Welcome to our newest article series. Every Monday, we will be recapping the previous week of Utica Comets (AHL) action. The New Jersey Devils’ AHL affiliate has gotten off to a rough start this season, currently sitting with a 7-17-2-2 record, having fired their head coach earlier in the season.
Despite this, it is always good to keep tabs on how those in the team’s system is performing. Below is a recap for Comets games spanning December 31 through January 5.
Comets 4, Senators 3 OT; Dec. 31
In the first game of the week, the Comets defeated the team directly above them in the North Division standings. The victory snapped a three game losing streak.
The Comets jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead on goals by Nolan Foote (6) and Brian Halonen (11). Belleville responded by tying the game up with two-straight goals of their own. Tied 2-2, teams swapped goals once again, as Samuel Laberge (2) picked up the tally for the Comets, with Daniil Misyul (4) notching his second assist of the game.
With the game tied at three, Mike Hardman (9) scored the overtime winner. Xavier Parent (5) and Simon Nemec (5) picked up the assists.
In the game, the Comets were severely outshot, 42-23, and were able to emerge victorious despite going 0-for-4 on the power play. Isaac Poulter was by far the team’s best player in the game, stopping 39-of-42 in victory.
Phantoms 4, Comets 2; Jan. 3
In the Comets’ first game of the New Year, their dropped a two-goal decision to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The game started out promising for the Comets, hoping to build momentum from their New Year’s Eve victory, as Adam Beckman picked up his seventh goal of the season.
Things unraveled for the Comets in the second period, as the Phantom got back-to-back goals in quick succession (26 seconds apart). Fortunately, the Comets tied the game back up, before the period ended, as captain Ryan Schmelzer (4) beat Lehigh Valley’s goalie, Cal Petersen, to tie the game up at two at the end of the second period.
The Phantoms took the lead eight minutes into the third period, and did not look back. The last tally of the game came with 14 seconds left, an empty-net goal, spelling a 4-2 loss for Utica.
Unlike the game earlier in the week, the shots totals were pretty even, with the Comets outshooting Lehigh Valley 23-22. Poulter was once again in net for Utica, stopping 19 of the 22 shots he faced.
Senators 7, Comets 2; Jan. 4
After defeating the Belleville Senators on Tuesday, it was a much different outcome in the Comets last game of the week on Saturday. The Senators did jump out to an early lead in the first period, however, the scoreboard only read 2-0 after one. The second frame is when it got out of hand. The Senators scored four-straight goals to go up 6-0.
If it is any type of consolation, the Comets outscored Belleville 2-1 to end the second period and across the third period. Joe Gambardella, who has been limited to 12 games this season, got his second goal of the year, while also tallying an assist (2) on the game’s second goal, and Brian Halonen (12), who had a strong week, scored in period three.
Poulter was in net for the third-straight game and allowed four goals on 15 shots. Then, Jeremy Brodeur finished the game in relief, stopping 12-of-15. For such a hefty result on the scoreboard (7-2), shots were only 30-21 in favor of the Senators.
Statistic Update
After his two-goal performance this week, Brian Halonen extended his team-lead in goals to 12. The next highest total on the team is nine, which is the number Mike Hardman has. In total points, Adam Beckman still paces the team at 19, while Halonen is one point off at 18.
Poulter, who began the week terrifically, and two not so great games to end the week (0.873 save percentage overall), saw his save percentage drop to 0.881 on the year. This a season after posting a superb 0.911 mark in 2023-24.
Standings Update
After a 1-2 week, the Comets now sit at 7-17-2-2 on the season. Their 18 points is still dead-last in the North Division, as Belleville, the team directly ahead of them in the standings, has 33 points.
Utica does have more points than two other teams in the AHL (Manitoba Moose and Henderson Silver Knights), they are tied with the Bridgeport Islanders for 29th in the league.
Upcoming Schedule
This upcoming week, the Comets have three more games before our next weekly update. They play at home against the Syracuse Crunch on Wednesday, on the road in Rochester against the current top team in the North Division, the Americans, on Friday, and round out the week in Utica against the Toronto Marlies on Saturday.