Daws 33/36

These guys show little evidence of self-respect. They show a total lack of pride.
This current group has quit on this season. A season they can blame on no one but themselves. 13 straight losses to begin the season and it's been a couple wins and a couple losses since all season long . They are still 4 games below .500 with 13 games to go counting today, which has now become 5 games with 12 to go.

If NJ brings all these guys back next season (and many of them are re-signed already), look for the fan base to stop supporting them when they play the same way. The old saying is you can't change a leopard's spots.

This behavior on the part of the home base would be equally stupid because it would encourage the Devils to do what they have done so many times in the past. The fan base protests the terrible team building which NJ has always ignored and then they simply------------LEAVE. The last time was in Binghamton.

How did these guys maknig 100s of thousands of $$$ get signed by NJ in the 1st place. NJ spends way too long to even consider constructing the farm. Fitz spends most of the offseason trying to sign his own guys to the contract he wants them to sign as well as trying to land the new additons he wants for his team. NO ONE else on the NJ management team is apparently allowed to sign anybody for the farm other than plumbers MacKinnon signs to AHL 2-ways for depth.

So by the time Fiotz gets around to finding guyus to fill out the roster in Utica all of the other NHL franchises have gobbled up all the talent. He is left tosign the guys who once played for those other franchises and proved to be of little value. He gets them on the reebound and still has to give them the kind of money they expect. He could sign a couple good ones at the beginning and then fill the roster out with the kind of guys he's put in Utica in the past. A couple real good ones like Chase De Leo and A.J.Greer, combimned with adequate AHL talent like Frederik Gauthier, Kyle Criscuolo, and Justin Dowling and you've got something to build your AHL roster around. Of Course having some high quality Draft selections like they had in '21-22 helps to make the team even better. The problem id after '21-22 there have been no quality darft picks assigned here. Foote was a selection that came in '21-22 and he was still here this season.

Ths year's team was an embarrassment. The Devils suffered injury losses and there was no one down here that could step up and help. If there was, we would have seen them go and cheered for their success. The best Utica could offer was Justin Dowling. 2/3/5 is hardly the kind of numbers you would expect an NHL center to produce in 43 games. He was a #2 down here, but far below what an NHL team expecting to make the playoffs, and maybe even do some damgge, would trot out there for half of the season. There are much better centers playing in the AHL who were acquired as free agents in the off season. Fitz missed the boat and it bit him in the ass and maybe it will end up even worse, although I hope it doesn't.

 

[Bad Goalie]

To be fair, nobody knows the answer because the CBA doesn't cover this, because previously players were ineligible for the NCAA if they played junior hockey. I suspect the Devils will lose his rights but I don't know. I don't know if he would've helped Utica much anyway.



I would've said 50-50 before today but someone posted here that Birnell reported that he's supposed to join Utica so let's call it 90-10 that he signs.



He is under contract and will be turning pro, yes. Also I think you are getting confused between Melovsky and Max Graham - Graham did suffer a season-ending injury and as you noted by his absence, is no longer Devils property.

So, Melovsky has been healthy all season? He has only played 57 of the team's 64 games with a good numbers 26G/57A/83Pts. These are not exactly the kind of numbers that players coming out of Jrs expected to be good prospects have posted their last year.
Will he be in Utica next year? If yes, is it likely he will provide more than Stillman did and be better than Filmon who has not been a Comet for more than a short visit since turning pro
this season. He did have a short stint the previous season on an ATO.

 

[Triumph]

So, Melovsky has been healthy all season? He has only played 57 of the team's 64 games with a good numbers 26G/57A/83Pts. These are not exactly the kind of numbers that players coming out of Jrs expected to be good prospects have posted their last year.
Will he be in Utica next year? If yes is it likely he will provide more than stillman did and be bettewr than Filmon who has not been a Comet for more than a short visit since turning pro 2 season ago.

I mean he probably had an injury in there but afaik he's healthy now. He played last night.

I don't know what you mean about his numbers, which seem perfectly normal except that he is overage. He's not signed yet, I suspect he will sign something (either an AHL deal or an ELC), and there's no guarantees he's in Utica next season if he does - he might spend most of his first pro season in Adirondack.

Filmon turned pro this season. I'm hoping he pushes for a spot in Utica next season, but I agree he is a disappointment so far.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I mean he probably had an injury in there but afaik he's healthy now. He played last night.

