COMETS DOMINATE START TO FINISH, FORCE GAME 5
May 17, 2022UTICA, NY— It was full desperation mode for the Utica Comets, who trailed in the best of five game series two games to one against the Rochester Americans, on Tuesday night in Rochester. With the season on the brink, the Comets didn’t disappoint and won the contest 4-2 sending the game back for a deciding game five in Utica on Thursday night. Get your tickets for the contest by visiting uticacomets.com/playoffs or by visiting the box office at the Adirondack Bank Center to cheer on the team.
In the opening period, Comets goaltender saw his fair share of pucks turning one aside after another. The Comets remained composed and pushed forward with chances of their own. They broke the ice with the first tally of the game, and it came as a result of a phenomenal puck battle win by Tyce Thompson who sent the puck to Brian Flynn. As it was handled by Flynn, he put it immediately on the stick of an open Nolan Foote who swept the puck through Rochester netminder Aaron Dell at 6:53 to give Utica a 1-0 lead through twenty minutes of play.
The middle frame saw the Comets continue to add to their lead and it started with AJ Greer registering a goal on a two-one-one rush. He cut to the middle of the ice and changed the shooting angle while wristing a shot that beat Dell low glove side at 8:46. It was Greer’s fifth goal of the season that was assisted by Fabian Zetterlund and Shakir Mukhamadullin. Greer wasn’t finished scoring and he got his second of the game after goal mouth scramble at 16:50. After a Chase DeLeo shot was stopped by Dell, the rebound laid in the blue paint and Greer tucked in under the pad of Dell and into the cage. Zetterlund and along with DeLeo registered assists on the tally which gave Utica a 3-0 lead. Less than two minutes later, the Comets were awarded a five-on-three powerplay and it was DeLeo who knifed a pass over the sprawling Dell as the penalty kill unit thought Alex Holt was going to take a shot. But, he didn’t and instead sent the puck right to the stick of DeLeo at 18:22 for his first of the playoffs. Zetterlund tallied his third assist of the game and the Comets skated away after 40 minutes with a 4-0 lead.
In the final period of regulation, the Amerks got onto the board when Arttu Ruotsalainen struck on a powerplay at 15:47. This cut the Comets lead to 4-1. Rochester scored once more and it was another powerplay goal. This time it was Mark Jankowski with just 50 seconds left in the contest. While that made the game 4-2 it wasn’t enough to deter the Comets who skated away with the victory and a trip to a deciding game five.
The deciding game five takes place Thursday at 7:00 PM inside the Adirondack Bank Center. For playoff ticket information, please visit uticacomets.com/playoffs.