COMETS LOSE TO CRUNCH, GALAXY CUP SERIES EVENED
Feb 12, 2017Utica, NY – The Utica Comets fell to the Syracuse Crunch by a score of 3-2 on a snowy Sunday evening at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
The Crunch struck first as Adam Erne buried a rebound for his 11th goal of the year. Mathieu Brodeur and Slater Koekkoek were credited with the assists as the Crunch took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
Yanni Gourde extended the Crunch lead to 2-0 six minutes into the middle frame. The shorthanded goal was Gourde’s 18th of the year assisted by Cory Conacher. The Comets drew the first score from Borna Rendulic who tipped in a shot from Cody Kunyk on the power play for his fifth of the year at 10:12. Alexandre Grenier also tallied an assist on the goal. Joel Vermin restored the Crunch’s two-goal lead three minutes later. Matthew Peca registered the assist on Vermin’s 11th of the year as the Crunch held a 3-1 lead after two periods.
Andrey Pedan brought the Comets back to within one goal in the third period. His third of the year was an unassisted goal with six minutes left in regulation. Despite pulling Thatcher Demko at the end of the game, Kristers Gudlevskis shut the door to give the Crunch a win.
Gudlevskis finished the game with 38 saves and his record improves to 9-7-6. Thatcher Demko stopped 14 shots and his records falls to 9-10-4.
The Comets power play went 1-5, while the penalty kill did not surrender a goal in three attempts. The Comets outshot the Crunch 41-17. It was the most shots on goal for the Comets this year, as well as the least amount of shots against. The Comets also only surrendered one shot in the final period.
The Comets are back in action Wednesday night as they take on the Toronto Marlies. Puck drops at the Utica Memorial Auditorium at 7 p.m. Fans are encouraged to utilize the ticket exchange website, StubHub!. The game can be heard on 94.9 KROCK and viewed on AHL Live.
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