I don't know what you mean about his numbers, which seem perfectly normal except that he is overage. He's not signed yet, I suspect he will sign something (either an AHL deal or an ELC), and there's no guarantees he's in Utica next season if he does - he might spend most of his first pro season in Adirondack.

Filmon turned pro this season. I'm hoping he pushes for a spot in Utica next season, but I agree he is a disappointment so far.

If his numbers are normal, at over a PPG, why would Adirondack for a full season be the outlook?

 

[Bad Goalie]

Michigan University LD Ethan Edwards has been signed by NJ to a 2-Yr 2-way ELC starting in "25-26.

He has also signed a Standard Player Contract with the Utica Comets for the remainder of this season. He has been added to the Utica Comets roster.

 

[forceten]

Very good upgrade for Utica

 

[Bad Goalie]

Very good upgrade for Utica

Next year, definite maybe, but 1 guy isn't going to turn this mess around.

This year all the latest deadline additions were actually not an even swap. Since the trade deadline they are 1 - 5. The fact that they already have 17 of their current contracts re-signed. A few newcomers will sign to begin their pro careers with no promise as to which of them will end up in Adirondack vs Utica. It's also possible a couple will get traded while Casey might be one of them or even end up in NJ.

Fitz has a lot of work to do over the summer and no Comet with a NJ contract is guaranteed anything in terms of next season. This whole picture does little to paint a promising future. I mean this group began the season dead last in the AHL North and they haven't left. There is no chance of it changing as they sit 13 points out of the 5th playoff spot and 11 out of 6th place. They are simply playing out the season. How they do will depend on the amount of pride they have in themselves.

If the current group already under contract will be the core of next year's roster I don't have a great deal of confidence.
I'll have to take a long look at next year's roster in October before I make any kind of judgement as to next season.

 

[Bad Goalie]

There is plenty of evidence to show why the Comets are in 29th place in the AHL, but the fact that they are #31 in goals for tops the list.

Utica Comets are dead last in the AHL in PP opportunities with 170 in contrast to 1st place San Jose with 246.
Comets PP% is #15 at 18.8%. They are #30 in PPGs for.

Appears that a slow offensive team lacking puck carrying skills means team don't have to commit penalties to stop their opponent's offense and when left to do whatever they wish in the opponent's
O-zone they don't have to do anything to get pucks from them or stop their breakout.

The opposites are also true as the Comets rank #28 in PK%.

If the number of guys re-signed for next season are what the Comets have to look forward to, the few additions that will be on the roster would have to be world class to rescue them from themselves.

 

[Bad Goalie]

3/28/25
Utica Comets @ Syracuse Crunch

Forwards:
(15) Bowers (26) Schmelzer (11) Legare
(67) Parent (28) McLaughlin (24) Halonen
(79) Laberge (13) Malone (5) Gambardella
(39) Hardman (14) Gruden (20) Willman

D-pairs
(6) White (22) Casey
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(8) Hatakka (44) Osipov

Goal - (50) Daws

Period 1

16:09 to go and White is in the box.
White
3:51
Hooking

2 great chances and Daws makes a big stop on the 2nd off Geekie.

Daws stop and he holds on.
1:09 to go

Daws another stop. Big save by daws. Crunch had the puck in the Comets end for almost the entire 2 minutes. Comets had 3 chances to clear and failed on all 3 tries.
PP OVER not killed!

This game is 100% all Syracuse thus far.

Syracuse gets called.
Pouliot
Holding the stick
8:47
Laberge and Schmidt tee off after the call
5 each for fighting
8:47

Syracuse called again
Allard
Holding
8:59
48 seconds of 5 on 3

Cleared out off the the draw.
Cleared down the ice again.
Shot out of play and the 5 on 3 is over.

Nothing going on at all in the remaining time.

Comets never set up on the the 5on3 or 5on 4
Absolutely pitiful PP. They couldn't even get across the blueline and set up.

Evidence of why they are in last place rears it's ugly head shift after shift. Can't even execute the simplest things.

Can't make 2 passes if they do make the 1st one.

After 2 brilliant seasons in Ann Arbor, Casey must be shocked at the ineptitude of the AHL team he's playing for.

TV TO
5:27 to go

SOG are 11-5 Crunch. 4 of the Comets 5 are long shots with little possibility of scoring. Crunch shots were all from the house. Daws was good. Halverson is on vacation in the Crunch crease.

