FOUR GOAL THIRD PERIOD DOOMS COMETS IN LOSS TO MARLIES
Mar 29, 2019Utica, N.Y. – Despite peppering Toronto with 39 shots, the Comets fell by a 5-2 margin to the Toronto Marlies Friday night at the Adirondack Bank Center. Seamus Malone and Matt Petgrave scored for Utica. Michael Leighton made 17 saves on 20 shots.
A fast-paced period saw the North Division rivals combine for 17 shots and three power play opportunities but no goals through the first 20 minutes.
The Comets continued their pressure in the early parts of the second period, throwing 12 shots on net in the first six minutes of the period. However, the Marlies would strike first with a power play goal off the stick of Jeremy Bracco at the 9:14 mark of the period.
Colt Conrad extended the lead to 2-0 three minutes into the third, redirecting a shot past Leighton. Michael Carcone made it 3-0 16 seconds later. Malone buried a rebound two minutes later to get Utica on the board. Brendan Woods and Lukas Jasek picked up the assists. Nicolas Baptiste scored an empty net goal to put the Marlies back up by three. Petgrave would bring the Comets back within two with a long blast from the point on the power play at the 19:37 mark of the third. Dylan Blujus had the assist. Dymtro Timashov sealed the win with an empty netter with 10 seconds to play.
The Comets hit the ice again tomorrow night for a road tilt against the Syracuse Crunch. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. The game can be heard on 94.9 KROCK and viewed on AHLTV.