The Utica Comets had a potentially season-ending stretch of hockey this past week, as they lost all three games they played. With the losses, Utica is now 14 points back of a playoff spot. With only 15 games left, any chance as a playoff berth seems extremely slim.
For last week’s review, click here.
Weekly Results
Crunch 2, Comets 1; Mar. 12
Utica began their week with a pivotal matchup with one of the teams they are directly chasing in the standings. Both goaltenders played very strong, as there were only three goals scored in the contest.
Syracuse scored the first goal in the game via the power play halfway through period two. Utica responded late in period three with what seemed like the goal that would push the game to overtime. Max Willman got his sixth of the season, assisted by Nolan Foote (21). However, Syracuse struck just under three minutes later, ultimately clinching the game for the Crunch, 2-1.
Nico Daws did enough to give his team a chance to win as he stopped 22-of-24. The Comets actually outshot the Crunch 29-24. One of the key factors were special teams as Syracuse went 1-for-1 on the power play and Utica went 0-for-1 on the theirs.
Rocket 4, Comets 1; Mar. 14
In the first game of a back-to-back against the league’s best team, the Comets fell behind big early and couldn’t catch up. The Laval Rockets scored the game’s first three goals, with the last being a power play tally a little more than halfway through the second frame.
Utica responded back with a late power play of their own, as Brian Halonen extended his team-goal lead to 21 to make the game 3-1 right before period two ended. The Rockets ended any hopes of a comeback attempt by pushing the lead to 4-1 with an empty net tally in the third period.
Again, despite being on the losing end, Utica outshot their opponent (25-20). Isaac Poulter got the start, but only saved 16-of-19. The Utica penalty kill once again struggled, as the unit allowed two power play goals on four minor penalties.
Rocket 3, Comets 2; Mar. 15
With one last chance to salvage the week, in a second-straight game against the AHL’s top team, the Comets lost again. Like has been the theme all week, the Comets got down early, as Laval jumped out to a 2-0 lead. The Comets were feistier than they had been in the previous matches, as they stormed back with two goals 1:01 apart in the second period. Mike Hardman (14) and Shane Bowers (3) scored back-to-back tallies.
On Bowers’ goal, newest Comet Tory Dello got his first point with Utica. Dello was acquired from Detroit for future considerations. The 28-year-old right-handed defenseman was an undrafted free agent out of the University of Notre Dame. He signed with the Grand Rapid Griffins where he played 20 games before moving to Laval and Chicago and then ending back up within the Red Wings’ organization. The 6-foot, 194 pound Illinois native has 216 career AHL games under his belt (53 points, plus-39 rating).
Unfortunately, for the Comets, Laval scored the game-winning goal with under seven minutes left in the game. The 3-2 decision culminated in the Comets’ third loss of the week. Interestingly enough, in each of the three games, Utica outshot their opponent, as, on Saturday, Utica outshot Laval 33-19.
Daws got his second start of the week and allowed three goals on 19 shots. Utica allowed yet another power play goal in the game, as Laval went 1-for-3 with the man advantage.
Statistic Update
The Utica penalty kill had a miserable week. The opposition scored on half of their power play opportunities going 4-for-8. On the season, the Comets now own a penalty kill efficient rate of 77.2% which ranks fifth-worst in the league and third-worst in the Eastern Conference.
Individually, Brian Halonen has been an interesting case study. The 26-year-old has pierced the 20-goal plateau in back-to-back seasons as his 21 goals is three higher than Nolan Foote’s second-place total this season.
Halonen’s career AHL goal-scoring pace is 32 per a 82-game season. However, we have yet to see that translate to the NHL level through four games. It would be interesting to see if he got an extended run at the big-league level if the innate goal-scoring ability would come out.
Standings Update
It was a very costly week for the Utica Comets. Utica now finds themselves back 14 points from fifth-place, and the final playoff spot in the North Division. Both Cleveland and Syracuse have 66 points which is tied for fourth/fifth place. Belleville trails each of those teams by two points. Then, the Comets have 52 points and a 23-28-4-2 record. All four teams have played either 57 or 58 games on the season.
Upcoming Schedule
The Comets have another three-game week on the docket. Things get underway Wednesday and Saturday with a quick home-and-home series with the Charlotte Checkers. The Checkers are fourth in the Atlantic Division. Utica finishes the week off on a second half of a back-to-back against North Division’s second-place team, the Americans, in Rochester.