It's not one guy on every shift, it's all 5 acting together as a turnover team.

Geekie took down Willman in an attempt to reach in for the puck. Willman crashed into the boards and got up slowly

Geekie
Tripping
17:08

Let's see if they can get set up?

Cleared out twice with zero offensive tries.
Cleared again.
Cleared again and the PP is once again a limp ****!
SH chance and Daws makes a big stop.
The only scoring chance on the Comets PP is by the Crunch.
Not set up for even a single second.

The Crunch were set up permanently and flying around the Comets zone passing the puck like it was metal and their sticks were magnets. while peppering the net on their lone PP.

1st mercifully comes to an end. THIS 1 has been painful to watch so far.

SOG:
14-6 Crunch

Period 2
Maybe they can wake up and get into this game.
They have been more successful vs the Crunch than any other team. Their record coming in was 6-4, but was 5-1 in the first 6. 1-3 in the last 4 and this one isn't looking so hot either.

OK, it's a new game and score is 0-0.
The eternal optimist? No, just a hapless fan that will keep hoping season after season. It turns around once in a while, but this current group is really hard to watch. You have to be a real die hard to keep coming back.

Comets have come out skating much harder than they did in the first. There is no excuse to play so differently from shift to shift, period to period, or game to game, but they have done it all season. They would be much easier to support if they at least always gave their best effort, but way too often they just go through the motions.

Newkirk
Tripping
2:47

Almost 1 minute gone and the Crunch have been keeping the Comets in their own zone

Finally getting something going have got 1 shot on and attempted two others that missed.
PP over

They keep bringing the puck into the Crunch zone, but all their efforts keep failing to end up on net.

Casey a big open ice hit at the Comets blueline. That's different. Comets keep getting chances , but their continual failure to find the net makes it meaningless.

TV TO
12:25 to go
Comets have 1 SOG this period.

A goal against will kill their newfound effort. Their confidence is paper thin and any adversity crushes them.

Hardman crashes the net and he's attacked by Newkirk after the whistle.

Newkirk
4 for Roughing
9:42

Hardman
Roughing
9:42
Comets get another PP

1 minute gone and the Comets again are anemic.
Finally get in.
POST!
Get more chances but get nothing on net.
PP over. A little more exciting, but no good news.

Osipov stops a Crunch who appeared in clean but he hit him hard shoulder to shoulder and sent him to the ice.

Where was all of this effort in the 1st period? See what I mean as to why they are so hard to like?

Comets again getting crazy in the last minute of a period and end up on the PK.

Osipov
Hooking
19:20

Geekie all alone at the left hash. Sets up and scores off the post. He had forever and no one ever came near him. Fist pumps with one knee bent coasting out to his mates.

ANOTHER GOAL SURRENDERED BY THE COMETS AT THE END OF A PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's almost a given to happen in every game. 19 seconds into the PP.

Conor Geekie
19:39
PPG
1-0 Syracuse

Period 2 ends
1-0 Syracuse
SOG:
8-7 Crunch
2-period total:
22-13 Crunch

Comets are 0/4 on the PP
Crunch 1/2

Period 3
Crunch 3 shots in the 1st 37 seconds

Crunch all over the Comets as they work for the kill.

Comets back to the PK
McLaughlin
High-sticking
3:41

Easy set up for the Crunch.
1 minute in and the Comets get it out.
Crunch right back in.
Geekie another great chance.
Cleared.
Off sides.
Sent down.
Crunch back in, but PP over.

Big stop by Halverson. Haven't said that much. Not sure if at all.

Gambardella from the right circle gloved and held onto.

TV TO
13:05
Camera guy is in love with a heavy set girl in a pea green sweater. Every pause she gets camera time.

Comets have to study when deciding to pass or not. That's why they never get anything going. Know where your mates are. If you don't have an instant shiot give it one of those mates, rinse and repeat until, you get something going!!!!!!! Don't try to stick handle or skate in closer. That almost always fails.

Crunch SCORE but it's immediately waved off. Goalie interference. It was without a doubt. You'd think the Comets would dig down and take advantage of that and go get one of their own.

11:00 even to go.

Casey keeps setting guys up and they continue to waste his efforts.

He is so good in comparison to what he's playing with.

Comets back to the PK. Keep your damned feet moving and get into the body instead of stopping and reaching out with your stick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hasn't this idea been shared with these guys since they were very young?

