COMETS POINT STREAK ENDS AGAINST PHANTOMS
Mar 12, 2023Allentown, PA. – In the final game of three straight contests for the Utica Comets, they stepped onto the ice inside the PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania to battle the Atlantic Division’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. With the Comets winning the previous two games and holding a seven-game point streak, they worked hard to keep the streak going against the top affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers. But, despite a hard-fought game, the Comets came up short in a 5-2 loss on the road.
After a scoreless first period, it was the Phantoms that scored the first goal of the game after the backhand shot by Tyson Foerster beat Comets goalie Jake Theut at 8:56. Just less than two minutes later, the Phantoms added to their lead after Elliot Desnoyers scored at 10:15 as he slipped the puck behind Theut on a Comets defensive zone turnover. As the Phantoms held a 2-0 lead, the period concluded with the Comets pouring on chances but being shut down by Nolan Maier, the Phantoms netminder.
In the third period, the Comets got onto the scoreboard during a power-play after Brian Pinho stepped inside the Phantoms zone and hammered a slapshot that went off the post and in on Maier. The goal was the ninth of the season for Pinho and it was assisted by Alex Holtz and Nolan Foote. This sliced the Comets deficit to 2-1. The Phantoms came right back to retrieve a two-goal advantage after Garret Wilson wrister from the slot struck for a goal at 14:01. This put the Comets down 3-1. But, it was rookie Simon Nemec who scored his third goal in as many games after he brought the Comets within a goal again. Driving the net with his stick on the ice, Nemec put the puck in to the cage at 17:15. As the Comets once again pulled their netminder looking for a goal, it was Lehigh that potted two empty net goals. First was Max Willman and the latter was Cooper Marody. The game ended with a 5-2 defeat and the Comets ending a seven game point streak.
The Comets next three games after tonight will also take place on the road when the team battles Belleville on Wednesday and Laval on Friday and Saturday to finish off the road trip before heading home on March 24th against the Syracuse Crunch at 7PM. Tickets are still available. Visit uticacomets.com for more information.