COMETS WIN FIFTH STRAIGHT
Jan 18, 2017St. John’s, NL - The Utica Comets won a season-high fifth straight game to improve over .500 for the first time this year with a 3-1 victory against the St. John’s IceCaps at the Mile One Centre.
The teams skated to a scoreless first period as Richard Bachman turned aside all 11 shots from the IceCaps. Yann Danis stopped eight shots in the stanza that included three Comet power plays.
Michael McCarron opened the scoring with his fifth of the year at 2:23. Chris Terry and Josiah Didier assisted on the goal. Wacey Hamilton tied the game at 6:13 with a rebound goal after Carter Bancks and Jake Virtanen each had an attempt on goal. 46 second later, Borna Rendulic picked the glove-hand corner of Danis to give the Comets a 2-1 lead. Darren Archibald and Cole Cassels assisted on the goal to conclude the period’s scoring. A double minor penalty was issued to Bobby Farnham in the closing minute of play. The Comets power play extended into the third period.
18 seconds into the period, Cody Kunyk extended the Comets lead with this fifth of the year. Colby Robak sent the puck into the offensive zone and Kunyk buried the puck after it bounced to the slot. In the final two minutes of the game, Danis was pulled for the extra attacker. Bachman and the Comets were able to fend off the last attacks and win the game.
Bachman stopped 32 shots to win his fourth straight game and improve his record to 8-7-1. Danis made 22 saves as his record moved to 6-3-3.
The Comets tallied one power play goal on five chances and killed all three penalties.
The Comets complete the five-game road trip on Saturday night in Syracuse against the Crunch. The game can be heard live on 94.9 KROCK and viewed on AHL Live.
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