Lose the draw and the Crunch are set up. Flub a pass to the Blueline and have to bring it back in and the Comets clear it down.

They are back in and set up instantly. POST!!!!!!!!!!

They have so much time that they are getting tired!

PP is over.

7:00 minutes to go.

TV TO
5:59 to go

There is nothing magic that Coach Parent can draw up for thses guys.

The clock just keeps ticking down towards 0. Last time here the score was 2-1 Crunch. The Utica goaltending gives them a chance every night, but the balsa wood sticks with rubber blades employed by their mates get the keepers no rewards.

Bowers arrives at so many pucks and comes away without even touching them over and over again as if it's preordained. Let me repeat------------this guy is stealing every dollar they pay him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2:58 to go. Parent will pull Daws and the Crunch will probably hit the open net. That's if they can get out of their own end and into the Crunch end in possession. Do I sound negative? Have you been folowing these guys all season minute by minute as I have? They are so repetetive it's like replaying the same video over and over.

Daws is gone with 2 minutes to go.

Schmelzer shot attempt on a pass from Casey is blocked and down they go into the Comets end and miss the net. from the right circle.

1:00 to go and they are back in. 3 passes and a shot goes off a stick and out of play.
When the Comets are defending against this type of situation the opponents get all kinds of open shots. Comets can't even see the net in the same situation let alone get open shots. They are so f**king slow and inept with the puck and and even worse freeze themselves to a spot instead of moving all over forcing the opponents to pick them up and effectively opening up holes and lanes.
They have absolutely no hockey IQ whatsoever.

Game over!!!!!!!

Final score
Syracuse Crunch 1 Utica Comets 0

SOG:
UTC - 6 7 7 = 20
SYR - 14 8 8 = 30

PPs
UTC - 0/5
SYR - 1/4

No Goals for

Daws - 29/30
Have to feel sorry for the Comets keepers.

At least there is some good news onm the homefront tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Utica University defeated Curry College of Milton Mass 2-1 in OT at the Nexus Center in Utica. The win gives them the Semi-final victory in the Divisoin III Frozen 4.

They will face off on Sunday at 7pm vs Hobart for the National Championship !*!**!!!!!*!!*!!!*!!!*!!!!!
Hobart is the 2 time defending National Champion shooting for 3 in a row.

3 of the Final 4 are all NY State schools.
Utica University
Hoabart College of Geneva NY
State University of New York at Geneseo

 

[Bad Goalie]

3/29/25
Hershey Bears @ Utica Comets

Forwards:
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(67) Parent (28) McLaughlin (24) Halonen
(79) Laberge (13) Malone (5) Gambardella
(15) Bowers (14) Gruden (11) Legare

D-pairs:
(6) White (22) Casey
(8) Hatakka (44) Osipov
(73 Edwards) (3) Dello

Goal - (1) Poulter

Breakaway in the 1st minute stopped by Poulter.

Utica is having so much trouble clearing their zone

Schmelzer breakaway stopped.

TV TO
9:17 to go

Back and forth with the Comets getting little on net
Shots are 7-2 Hershey

Poulter has been called upon since the opening minute to keep the Bears off the scoreboard.

TV TO
5:46 to go.

Schmelzer misses the net from directly in front of the keeper.

TV TO
3:38 to go

Both teams failing to connect on the goal set up passes.

Bowers a shot from the top of the circle. Legare crashed the net and backhanded the puck home after Shepard coughed up a rebound after believing he had it in his pads.

Legare
17:51
1-0 Comets

1st comes to an end
1-0 Utica
SOG:
9-5 Hershey

Ethan Edwards getting a real initiation to the AHL. He's paired up with Troy Dello acquired by the Comets on 3/13 from Grand Rapids (Detroit) for future considerations. No veteran protectio for his 1st pro start. Casey is the only Comet D receiving the special attention partnered with Colton White.

Period 2

Don't expect Hershey to stay quiet. @-time defending Calder Cup Champs know exactly how to win. Expect them to up the pressure. Utica better be prepared for it.

Don't know if I'd say the Comets played a solid 1st period. Much more activity in their end and lots of shots directed towards Poulter from close range that were blocked, tipped off sticks, shot through the crease or net front, or missed the net. They fix any one of those shots and they're in the net. Comets have to be much better in keeping players away from those spots. That's been the issue all season. They are not good around their net or in the scoring areas from dot to dot and all the way to the goal line.

