Weekly Notebook – Nov. 25
By Mark Caswell Jr.
Nov 25, 2015Last Week in Review: The Utica Comets came out of their second three games in three days weekend of the season with two points and a 1-2-0-0 record. The Comets extended their season-high losing streak to four games when they dropped their first two games of the weekend, a 3-2 loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack, and a 4-2 loss to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, at home. Their lone win of the week was a 3-2 victory over the Wolf Pack, at the XL Center in downtown Hartford, C.T.
Business Side of Things:
The Streak: The Comets have sold out 24 straight home dates, including all 13 games played at The AUD during 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs, and dating back to Friday, April 10 of last season. The Comets next game, on Nov. 25 vs the Lehigh Valley Phantoms is sold out, however, all December home dates still have tickets available. Those games include: Dec. 2 vs Lehigh Valley, Dec. 4 vs St. John’s, Dec. 11 vs Toronto, Dec. 16 vs. Rochester, Dec. 19 vs Hartford, Dec. 27 vs. Syracuse, and Dec. 31 vs Albany.
Friday, November 20: Utica Comets vs Hartford Wolf Pack – L 2-3 SOLD OUT
The Utica Comets losing streak was extended to three games, as the Hartford Wolf Pack snapped a seven-game losing streak, with 3-2 victory over the Comets at The AUD on Friday night.
Brendan Gaunce (2-0-2) scored both Comets goals, his fifth and sixth of the season. Richard Bachman in his first home start as a member of the Comets, made 21 saves in defeat.
Saturday, November 21: Utica Comets vs Bridgeport Sound Tigers – L 2-4 SOLD OUT
The Utica Comets losing streak ran to a season-high four games after the Bridgeport Sound Tigers defeated the Comets 4-2 Saturday night at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
Carter Bancks (1-0-1), and Alex Friesen (1-0-1) scored for the home team, while Joe Cannata made 28 saves in the loss.
Sunday, November 22: Utica Comets @ Hartford Wolf Pack – W 3-2
Buoyed by three unanswered goals, the Utica Comets came back from an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the Hartford Wolf Pack 3-2 Sunday afternoon at the XL Center. The win was the first time the Comets won a game in which they exited a period trailing.
Hunter Shinkaruk (1-0-1) continued his torrid pace to start the season with his 11th goal of the year. Alexandre Grenier (1-1-2), and Jordan Subban (0-2-2) enjoyed multi-point nights. Richard Bachman recorded his first win as a Comet with a 16-save performance.
A Look Ahead:
The Comets face another three-game work week, starting Wednesday night at home.
Wednesday, November 25: Utica Comets (6-8-1-1) vs Lehigh Valley Phantoms (8-9-1-0)
Where: Utica Memorial Auditorium
When: 7:00 pm ET
NHL Affiliate: Philadelphia Flyers
Season Series: 0-0-0-0
Comets vs. Phantoms: The Comets are 0-4-0-0 all-time vs the Flyers’ top minor-league affiliate. The last time the Comets faced off against the Phantoms, during the 2013-14 season, the team called Glens Falls home.
About the Phantoms: Riding Petr Straka’s six-game goal scoring streak, the Phantoms have collected a point in five out of their past six games (4-1-1-0). Boasting an offense that is fourth in the league in scoring, the Phantoms have six players that have posted double-digit point totals. Those players are forwards Nick Cousins (5-13-18), Straka (12-3-15), Chris Conner (5-9-14), Tim Brent (5-8-13), Daniel Martel (7-3-10), and (currently in the NHL) defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (2-8-10). In net, Anthony Stolarz’s 1.93 goals against average is third-best in the AHL, amongst goaltenders that have appeared in at least nine games.
Friday, November 27: Utica Comets (6-8-1-1) @ Portland Pirates (7-8-0-0)
Where: Cross Insurance Arena
When: 7:00 pm ET
NHL Affiliate: Florida Panthers
Season Series: 1-0-0-0
Comets vs. Pirates: The Comets beat the Pirates 3-2 at The AUD back on Nov. 4th. The game is the only game played between the teams to date.
About the Pirates: Since the Comets last saw the Pirates, the Florida Panthers’ AHL-affiliate has posted a 4-3-0-0 record, including losses in their two games to the Hershey Bears. Leading the way in goals and points for the Pirates is central, NY native Rob Schremp (7-5-12). Cameron Gaunce, brother of Comets forward Brendan Gaunce, is second on the team in points, and paces the Pirates in assists (10), and plus/minus +6. In net, Mike McKenna has backstopped the club to a 6-5-0-0 record in 12 games. He has posted a 2.83 goals against average along with a .890 save percentage.
