UTICA DROPS FIRST GAME AFTER BREAK TO ROCHESTER
Dec 27, 2024Rochester, NY. – The last time the Comets hit the ice was more than week earlier in Cleveland. Continuing a road swing through Rochester hoping to use the time off to prepare for the finality of the month of December, they stepped onto the ice at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester to play the top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres, the Rochester Americans. The in-state rivalry always has intense action from start to finish and Friday night was no exception as the battle played out over three periods before the teams headed to Utica for a rematch. On Friday, the Comets, despite holding a two-goal advantage twice in the contest, trailed in the third period and never were able to achieve a lead again as they skated away in a 6-3 loss.
In the first period, the Comets didn’t wait long to take the lead as Nolan Foote moved down the right-wing boards and sent the puck to a streaking Ryan Schmelzer who proceeded to slip the puck over the shoulder of Rochester goalie, Devin Levi at 1:44. It was Schmelzer’s third goal of the season putting the Comets up, 1-0. Later, the Comets added to their lead when Nathan Legare had a shorthanded breakaway that was stopped by Levi. As the save was made, the rebound was left for Simon Nemec who slammed it into the Rochester net at 2:52 potting his first of the season and a goal that gave Utica a 2-0 advantage. A late goal by the Americans Riley Fiddler-Schultz at 18:07 cut the Comets lead to 3-2 as the period expired.
During the middle frame, the Americans got one passed Nico Daws after a shot deflected en route to the goal as fired by Isaac Rosen at 1:11 to cut Utica’s lead to 2-1. But the Comets came right back with a goal, and it was Nemec again. This time, making a move to cut to his forehand, his wrist shot placed perfectly low on the glove side of Levi found the back of the net at 3:00 for his second of the game putting the Comets back up, 3-1.
The Americans tied the game early in the third period after Fiddler-Schultz found a rebound chance on Daws after a point shot was stopped at 1:37. This tied the game at 3-3. Rochester kept pushing at they got the go-ahead goal at 4:44 after a one-timer by Viktor Neuchev went in sending the Comets down, 4-3. While the Comets were on the powerplay, it was Graham Slaggert who made a great move down the right-wing side and tucked the puck just under the crossbar on the shortside of Daws at 9:41. The Comets trailed 5-3. Rochester’s Brett Murray added an empty net goal at 16:51 to extend the game to 6-3 for the Americans and it was all the scoring in the game.
The Comets are back at home inside the Adirondack Bank Center on tomorrow, December 28th at 7:00 PM in a rematch against the Americans. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting www.uticacomets.com/tickets.