The Utica Comets (AHL) are off to a terrific start. Thanks to two more wins this past weekend, each by a one-goal margin, the Comets sit at 6-2 on the season. Based on points percentage, they are one of the best teams in the AHL early on.
For last week’s summary of events, please click here.
Results
Utica 4, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3, Oct. 30
Utica carried three unanswered goals between the second and third periods to a 4-3 victory on Wednesday. The Penguins actually jumped out to a 1-0 lead just a couple of minutes into the game, but Lenni Hämeenaho responded quickly. Wilkes-Barre did score one more to end the opening frame.
The Penguins got one more goal to begin the second, but it was all Utica the rest of the way. Ryan Schmelzer and Shane Lachance scored back-to-back goals just eight seconds apart. Teams were scoreless the rest of the way outside an empty-net goal by Dmitry Osipov.
Overall, Utica outshot the Penguins 24-23. The Comets’ power play went 0-for-5 and extended their scoreless streak to a mind-boggling 22 attempts. David Rittich stopped 20 of 23 in the victory. Schmelzer was the lone Comet with two points.
Utica 3, Hamilton 2 (SO), Nov. 1
The Comets took a page out of the big club on Sunday. Despite outshooting Hamilton 37-11, and 36-8 at one point in the third period, the game went to a shootout. Hamilton had only seven shots through two periods.
Like Wednesday, Utica actually got down 1-0 thanks to a first-period goal. Colin White tied things up in the second and Ben Steeves scored his third of the season in the third to give Utica a lead. Steeves’ goal was a power-play tally which finally ended Utica’s miserable scoreless streak on the power play. Xavier Parent picked up assists on each of Utica’s regulation goals.
Hamilton did score with just over three minutes left to tie things up and force overtime/shootout. In the shootout, Lenni Hämeenaho, Steeves, and Topias Vilen scored giving the Comets a much-deserved second point.
Jakub Málek only needed to make nine saves in victory. Both White and Parent had multi-point games. Stefan Noesen also picked up an assist.
Statistics Update
The captain, Ryan Schmelzer, picked up two points in the Wilkes-Barre game on Wednesday. Schmelzer already has five points in eight games. After only posting 27 points in 66 games last season, it is nice to see the 33-year-old start out strong. The 27 points he had last season were the lowest output as a Comet.
Lenni Hämeenaho picked up another goal against Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. He leads the Comets with seven points (four goals) in eight games. According to AHL Tracker, among 164 skaters to play in an AHL game this season, Hämeenaho’s game score per game (GS/G) of 0.88 ranks 12th.
Standings Update
With two more wins, the Comets sit at 6-2-0-0 on the season. Despite playing the fewest games in the AHL this season, Utica’s 12 points still rank third in the North Division. Based on points percentage, they are first in the North and third in the league overall.
Upcoming Schedule
It is another two-game slate for the Comets this week. On Friday, they face the Syracuse Crunch (5-4-1-0) then the next day, on Saturday, they play Rochester (5-4-0-1). Each game is in Utica.