COMETS STUN MONSTERS IN OVERTIME, WIN 3-2
Dec 17, 2021
Utica, NY – The Comets met the same team they defeated at home back on December 10th in their last game, the Cleveland Monsters and this time, on the road in Cleveland, the Comets skated away with another win, this time in dramatic overtime fashion.
After a scoreless first period that saw Utica goalie Mareks Mittens make 11 saves on 11 shots, the Comets got the on board and it was the captain who struck first. At 16:22, Ryan Schmelzer deflected a point shot from Tyler Wotherspoon and beat Monsters netminder Daniil Tarasov. Reilly Walsh was credited for the secondary assist and the Comets were up 1-0. But, on the ensuing shift, the Monsters Kevin Stenlund knocked in a loose puck off the right pad of Mittens and shoveled it into the net at 16:55. This tied the game at 1-1. This came as Mittens made several great saves in close. With teddy bear toss night at the Rocket Mortgage Field House, the teams went to their respective dressing rooms as the bears were collected.
In the final period of regulation, with just 1:28, the former Utica Comet forward Brendan Gaunce scored on a wrist shot to beat Mittens and put his team up 2-1. The Comets pulled the netminder for a six on four advantage, Fabian Zetterlund struck after a Chase DeLeo shot bounced off traffic in front, Zetterlund located the puck and immediately fired it past Tarasov at 19:22 tying the game at 2-2.
As overtime started, the Comets started with a power-play and it didn’t take long. Just one minute in, Zetterlund scored his second goal of the game after taking the perfect pass from Reilly Walsh. Zetterlund ended the game and silenced the stunned crowd as the Comets skated away with their 18th win of the season.
The Comets are back in action on the road against the Belleville Senators Tuesday at 7:00 PM. The Comets next home game takes place on New Year’s Eve, December 31st with a 5:00 PM puck drop inside the Adirondack Bank Center. Tickets are still available. Please visit www.uticacomets.com/tickets for more information.