Comets almost got #2, but Shepard hung tough, lost his stick, and watched the puck tip off something and go wide with him out of the net.

Willman spends every night crossing into the attacking zone with the puck and gets knocked down, falls down, flubs the puck while "stick handling", flubs a pass, as it stripped right off his stick, or loses it from any other number of ways. The guy is just not a good hockey player and definitely not much of an offensive threat at any time.

delayed call coming on Hershey. Comets never get to the Hershey blueline with the extra skater
Comets to the PP.

Vincent Iorio
High-Sticking
5:23

Cleared all the way down.
Offsides.
30 seconds gone.
Shot all the way down.
Stood up at the blule line
Halonen shot blocked.
Casey to Parent stopped.
Casey to Halonen who 1-times it wide and all the way down the ice.
PP is over
No sustained pressure.

Nets off/ time to fix it.

Halonen rifles another shot off the rush WIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He needs a 10 ft wide net because he is just a puck smasher not a sniper.

McLaughlin lifts one down from the blueline along the boards. The puck goes off the far board and slides angles back into the Hershey end and directly to the racing parent at the bottom of the circle. he shoots it immediately as it asthe towe meet and beats Shepard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOAL!
PARENT_____________________________S--C--O--R--E--S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2-0 Comets <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Parent
9:21
2-0 Utica

TV TO
9:57 to go

Bowers pasted at the Comets bench.

Bears ice it.

Comets to the PP
Jon MaDonald
Holding
10:54

Halonen shoots another 1-timer wide.
Halonen wrister wide.
Casey stopped.
Casey stopped.
No Comet at the net front for the rebound of either Casey shot.

Refs turn to shine
McLaughlin
High-sticking
13:29

Poulter gloves a shot and holds on.
Puckout of the zone off the Point's stick.
Shot wide.
Bowers brings it in 3on2 shorthanded and flubs the puck and turns it over.
Shot wide and he grabe it off the end boards.

PP over.

TV TO
4:26 to go

Just like that and the Comets give up another late period goal and the Bears are right back in it.

Luke Phillips
16:23
2-1 Utica

Hatakka turns it over and a great stop by Poulter from the left hash.

Poulter another great stop and all Hell breaks out after Poulter is molested after the save.

Spencer Smallman
Roughing
17:55
Garrett Roe
Roughing
17:55

Santeri Hatakka
Roughing
Roughing
Comets to the PP after all that.

Casey just wide.
Casey shot stopped.
Puck into the Comets bench.
52 seconds left in the period.
Lose the draw but gain possession and bring it in > Offsides.
Cleared all, the way down.

Hershey shot after the period ends and Comets take offense.

End of period 2
2-1 Comets

SOG:
8-6 Utica
2-period total:
15-13 Hershey

9 of Hershey's 15 shots have come from the slot below the hashmarks. This is nuts. Teams are supposed to defend this area above all others.

Period 3
I would expect an upturn in Hershey's play. If the Comets try and hold on to this lead, I fear it will not go well.

Csey flies down the right bosards off the draw and Malone gets a pass diredctly in the low slot and shoots W-I-D-E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a setup by Seamus! This kid is tape to tape on almost any attempted pass he =makes

I swear the Comets should go back to the days where a coach tries a torturous method to get his guys to hit the net - a wind sprint for every missed net! The Comets would be resurfacing the ice with their tongues!

Faceoff in the Hershey end. It comes out to casey who strats down the left bwing and then just let's a wrister og athat legsare tips anfdf it's ___________________IN!
L E G A R E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! G_O_A_L
3-1 Comets

Legare
5:13
3-1

Now the Comets are on the PP.
Riley Sutter
Cross-checking

Can they please finally score a PP goal?????????????

Halonen shoots wide and all the way down the ice.
Back in and point wrist shot is held onto.
Halonen 1-timer off the hand of a Bear and off the ice he goes.
Casey shot from the slot stopped.
PP over

Hershey the other way and Poulter stands tall again.

TV TO
11:58 to go

Get it out and get it deep .First rule.

Parent to Halonen on the rush and Halonen has his stick lifted.

Casey sets up White. Stopped.
Laberge a breakaway and just as he was shooting his stick was lifted from behind and he went sprawling.

TV TO
5:50 to go.

Please don't reveal that Parent has put them into the defensive shell that they are so awful at.
So far so good.

