COMETS ON THE HUNT, PLAYOFF RACE HEATS UP
By: Jason Shaya
Feb 24, 2025“The only place success comes before work is the dictionary” – Vince Lombardi.
For the Utica Comets, the first part of the season wasn’t memorable for the right reasons. As you may know, the team searched for their first victory and didn’t get it until near the end of November. It would’ve been easy to throw in the towel and simply coast all the way to finish line. For players like Ryan Schmelzer, the team’s captain, along with Joe Gambardella, Colton White and rest, that simply wasn’t an option. While the problem seemed insurmountable at times, the solution is always the same in sports—hard work.
Success is never handed to anyone. The Comets, despite their problems, went to work every day simply trying to find a way to get better.
During their best hockey since the start of 2025, the Comets took that work and consistently were rewarded with wins. Since January 8th, the team has 12 wins and points in 16 of 22 games. At one point, they were the hottest team not only in the North Division but the entire American Hockey League.
Head Coach Ryan Parent and his staff deserve a great deal of praise for their dedication and commitment to the game plan. General Manager, Dan MacKinnon, truly believed in the team he assembled. His patients continues to pay off. Their players responded and the fans have noticed as well. The Comets have gone on three winning streaks since January with a four-game win streak being their second longest of the season.
Now, the question is, “Can the Comets make the post season?” Perhaps in the months of October through December, you’d be considered a lunatic for asking that. However, with the points accumulated as of late, it’s not so crazy to ask anymore.
The biggest obstacle -- the Syracuse Crunch. The bad news is right now the Crunch hold the final playoff spot. The good news is that Utica plays Syracuse SEVEN times before the year ends. That is a ton of points on the line. If the Comets can dominate the Crunch, there is a serious chance this team finds a post-season berth.
If they manage to get into the playoffs, it will be amongst the best comeback stories in AHL history-- all things considered. And, if it happens, they will find success in the exact same way they did during the season: stick to the gameplan, be patient, take cues from the team leaders and work harder than everyone around you.