COMETS PUNCH TICKET TO PLAYOFFS WITH VICTORY AGAINST DEVILS
Mar 25, 2018Utica, N.Y. – The Utica Comets defeated the Binghamton Devils by a score of 4-3 Sunday night at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena. With the win, Utica clinched a spot in the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Zac Lynch put the Comets up 1-0 with 3:04 remaining in the first period, ripping a wrist shot past Devils goaltender Eddie Lack. Adam Comrie tallied the lone assist.
Frankie Simonelli extended the lead to 2-0 three minutes into the second period with a power play goal. Michael Chaput and Patrick Wiercioch picked up the assists. The goal was Simonelli’s first as a Comet. Four minutes later, Andrew Cherniwchan made it 3-0 with a shorthanded goal after a Devils defensive zone turnover.
Nathan Bastian put a rebound past Richard Bachman to cut the lead to 3-1 just 1:35 into the third period. Jake Walman was credited with the assists. Matt Leitner regained Utica’s three-goal lead five minutes later to notch his first AHL goal. Jacob MacDonald responded with a goal two minutes later to make it 4-2 Comets. Kevin Rooney and John Quenneville had the assists. Blake Speers brought the Devils to within one with 3:09 left in regulation. Bastian and Michael Kapla recorded the assists. Bachman and the Comets defense survived Binghamton’s late flurry to secure the win.
Bachman finished with 38 saves to improve his record to 11-12-4. Lack stopped 10 shots. His record falls to 6-7-4. The Comets went 1-4, while the penalty kill allowed one goal in seven attempts.
The Comets are back in action Wednesday night as they battle the Rochester Americans. Puck drop at Blue Cross Arena is at 7 p.m. The game can be heard on 94.9 KROCK and viewed on AHL Live.
Information about playoff tickets will be released this week.