NO! They are doing it!!! Stop, and play the puck and the puck carrier. QUIT SINKING!

TV TO
3:37 to go

Parent just misses on a rebound off a long shot.

There goes Shepard.

2 Poulter saves.

Now the dumbestb thing they can do. Delloo mgets 2 for a trip.

Dello
Tripping
17:28

Hershey Time Out.

Come onn guys yiou worked too hard for this Don't blow it in the last 2 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Schmlezer wins the draw. Osipov from deep, angles it off the boards out to center ice. Schmelzer batlles a Bear for the puck and it kicks up into the air. Ryan knocks it down and crosses into the Hershey zone and holding the Bear off backhands it into the open net.

The team should be reciting "Oh, Captain. My Captain!"

Ryan Schmelzer
17:37
Short handed goal
4-1 Comets. Hershey still on the PP.

1:48 to go.

Hand pass by McLaughlin on trhe face poff That's a penalty.

6 on 3
They score almost immediately.
Chase Priskie Scores
18:15 PPG
4-2

This game is not over!!!!!!!!!!!!

4-2 and the Bears are still still on the PP. 6 on 4

They will be up at least a man for the rest of this game.

Poulter a great save and he dives out onn top of it.

:59 seconds to go.

They are setting up with 2 guys at the net front and shooting across the crease from the goaline.

Tipped out.

Deflected out again.

Cleared out to center.

Back in and Poulter holds on. Another wide shot and Poulter dives out on trhe centering pass. Not seen very often but it prevented a point balnk shot. Kid has smarts!

:12 seconds to go still 6 on 4.

Comets win the draw and send it the length of the ice and the clock runs out.

What a mess the end of that game was.

C________________O_________________E______________T____________________S

WWWWWW--------IIIIIIIIIIIII--------------NNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!


Final score:
Utica Comets 4 Hershey Bears 2

SOG:
HER - 9 5 6 = 21
UTC - 5 8 12 = 25

PPs
HER 1/3
UTC 0/4 (were 0/5 last night so are at least 0 for their last 9)

Scoring:
Legare (13) from Bowers (13)
Parent (13) from McLaughlin (12) and White (16)
Legare (14) from Casey (15) and White (17)
Schmelzer (16) unassisted SH (NG 6 on 4)

Poulter 19/21 (not a great number of shots but most were from very close range and he was super)

3 *s
#3 - Xavier Parent (Utica Comets) 1G
#2 - Seamus Casey (Utica Comets) 1A
#1 - Nathan Legare (Utica Comets) 2G

Next up:
3/31/25
Utica Comets @ Hershey Bears 5:15 pm

 

[Mgd31]

Back to back wins for Utica against Hershey. Impressive

 

[Bad Goalie]

3/30/25
Utica Comets @ Hershey Bears

Forwards:
(39) Hardman (26) Schmelzer (20) Willman
(79) Laberge (13) Malone (37) Wendt
(67) Parent (28) McLaughlin (24) Halonen
(5) Gambardella (14) Gruden (11) Legare

D-pairs:
(8) Hatakka (44) Osipov
(83) Vilen (7) Strand
(73) Edwards (3) Dello

Goal - (50) Daws

Comets to the PP.
Cruikshank
Slashing
3:10

Parent backhands it to the net front and Schmelzer puts it home.
G_____________________O______________________A_____________________L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Schmelzer
3:21
1-0 Comets
PPG

Comets bring it back in and it turns into a 2 on 1

13 seconds later Hartmasn drives in and fires from the left dot and ......................
S_________________C_______________O_________________R______________E___________S
Hardman
3:35
2-0 Comets

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comets going back to the PP!

Bogdan Trineyev
Roughing
6:44

That PP comes up empty.

Perrott dropped his gloves and went after Gruden. Gruden skated away and Perrott gets a penalty for Roughing.

Perrott
Roughing
5:12

This game is going to be a wild one and Hershey will not lay down. You can count on that. The building is full and it was Hershey Bears Hall of Fame Induction night before the game.

SH Trineyev gets in on Daws and shoots through a screen. Daws kicks it out.

PP comes up empty again.

Comets' 2 goals have come out of their total of 3 shots on net to this point.

Legare crosses in front of the net and his attempt is deflected to the corner. Out to the point and Strand shoots. The rebound is there and Hardman shoots it home.
G_______________________O________________________A_________________________L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hardman
10:04
3-0 Utica

DON"T GET COCKY! There's 50 minutes of hockey to go!

