COMETS SEASON COMES TO AN END
Apr 15, 2017Syracuse, NY – The Utica Comets fell to the Syracuse Crunch by a score of 5-2 on Saturday Night at the OnCenter War Memorial Arena to conclude the 2016-17 season.
5:24 into the game, Henri Ikonen scored his sixth of the year on a rebound. The goal was assisted by Jonathan Racine and Byron Froese. Just 10 seconds later, Brett Howden tallied his third of the year from Joel Vermin and Mathieu Brodeur. The Crunch outshot the Comets by a 13-6 margin in the frame.
John Kurtz extended the Crunch lead 3:31 into the second period with his fifth of the year. Ikonen and Tanner Richard registered the assists. 36 seconds later, Nikolay Goldobin put the Comets on the board with his third as a Comet and 18th of the year. Colby Robak fed a pass through center to give Goldobin a breakaway and bring the game to a 3-1 score. At 10:04 of the second period, Vermin scored his 13th of the year on the power play with assists from Byron Froese and Dylan Blujus. To conclude the scoring in the second, Goldobin scored his second of the game on another breakaway. Jake Virtanen and Ashton Sautner assisted to bring the game to a 4-2 score.
The third period remained scoreless until the final minutes when Thatcher Demko was pulled for the extra attacker. Adam Erne tallied his 14th of the year in the empty net to end the scoring. Froese and Richard assisted on the goal.
Demko made 25 saves and ended the year with a record of 20-17-4. Kristers Gudlevskis made 23 saves in the win. The Comets were scoreless on three power plays and allowed one goal on four penalties.
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