DEMKO, BOUCHER LEAD COMETS PAST CRUNCH
Jan 2, 2019Utica, N.Y. – Reid Boucher tallied a goal and an assist and Thatcher Demko stopped 31 shots en route to a 4-2 victory over the Syracuse Crunch Wednesday night at the Adirondack Bank Center. Jesse Graham, Evan McEneny, and Brendan Gaunce also scored for Utica.
Boucher put the Comets on the board with seven seconds remaining in the first period, beating Crunch goaltender Eddie Pasquale on a breakaway. Zack MacEwen tallied the assist.
Alex Barre-Boulet tied the game at one with a power play at the 11:44 mark of the second period. The two teams traded chances down the stretch but the score would remain tied heading into the second intermission.
Graham put Utica back on top with a power play goal six minutes into the third period, ripping a slap shot from the point past Pasquale. Brendan Gaunce picked up the assist. McEneny extended the lead to 3-1 two minutes later, splitting the Crunch defense and chipping a shot into the back of the net. Tanner Kero collected the assist. Cory Conacher scored with 1:23 remaining in the third, but Gaunce drove the dagger into Syracuse with an empty-net goal 21 seconds later.
The Comets return to the ice Saturday afternoon against the Cleveland Monsters. Puck drop at Quicken Loans Arena is at 1 p.m. The game can be heard on 94.9 KROCK and viewed on AHL TV.