Hershey point shot and it's in. Credited to Trineyev at the moment.

Trineyev
10:50
3-1 Comets
46 seconds after Hardman made it 3-0 the bears are on the board.

Less than 3 minutes later and the Bears strike again.

Henrik Rybinski
13:02
3-2 Comets
I told you they'd come back. They are too good to get hoodwinked 2 games in a row in less than 24 hours.

Bears have put the next 7 shots on Daws. They are really pressing to tie this one up. Comets not good in their own end. The best 2 D-men at clearing their zone are Casey and White. They were both given the night off. Like with the amount of games the Comets have left they need it. Have to rest up for the final days before going home for the Summer. LOL.

This game has become all Hershey.

Edwards sends a long stretch pass that goes through Schmelzer and a Bear. A Bear D-man gathers it in the high slot, but bobbles it off his stick and right to
Halonen crossing in front of him and he shoots it over Stevenson's glove into the top corner.
G)________________________O__________________A____________________________L!!!!!!!!!!!
Halonen
18:49
4-2 Comets

1st adventure comes to an end (Period 1).
4-2 Comets

SOG:
13-9 Hershey
Comets 4 goals on 9 shots. No team can keep that shot % up.

Period 2
The Bears have replaced Clay Stevenson in goal. Apparently Coach Todd Nelson agrees that 4 goals on 9 shots is not so good. Hunter Shepard who lost last night's game is back between the pipes.

Early on and the Comets go back on the PP.

Henrik Rybinski
Slashing
1:44

Willman hits the POST!

Now Strome and Halonen get into it.
Both are gone.

Matt Strome
Roughing
and
Brian Halonen
Roughing
3:25


:20 left on the 1st penalty
It's over.
5 on 5

Parent and Legare get in 2 on 1 and Parent passes to Legare who let it go in one motion.
G______________________O____________________________A_____________________L!!!!!!!!
Legare
5:21
5-2 Utica

Halonen goes to the bin.
Halonen
Delay of Game
6:44

Comets not happy with 1 penalty.
Strand
8:00
Hooking
No choice the guy had an open net with Daws down on the ice.
Comets down 5-3 for :44 seconds

Bears score on the 2-man advantage.

Pierrick Dube
8:14
5-3 Utica
PPG

Daws knocked down behind the net.

Vecchionne
Goaltender interference
9:58

Comets let another free chance go by as the PP ends.

Vilen shoots pucks into the defender in front of him game after game instead of walking the line to gain an angle, lane, or free dump attempt. He refuses to believe he can't shoot the puck through the guy.

Hershey is doing all they can to bait Comets with their chippy play and after whistle shenannigans.

Gamby a shot and Legare the rebound. Back to back shots and Shepard got them both.

Lots of tussles and lots of guys on the ice.
Spencer Smallman
Chase Priskie
and
Mike Hardman
Jonathan Grudmen
All get 2 for roughing

5 on 5

Icing on the Comets. Felons released from the penalty box. First Utica's and after they leave the area Hershey's are released.

Hershey cuts the lead to 1 yet again. A Comets failed clear turns into a Strome 1-timer.

Matt Strome
15:51
5-4 Utica

Comets are dragging ass. 3 in 3 will eventually take it's toll.

Dumb toughness proof by Parent. He was checked and got an extra hit. He took the bait and hit the guy in the face with a two hander. The guy went down holding his face like it was broken. No embellishment call. Still, X is lucky he didn't get the gate.

Parent
Roughing
19:28
Hershey to the PP

Period 2 ends
5-4 Utica

SOG:
9-6 Hershey
2-period total
22-15 Hershey

Period 3
Here we go with the final period of a real donnybrook.

Hershey on the PP for the first 1:28.
Comets clear.
Hershey icing.
Comets clear.
Willman and Legare 2 on 1 and Willman is stopped with a shoulder save on a high shot glove side.
Penaly is killed.

Now Vecchione is called and the Comets back to another PP.

Mike Vecchione
Tripping
2:09

Hershey clears.
Comets flub a pass back to the point and have to check up.
Flub it again at the blueline.
Check up.
1 minute left and they haven't been in the O-zone.
Finally get set up.
Vilen to Legare and he breaks his stick on a 1-timer attempt .
Parent stiffed in front.
Malone all alone in front and shoots it high and wide.
PP over

Comets wire it in and go after it. Battle on the end boards. The puck squirts out into the low slot and Laberge shoots.......................................................................and.......
S_______________C__________O________________R____________E________________S!!!!!!!!!
Laberge
10:29
6-4 Comets
Edwards assisted on the goal. His 1st professional point in his 2nd game. Congrats Ethan.

