BOUCHER’S HAT TRICK LEADS COMETS TO WILD WIN OVER PENGUINS
Apr 12, 2019Utica, N.Y. – The Utica Comets topped the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with an emphatic 8-1 victory in a physical, fight-filled game Friday night at the Adirondack Bank Center. Reid Boucher recorded a hat trick, while Lukas Jasek, Tom Pyatt, Kole Lind, Jonah Gadjovich, and Jaime Sifers all scored one goal apiece. Marek Mazanec made 24 saves for his second straight win.
Gadjovich started the scoring early when he shoveled a backhand shot past Penguins netminder John Muse three minutes into the game. Wacey Hamilton and Lukas Jasek picked up the assists.
A wild second period saw seven total goals and five fights as old time hockey returned to the Adirondack Bank Center.
Boucher doubled the Comets’ lead with a laser from the left circle 1:38 into the middle frame. Brendan Gaunce had the assist. Pyatt netted a power play goal three minutes later, punching in a loose puck in the crease. Zack MacEwen and Tanner Kero tallied the assists.
Boucher notched his second of the night and 30th of the season. at the 10:58 mark of the second, taking advantage of a Penguins turnover and deking out Muse. Burton got the Penguins on the board 48 seconds later. Boucher earned the hat trick with seven minutes to go in the second, banking a backhand off of Muse from behind the goal line. Kero and Pyatt collected the assists. Lukas Jasek and Kole Lind scored with a pair of wristers from the slot in a two-minute span to bring the score to 7-1 after 40 minutes.
The fisticuffs continued early as the sixth and seventh fighting majors of the game were handed out within the first minute of the period. Sifers kept the onslaught going with a wrister from the slot three minutes into the final frame. The game settled down from there and the Comets held on for the win
The Comets are back at it tomorrow night as they hit the road take on the Hershey Bears. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. The game can be heard on 94.9 KROCK and viewed on AHL TV.