The Utica Comets | 2020-2021 Thread

[Fatass]

Agreed, he's probably the best part about PP2 -- I wonder if the team would consider moving him up to PP1 in place of Jasek.
PP1 is loaded with too many distributors as is and need a shooter other than Gadjovich's net-front tips. Which is legitimately their only PP1 scoring play right now.

PP2 has dynamic puck movement thanks to Rathbone but the shooters on PP2 are awful. Jasek would automatically be the best forward distributor on PP2. Which is something they need. Nolan Stevens, Curtis McKenzie and Hugh McGing are not good powerplay distributors, but Jasek is.



I have a favourable outlook on Jasek -- last season he struggled HARD with 5v5 matchups, but this season I think he's done pretty well. Unfortunately, like the Comets issues with their powerplay, he has no shooter on his line. McKenzie is a good puck retriever and battler, but Jasek and Baertschi are BOTH distributors without a finisher.

That's true for pretty much the entire Comets lineup. There's such a lack of shooters on the team it's crazy.

With Kole Lind up with the Canucks, the second highest goal scorer is *checks notes* JOHN STEVENS followed by a tie between Baertschi and VINNY ARSENEAU!




I wonder if they'd ever try converting him to a winger JUST for the powerplay. He has an absolute BOMB of a shot. Could do serious damage if put in the Boucher spot as a one-timer option.

I think Jasek is too light to fill a roll in the NHL. He’s either a scorer, or he’s back in Europe. He’s not a checker, or pest, or hard to play against in any way. I think he’s doing okay in Utica, but don’t see his game at the NHL level.

 

[THRILLHOIAF]

I think Jasek is too light to fill a roll in the NHL. He’s either a scorer, or he’s back in Europe. He’s not a checker, or pest, or hard to play against in any way. I think he’s doing okay in Utica, but don’t see his game at the NHL level.

I had a great laugh at Jasek mucking things up around the net last night with a beaming smile on his face. Would be very funny to see him take on an instigator role in the absence of Kole Lind

 

[clay]

Rathbone shows he has nice low shot from the point but didn't have much jump and got tracked down on the forecheck and forced out of any comfort zone and into some overly hasty plays. Scored but showed in is not NHL ready.

Is that a bit of an overstatement based on one game? By most accounts he has been dominant so far throughout the small sample.

 

[Bad Goalie]

4/14/2021
Syracuse Crunch @ Utica Comets

Forwards:
Baertschi/Jasek/McKenzie
Gadjovich/J. Stevens/Anas
N. Stevens/Focht/Lockwood
Cameron/Kaspick/McGing

D-Pairs:
Rathbone/Woo
Tucker/Reinke
Eliot/Wesley

Goal - Fitzpatrick

Scratches:
Teves
Jackson
Arseneau
Keppen
Kielly

Hofer (BU)

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets are battling and spending a lot of time in the Crunch end, but not maintaining possession and therefore the scoring chances are few and far between.

Defensively the Comets are gaining possession in their own zone and getting the puck up ice as quickly as possible.

4th game in 6 days. They should naturally start to show some fatigue at some point, but not yet. This is the same lineup for the Comets as last night.

 

[Bad Goalie]

The game is more physical than last night. perhaps the Crunch coaching is to hit to help tire a Comets team that doesn't have any depth. They are well away of such since they have played them 3 times in a row counting tonight.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Crunch score. Raddysh again.

Puck on the left wing boards. Raddysh comes in from the right side straight to the right side post and just taps in the pass upon arrival with nobody contesting his presence. Not mush chance for Fitz.

1-0 Crunch

 

[Bad Goalie]

Play is very choppy. Quick changes. Little concerted pressure by either side.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Baertschi got in on a nice move on the D-man and instead of taking the shot from the dot passed it to nobody.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Rathbone a shot after a pass from Woo. Nice stop by Martin.

Crunch started the backup tonight as well.

Rathbone walked down from the point and fired, but Martin stopped him again.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Clock stuck and both teams are leaving the ice. Clock read 17:30.

So we are taking a between periods time out, but the 2nd won't start until the 2:30 of the first are played.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Sounds like Kielly may be banged up. Jason Shaya and Gary Heenan were speculating last night if Hofer will start again tonight or if they will give Fitzpatrick his first start.

Hadn't heard that, but Hofer seems very capable of taking over.

It looked like Fitz was going to remain the #3 and serve as depth in house instead of an ECHL assignment until called up.

With Hofer playing the last 2 and tonight being a back to back Cull has given Fitz a chance.

He hasn't actually seen a lot of action. SOG with the 2:30 left in the first are 10-4 Utica, but the Crunch scored.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Here we go for the final 2:30 of the first period.

 

[Breakers]

Nice little rip from Stevens

Rathbone stays hot

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets gong to the PP. Scored 2 last night out of 9 chances.

Raddysh causing all kinds of trouble short handed in the Comets end.

First come to an end.

2nd will start right up with c.1:12 left on the PP.

Focht gets a shot in close and doesn't find the net.

Now Rathbone fires a onetimer from the center of the blueline and Nolan Stevens_____________
S-----------C-----------O--------R-------E--------S.

He pounds home the rebound and ties this mone up on the PP..

1-1

 

[Bad Goalie]

Cameron gets a penalty for tripping right after the faceoff.

The Comets kill it.

Out of the box Cameron gets the puck and gets it to J. Stevens and he doesn't shoot and the pass goes for nothing.


SHOOT THE F***ING PUCK. It's the 4th or 5th time in a row that a comet has had a clean scoring opportunity and didn't shoot and their pass resulted in nothing.

 

[Bad Goalie]

McKenzie broke out of the zone in a foot race. He won the race and was fouled trying to get to the net.

Comets to the PP again.

Focht a shot/stopped.

Rebound hit him

Ratbone a blast stopped.

Focht ikn front and his shot is stopped and held.

Good work from the #2 unit.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Katchouk and Raddysh immediately get a 2 on 1 against the 1st unit.

Fitz makes his best stop on Katchouk.

Comets get a 5 on 2 due to a terrible change.

Anas feeds Jasek and it's no chance for Martin.

G_______O________A_______L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2-1 Comets

PPG #2

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets going to the PP again. Too many Crunch on the ice.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Lots of good work and Martin has been good. Both units worked the puck and got good shots.

OH FOR A SNIPER!

 

[Bad Goalie]

Both Witkowski and Arseneau have been scratched again tonight. I have a feeling they both got banged up in their heavyweight bout on Saturday.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Crunch hit the post from the point off a faceoff.

 

[Bad Goalie]

McKenzie flattens Green with a big hit.

 

[Breakers]

30+ shots through 2 periods.

those are colorado'esque numbers

 

[Bad Goalie]

Foch a nice back check picking the pass on a 2 on 1 by the Crunch.

This play came right after he had a good scoring chance at the other end.