Edwards dumped a Bear charging the net front. He didn't shy away from that collision.

Daws a big stop.

Another from the bottom of the circle.

Every Bear who can does something after every whistle. So far the Comets pull back, skate away, turn the other cheek. They are having none of the Bear's bait.

11:57 left with a 2-goal lead.

A fan yelled, "No! It was acloe to icing call and all the players stopped. It was icing. You could hear the yell on the braodcast.

Comets are hawking the puck and attacking the puck if a Bear has it. They are trying to take away any chances from the Bears. Getting it out of their end and then deep into the other end. No looking around and trying to see what might be there. Nope. Play it smart. Just get it out and get it deep.

WOW! Amazing how well that works vs sinking and standing in a 5-man bunch like they have done in most games with a lead. This is how to hold a lead.

Puck is in the Comets end and Hardman chips it out high in the air along the left wing boards. Schmelzer (fleet footed Ryan) shoots past a Bear at their blueline and goes in alone on Shepard and he slides the puck.....................................
PAST SHEPARD!
G________________O______________________A______________________________L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Schmelzer
9:01
7-4 Utica.

I expect Hershey to abandon D and go all out offensively for the last 10 minutes.

Comets continue to play the same hard game I described earlier. It is working minute by minute. Down to 6:25 now. Building is thinning out.

Halonen stopped on a breakaway.

Perrott finally gets his fight.
Halonen and Perrott at center ice.
Perrott landed more punches but Halonen body slammed him to end it.

Both men get 5 for fighting.
TV TO
4:08 to go.

This is around the time the refs in Utica last night came up with the idea that the 2-time defending Calder Cup champs should not lose to an AHL bottom feeder. They had the Comets down as many as 2 at at a time with no goalie they scored 1 goal in a 6 on 3 situation that's a rae sight to see.
Even though the Comets were sghort handed the rest of the way, the Bears did not score another and lost it 4-2.

2:21 to go

Edwards in alone and shoots it off the glass.

Edwards cross-checked in the back of the head. No call.

There's the 1 minute call. Laberge, Wendt, and Malone out to play the last minute.

It's over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comets have defeated the 2 time defending AHL Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears in back to backs in a grueling city to city bus trip after the Saturday night game for a 5pm Sunday game. It was also Utica's 3rd in 3 nights with the 1st and 3rd on the road.

This was the Comets Calder Cup series for this year. It was a testament to themselves that they could play good hockey against a really good hockey team.

It's really too bad we couldn't have seen more of that, but the kind of game they playued the last 2 nights would have been imp[ossible for a full season, but maybe good enough to make the playoffs and not start out 0-13. There is no one to blame for their season but the guys who look back at them in the mirrors.
(That and the NJ management group that failed to construct a decent competetive team in the 1st place..

 

[Bad Goalie]

I'll clean this up later and do a recap. The lineup needs to be filled in as well.

3/30/25 - Recap
Utica Comets @ Hershey Bears

Final Score -
Utica Comets 7 Hershey Bears 4

SOG:
UTC - 9 6 9 = 24
HER - 13 9 7 = 29

PPs
UTC - 1/5
HER - 1/3

Scoring:
Schmelzer (17) from Parent (16) and Strand (14) PPG
Hardman (16) from Willman (15) and Schmelzer (16)
Hardman (17) from Strand (15) and Legare (7)
Halonen (23) Unassisted
Legare (15) from Parent (17)
Laberge (3) from McLaughlin and Edwards (1)
Schmelzer (18) from Hardman (14)

Daws 25/29

3 *s
#3 - Nathan Legare 1G/1A
#2 - Ryan Schmelzer (Utica Comets) 2G/1A
#1 - Mike Hardman (Utica Comets) 2G/1A

Current record:
26-30-5-2
9 games remaining
They'd have to go 7-2 in order to reach a .500 season 33/32 -5-2.
or
6-2-1 would give them 32-32-6-2 or 32-32-5-3

Nex up for the Comets
Wednesday 4/2/25 at Toronto Marlies 10:45am.