UTICA DEFEATS THE EMPIRE ON STAR WARS NIGHT
Jan 11, 2025Utica, NY – The Comets were back at home on Saturday night in front of a massive crowd inside the Adirondack Bank Center as they stood against the Toronto Marlies in a rematch from their only previous game of the season in early October. On that night, the Comets were defeated, so the team had ideas of returning the favor as the Marlies made one of their two visits to Utica during the regular season. The next time these two teams faceoff won’t be until the last games of the season in April so the time for the Comets to make a four-point division swing was right in front of them. In the contest, despite giving up the first goal of the game, Comets goaltender Jeremy Brodeur, went onto make several spectacular saves helping propel his team to a 4-1 victory in his first start with the team as the Comets secured their third home win of the season.
In the opening period, the Marlies Alex Steeves scored on the man-advantage at 3:07 as his one-timer beat goaltender Jeremy Brodeur to put Utica down, 1-0. The Comets tied the contest after Filip Engaras dangled around both the Toronto defense and their goaltender Vyacheslav Peksa tucking the puck into the Marlies cage at 15:07. The goal was his second of the season and was assisted by Austin Strand and Nolan Foote. The period ended with the teams tied, 1-1.
The only goal of the second period was scored at 18:50 when Brian Halonen slammed home a rebound after a Dmitry Osipov shot for his 13th of the season lifting the Comets to a 2-1 lead.
In the final period of play, as Halonen’s shot was stopped by Peksa, the rebound laid in the slot for Nolan Foote who blasted it in at 12:22 for his seventh of the season giving the Comets an insurance goal and a 3-1 lead. Foote added an empty net shorthanded tally at 16:59 for his eighth of the season giving Utica a 4-1 lead. That was all the scoring the Comets needed as the Comets skated away with the victory.
The Comets are back on the ice Wednesday night against the Hartford Wolf Pack, at 7:00 PM inside the Adirondack Bank Center. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by visitingwww.uticacomets.com/tickets.