The Utica Comets had another winning week. They were able to extend their point streak four games with two wins before dropping their final game of the week on Saturday. Utica is now 3-1-1 in 2026.
The Comets did receive a reinforcement this past week. Defenseman Dennis Cholowski was sent down by the New Jersey Devils on January 10. The veteran of 241 AHL games has yet to make his Comet debut. He played in six AHL games for Bridgeport last season.
For last week’s review, please click here.
Weekly Results
Comets 5, Springfield 1; Jan. 7
It was a blowout victory for the Comets in their first victory. Behind a monster second period, Utica jumped out to a 5-0 lead and cruised to a 5-1 victory over Springfield. It was arguably Utica’s best performance of the season.
Lenni Hämeenaho stayed red hot. He scored the game’s first two goals, one of which came in the first period. Angus Crookshank assisted on each. Jackson van de Leest, who was recalled to Utica not too long ago, scored his first career AHL goal. Crookshank then added his third point of the game, scoring the second period’s final goal and extending the Utica lead to 4-0.
The Comets scored their final goal early in period three, as Brian Halonen netted his seventh of the season. Springfield broke up the shutout, on the power play, with about seven minutes left. Utica dominated the game, outshooting Springfield 31-14. Nico Daws only needed to make 13 saves in the lopsided victory.
Both Hämeenaho (two goals, one assist) and Crookshank (one goal, two assists) had three point nights. Topias Vilén added two assists.
Comets 3, Crunch 0; Jan. 9
Utica followed up their massive 5-1 victory with a shutout against the Syracuse Crunch on Friday. Utica defeated the North Division’s second-ranked team 3-0.
The game’s scoring came in the second and third periods. Xavier Parent netted his seventh of the season just 35 seconds into the second period. In the third, Brian Halonen and Angus Crookshank put the game away. Halonen’s tally came on the power play and saw assists from Lenni Hämeenaho and Seamus Casey.
Jakub Málek played well, posting his first career AHL shutout, making 15 saves. As was the case in Wednesday’s game, Utica played tremendous defensively allowing only the aforementioned 15 shots. Halonen was the lone Comet to pick up multiple points (one goal, one assist).
Islanders 4, Comets 2; Jan. 10
The good times finally came to an end on Saturday. After picking up points in each of their first four games to begin 2026, Utica fell to Bridgeport on Saturday, 4-2.
The teams alternated goals in the first period. Bridgeport scored twice with a Kyle Criscuolo goal sandwiched in between. Lenni Hämeenaho extend his active point streak to five with an assist on the Criscuolo goal.
Bridgeport grabbed the game’s first two goal lead with an early period two tally. Utica was able to respond and bring the deficit back down to one halfway through the period. Shane Lachane scored his fifth of the season. Unfortunately, that was the last time that the Comets scored as Bridgeport added an empty-netter to ice the game at 4-2.
Bridgeport outshot the Comets 35-30 in the game. Nico Daws was on the losing end of things, stopping 31-of-34. Utica went 0-for-3 on their power play and allowed the Islanders to score a power play goal of their own.
Statistics Update
What else can be said about the absurd offensive streak 2023 second-round pick Lenni Hämeenaho has been on? The 21-year-old has an active five-game point streak where he has seven points. Over his last 15 games, he has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists). Hämeenaho has broken out in a big way this season.
Forward Angus Crookshank, who had a eight-game run with the Devils earlier this season, has put together a nice little stretch. Over his last five games, he has six points, including his three-point outburst in the Comets’ 5-1 victory on Wednesday.
Lastly, as a team, the Comets held Springfield and Syracuse to a combined 29 shots across two games on Wednesday and Friday. As a result, their are now 12th in the league in shot differential. The 26.42 shots per game they are allowing are the sixth-fewest in the AHL.
Standings Update
After adding two more wins this past week, the Comets now sit at 10-17-4-2 on the season. Their 26 points trail the Cleveland Monsters by 13 for the final playoff spot in the North Division. Utica remains second-to-last in the league in points as well, but sit 30th in points percentage.
Upcoming Schedule
It is a rare three games in three days set for the Comets this weekend. The Comets begin with an away game Friday against the Syracuse Crunch, home on Saturday against the Rochester Americans, and away again on Sunday in Belleville. The Americans and Crunch sit No. 2 and 3, respectively, in the North Division. Meanwhile, Utica is 10 points back of Belleville but with six fewer games played.
Note, the “Upcoming Schedule” section was published incorrectly originally and was revised on January 15.