It was the best week of the season for the Utica Comets (AHL). The Comets won two games in a row, snapping an eight-game losing streak, before picking up a point in their last game of the week via an overtime loss. They were able to pick up five of a possible six points in their most efficient week of the season.
There was another notable transaction this past week. With Angus Crookshank being called up to New Jersey, Utica made the move to recall forward Dylan Wendt from Adirondack (ECHL). Wendt has had a superb start to the season for the Thunder, with 13 points in 16 games. He made his season debut with Utica on Saturday.
For last week’s review, click here.
Weekly Results
Comets 4, Americans 3 (OT); Dec. 3
The Comets’ first win of the week featured one of the crazier second periods you’ll see. The first and third periods were scoreless, while all the scoring in regulation happened in the second frame.
The Comets jumped out to a 3-0 lead with three goals in the first 5:44 of the second period. Brian Halonen, Nathan Légaré, and Ryan Schmelzer each scored. Each of the goals were at even strength and Seamus Casey picked up an assist on two of them.
Unfortunately, for the Comets, Rochester responded right back and scored three goals of their own in a period of roughly seven minutes to tie the game right back up. The Americans got two of those goals on the power play and two of them came from Isak Rosén.
The rest of the game was scoreless and it took an overtime tally by Xavier Parent to give the Comets an extra point and snap their long eight game losing streak. Casey tallied his third point of the game on the Parent overtime goal. Nico Daws got the win in net, stopping 24-of-27.
Comets 5, Islanders 1; Dec. 5
Scoreboard-wise, it was one of the best performances for the Comets Friday night against the Bridgeport Islanders. Utica jumped out to an early lead then cruised to a second straight victory on the back of their recently recalled goaltender, Jakub Málek.
Lenni Hämeeaho, Cam Squires, and Ethan Edwards got the Comets out to a 3-0 lead in the first period. Squires, who was recalled from the ECHL about a month ago, also had an assist in the period, giving him a two-point opening frame.
After Kyle Criscuolo scored a shorthanded goal early in period two, the Islanders got their only tally of the game later in the second. For good measure, Mike Hardman scored early in period three to spell the end of the scoring in the game, giving the Comets a decisive 5-1 victory.
Málek was easily Utica’s player of the game. He stopped 30-of-31 in his first career AHL victory. Utica was a perfect 2-for-2 on the penalty kill and scored a shorthanded goal to boot. Squires and Hardman were the two Comets with multiple points.
Phantoms 3, Comets 2 (OT); Dec. 6
Although the Comets were unable to sweep the week, they were able to fight back late and pick up a point in Saturday’s final game of the week. In Allentown, Pennsylvania the Comets fell behind early allowing two first period goals.
It took until the third period for another goal to be scored, luckily, each came for the Comets. Early in the final frame, Dmitri Osipov threw a puck on net from the point and it somehow found its way past Phantoms’ goalie Carson Bjarnason. Then, Kyle Criscuolo scored his second goal in as many games, shorthanded, on a two-on-one with Lenni Hämeenaho. Those two goals sent the game to overtime tied at two.
It was the Phantoms who struck under a minute into the extra frame to ensure two points for Lehigh Valley. Nico Daws was in net, played well, and stopped 30-of-33. Utica was able to produce 35 shots of their own.
Statistic Update
To begin the season there was no larger disappointment than the production of three of the organization’s top-10 prospects in Lenni Hämeenaho, Shane Lachance, and Jakub Málek. Well, two of those three were instrumental in Utica victories this past week.
Hämeenaho has really turned it on as he has six points (four goals) in his last 10 games. Through his first nine games he was held scoreless. Meanwhile, Málek was playing so poorly to begin the season he was demoted to the ECHL. After two strong games there, he came back to Utica with a bang, dragging them to victory on Friday.
One of the issues with the AHL is the limited analytics available to the public. Even the best eye test carries you so far, however, when basing you analysis off players solely off the eye test two defensemen who has not passed it all year long are Austin Strand and Dimitri Osipov. Strand has skated in 19 games for the Comets while Osipov has played in 14. Despite Osipov scoring a goal on Saturday, from strictly watching the games, neither have looked comfortable and are usually on the negative side of things.
Standings Update
Despite picking up five of a possible six points and improving their record to 4-12-3-1, the Comets’ 12 points are still 10 back of the fifth and final playoff spot in the North Division (Toronto Marlies; 22 points). Utica also still ranks dead last in the league, now trailing the Iowa Wild by only one point.
With that being said, Utica does rank near the bottom of the league in games played (20), which may help them down the road as they make up the games in hand on teams above then.
Upcoming Schedule
Another three-game week is on the horizon for the Comets. They play the same Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday slate they did this previous week, though, all games are at home in Utica at the Adirondack Bank Center.
They have the Syracuse Crunch on Wednesday before a back-to-back against the Hartford Wolf Pack and Springfield Thunderbirds on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Syracuse sits third in the North Division while the Wolf Pack and Thunderbirds sit sixth and ninth, respectively, in the Atlantic Division.