WILLMAN SCORES IN COMETS LOSS TO ROCHESTER

Oct 12, 2024

Utica, NY. – Utica stepped on the ice for their second game of the season at the Adirondack Bank Center looking for their first victory. In the previous game, one day ago, the team left the ice without a goal in a losing effort against Syracuse. This time, against another divisional opponent, the Rochester Americans, Utica was looking to turn things around. Once again, the home crowd roared as the team took to the ice and battled it out with another in-state rival. The game was highly competitive but the Comets couldn’t dig their way out of the two goal deficit after the initial period. They end up losing the game by a 3-1 score.

 

In the first period, Rochester struck for the first two goals of the season. The first was a rebound opportunity by Nikita Novikov at 4:07 after his initial breakaway was stopped. The last goal of the first period was scored during a four-on-four scenario where Kale Clague slipped the puck behind Daws at 11:04.

 

The Comets finally scored their first goal of the season and it was Max Willman who fired the puck into the Rochester net after taking a lovely cross-ice pass by Dylan Wendt at 5:21. Willman’s first of the year was also assisted by Shane Bowers. It brought the Comets within one in a 2-1 contest. Later, it was another Americans goal as Isak Rosen scored on a wrap-around at 9:58. After forty minutes of play, the Comets trailed 3-1.

 

The Americans added an empty net goal at 19:09 in the final period by Graham Slaggert to extend their lead to 4-1. Daws turned aside 17 shots on 20 attempts while Michael Houser stopped 39 of 40 shots. The Comets were scoreless on two powerplay opportunities while Rochester was scoreless on five attempts.

 

The team will head to the road for their first trip of the season when they take on Belleville on Saturday at 7:00 PM followed by a game against Toronto at 4:00 PM on Sunday. They puck drop for the next game at home will be at 7:00pm at the Adirondack Bank Center tomorrow against the Laval Rocket. To purchase tickets, please visit uticacomets.com/tickets.