After struggling the last few weeks, the AHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils won two-of-three including a back-to-back sweep of the third-best team in the AHL (Hershey Bears). After the three games in three days, the Utica Comets only have nine games left in their 2024-25 season.
The Comets did have one notable transaction during the past week. Michigan defenseman Ethan Edwards signed a contract with the team for the remainder of the season, as well as an entry-level contract with the Devils’ organization that begins next season. Edwards, a 2020 fourth-round pick, had 21 points in 36 collegiate games this season. He had 56 points in 130 career NCAA games.
For last week’s review, click here.
Weekly Results
Crunch 1, Comets 0; Mar. 28
Utica started the week with their third-straight loss as the Syracuse Crunch, who now sit 13 points ahead of the Comets for the final playoff race in the North Division, shutout Utica to begin the week. The game’s lone goal occurred with just over 20 seconds left in the second period; a power-play tally by Conor Geekie.
It was a deserved victory for the Crunch, as they held Utica to 0-for-5 on the power play and the Comets were only able to muster 20 shots. Nico Daws was in net for Utica, and played very well, stopping 29 of the 30 shots he faced in the loss.
Comets 4, Bears 2; Mar 29
The week did not look like it was going to get any easier as Utica traveled home from Syracuse to face off against one of the best teams in the AHL. However, on Saturday, the Comets put forth a great effort and snapped their three-game losing streak against the Bears.
Utica jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a first-period goal from Nathan Légaré (13) and Xavier Parent’s 13th of the season halfway through the second period. Hershey did finally answer back late in period two, but Utica responded with two more goals, including a shorthanded, empty-net tally to ice the game. Légaré got his second of the game, and 14th of the season, before the captain Ryan Schmelzer iced it with the previously mentioned 16th goal of the season.
Hershey did get one more goal, on the power play, with just over 1:30 left in the game. The final horn sounded and Utica notched the 4-2 victory. Légaré was the only Comet with multiple points (two goals), while seven other Comets had at least a point. Isaac Poulter got the win, only needing to make 19 saves on 21 shots. Despite the victory, the Comets went 0-for-4 on the power play, extending their power play success rate to 0-for-9 through the first two games of the week.
Comets 7, Bears 4; Mar 30
The Comets punctuated a winning week with an offensive explosion, defeating the Bears just a day after their 4-2 victory on Saturday. Utica dropped seven goals en route to a 7-4 victory on Sunday.
There were six goals in the opening frame, the Comets scored four of them. Ryan Schmelzer, Mike Hardman, and Brian Halonen were the goal scorers. Hardman scored two, while Schmelzer also picked up an assist for a two-point period. Austin Strand assisted on two of the first-period goals, also netting himself a two-point opening frame. The score after one read 4-2 in favor of the Comets.
Early into period two, Légaré got his 15th of the season, and his second point of the game. This pushed the Comets’ lead to 5-2, however, the Bears scored two goals before the second period ended to make it 5-4 entering the final frame. In that final frame, Utica was the only team that scored, as Samuel Laberge and Schmelzer each scored. Edwards notched his first career professional point, as he assisted on Laberge’s tally.
Despite the massive 7-4 final scoreline, Utica only had 24 shots on goal. Five different Comets had multiple points, led by Hardman and Schmelzer who each had three. Légaré, Strand, and Parent each had two points. Nico Daws stopped 25-of-29 in victory.
Statistic Update
Both the captain, Ryan Schmelzer, and Nathan Légaré had massive weeks. Schmelzer had four points last week, punctuated by the three-point capping in Hershey. Prior to March 23, Schmelzer went seven straight without totaling a point. He now has five points over his last four games. On the season, Schmelzer has 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists), and, despite taking a step back from his career-year in 2023-24 (52 points in 72 games), he is on pace for the second-highest point output of his AHL career.
Légaré has really come on as the season went on. Since February 15, Légaré has posted 10 goals and five assists across 19 games. Over the last week, Légaré posted four points and now has 10 over his last 12 games. On the season, he now has 22 points (15 goals) across 60 games, a career-high in both goals and points. To top it off, he has 100 penalty minutes so far this season.
As mentioned, the Comets had a brutal time on the power play this past week. After a 1-for-5 performance in their 7-4 victory, the Comets’ power play moved to 1-for-14 on the week. Utica’s power play now sits 20th in the AHL, after being toward the top of the league earlier in the season.
Standings Update
The Comets have yet to be officially eliminated from playoff contention, but a berth before season’s end would be nothing short of a miracle. Utica’s 26-30-5-2 record is good for 59 points, the fifth-lowest in the AHL and still the last in the North Division. Utica trails the Syracuse Crunch by 13 points for the final playoff spot in the North Division with nine games left to play.
Upcoming Schedule
The Comets have three more games this upcoming week. It gets started with a morning puck drop in Toronto against the North Division’s third-place team the Marlies on Wednesday at 10:45 am ET. Utica then ends the week with two-straight home games. The Comets take on the Springfield Thunderbirds on Friday and Providence Bruins on Saturday. Springfield sits in fifth in the Atlantic Division and Providence is fourth in the Atlantic.