UTICA EARNS POINT IN SHOOTOUT LOSS
Mar 31, 2023Utica, NY. – With the playoffs looming at the North Division still influx, the Comets at home inside the Adirondack Bank Center on Friday night stepped onto the ice against an opponent trying to catch them in standings. The teams met six days previously with the Rochester Americans skating away with a shootout victory and on Friday the Comets look to avenge the loss in front of a rocking crowd. When the smoke cleared in Utica, the Comets three-goal advantage disappeared in the third period and the team would fall in a shootout by a 4-3 score to Rochester.
In the first period, the Comets achieved a lead after Graeme Clarke’s wrist shot went off the crossbar and in on Rochester goalie Michael Houser for his team leading 22nd goal of the season. The goal was scored from between the circles at 10:40 and it was assisted by Joe Gambardella, playing in his 300th AHL game, and Nolan Stevens. Utica followed up the goal with another one and this time it was Filip Engaras who deflected the Tyler Wotherspoon point shot at 14:27. It was Engaras fifth tally of the year and it put the Comets up 2-0 after twenty minutes of play.
The only goal of the second period extended the Comets lead and it was Sam Laberge who knotted the goal at 14:41 as he skated into the zone and took the pass from Timur Ibgraminov. Laberge scored his eighth of the season and the team skated away after two periods with a 3-0 advantage.
During the final period of regulation, the Americans got onto the scoresheet when Mason Jobst deflected the Lawrence Pilut pass into the Comets net behind Akira Schmid at 2:54 putting the Comets at 3-1 for Utica. Michael Mersch brought the game even closer when he deposited the puck passed Schmid after Ethan Prow’s rebound rested on his stick. The goal at 4:47 made it a 3-2 game with Utica holding the lead. The Americans got a favorable bounce at 18:26 as the puck glanced off the skated of Isak Rosen and into the net tying the game at 3-3.
The game headed to overtime but neither team could muster a goal. In the shootout, the Americans got the only tally in three rounds and scored the extra point as the Comets skated away defeated 4-3.
The Comets are back on the ice on tomorrow on the road in Rochester for a 5:05 PM puck drop at Blue Cross Arena before heading home on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 PM when they take on the Syracuse Crunch. Great seats are still available, visit www.uticacomets.com