COMETS FALL SATURDAY IN SYRACUSE
Dec 10, 2022Syracuse, N.Y. — Coming off two victories in a row for the first time this season, the Comets stepped on the ice in Syracuse looking to extend their season’s best win streak against their I-90 rival, the Crunch. However, despite scoring the first goal of the contest, they couldn’t hold on and were defeated by their division rival, 5-1.
In the opening period, the Comets struck first, and it was Nolan Stevens scoring from Joe Gambardella and Graeme Clarke at 4:25. It was Stevens’ fifth of the season and fourth goal in as many games. Gambardella and Clarke extend point streaks to three games because of their assists on the goal. Later, the Crunch struck back when Shawn Element redirected a pass-through Utica goalie Nico Daws and into the net at 7:19 tying the game at 1-1. Syracuse extended their lead after a goal from Cole Koepke who scored at 12:19 making it 2-1 which is how the game would end after twenty minutes of regulation.
As the second period began, the Comets had several great chances, but it was the Crunch who scored at 5:23 after a point shot by Darren Raddysh clicked off the post and into the net giving Syracuse a 3-1 lead. Later, after Comets goalie Daws tried to help his defense behind the net, the Crunch got a good bounce and Felix Robert deposited the puck into the net at 11:55 to put his team up 4-1 which was the score after 40 minutes of play.
In the final period of regulation, with the netminder pulled, the Comets tried in vain to pull Nico Daws for an extra attacker but it was Gage Concalves who struck at 16:38 to give Syracuse a 5-1 lead. The period ended with the Comets dropping their eighth contest in regulation this season giving them a record of 8-8-3-1 in 20 games played. The Comets managed 29 shots on goal while the Crunch took 27 during the game. Both teams went scoreless on three power-play opportunities.
The Comets will play again on Wednesday night inside the Adirondack Bank Center at 7:00 PM against the Laval Rocket. Tickets are still available for the game.