Saturday, November 28: Utica Comets (6-8-1-1) @ Portland Pirates (7-8-0-0)
Where: Cross Insurance Arena
When: 7:00 pm ET
NHL Affiliate: Florida Panthers
Season Series: 1-0-0-0
Comets vs. Pirates: The Comets beat the Pirates 3-2 at The AUD back on Nov. 4th. The game is the only game played between the teams to date.
About the Pirates: Since the Comets last saw the Pirates, the Florida Panthers’ AHL-affiliate has posted a 4-3-0-0 record, including losses in their two games to the Hershey Bears. Leading the way in goals and points for the Pirates is central, NY native Rob Schremp (7-5-12). Cameron Gaunce, brother of Comets forward Brendan Gaunce, is second on the team in points, and paces the Pirates in assists (10), and plus/minus +6. In net, Mike McKenna has backstopped the club to a 6-5-0-0 record in 12 games. He has posted a 2.83 goals against average along with a .890 save percentage.
Shooting Star of the Week: Alexandre Grenier
After making his National Hockey League debut for the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 18 vs the Winnipeg Jets, the forward collected three points (1-2-3) in three games for the Comets this weekend. Grenier’s tally on Sunday kicked off what would come to be a three-goal comeback victory for the Comets, over the Hartford Wolf Pack. The Canucks third round draft pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Level Draft has collected 10 points (3-7-10) this season after finishing third on the team with 43 points (17-26-43) during the 2014-15 season. He led the team in power-play goals (11), offensive players in plus/minus (+13), and unleashed the second most shots on the team (182).
Comets Leaders:
Goals: Hunter Shinkaruk (11)
Assists: Linden Vey (9)
Points: Hunter Shinkaruk (16)
Power Play Goals: Hunter Shinkaruk (6)
Penalty Minutes: Andrey Pedan (28)
Shorthanded Goals: Travis Ehrhardt, Carter Bancks (1)
Shots on Goal: Alexandre Grenier (47)
Plus/Minus: Taylor Fedun (+6)
GAA: Joe Cannata (2.32)
Save Percentage: Joe Cannata (.913)
Wins: Joe Cannata (4)
Milestone Alerts:
Head Coach Travis Green is 12 regular season wins away from 100 career wins.
Travis Ehrhardt is 1 game away from his 200th AHL game.
John Negrin is 6 games away from his 200th AHL game.
Blair Jones is 6 points away from his 300th career professional point.
Carter Bancks is 3 games away from his 300th AHL game, and 1 away from his 300thprofessional game.
Wacey Hamilton is 12 games away from his 200th AHL game, and 9 games away from 200thprofessional game.
Hunter Shinkaruk is 11 games away from his 100th AHL game, and 10 away from his 100thprofessional game.
Alexandre Grenier is 8 points away from his 100th career professional point.
Rapid Fire:
Among the Best: Hunter Shinkaruk’s breakout campaign has seen the forward tally 11 goals thus far, which is tied for the third in the American Hockey League, just one goal behind the league’s co-leaders, Petr Straka and Devin Shore. Six of Shinkaruk’s goals have come while on the power play, which again, is second-most in the league, just one behind Mike Sislo of the Albany Devils. The Vancouver Canucks’ 24th overall draft pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Level Draft enjoyed a 31-point rookie season last year with 16 goals in 74 games.
Lucky Number 3: When the Comets fail to reach the three goal mark in a game, the team is 0-7-1-0 this season. When they successfully strike three times, the team is 6-1-0-1.
Thinking Defensively: Last Friday the Comets announced that the club had signed defenseman Jon Landry to a professional tryout contract. Landry, 32, recorded 14 points (3-11-14) and a team-leading +24-plus/minus rating in 64 games for the Hershey Bears during the 2014-15 season. A veteran of over 222 American Hockey League games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Iowa Wild, and Hershey Bears, the Montreal, PQ native has collected 85 points (13-72-85), 156 penalty minutes, and a +39 rating. Landry made a good first impression during his Comets debut when he assisted on Friesen’s goal alongside Pedan against The Sound Tigers.
Special Teams: The Comets power-play unit has successfully converted on 13 of their 73 opportunities (17.8%) this season. The 11th-ranked unit is one of five teams this season that has yet to allow a short-handed goal against. With a successful kill percentage of 85.3% (62 out of 73), the Comets penalty-killing unit ranks as the 10th best in the AHL. The team’s two short-handed tallies are tied for the seventh most in the league.