YEAR IN REVIEW: SAUCERMANIA RUNS WILD
May 16, 2019“Get sauced, Utica!”
Never in franchise history has a single player captivated an entire fan base, region, and country the way Colton Saucerman did when he was signed in December of last season.
Signed from the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL to a PTO, Saucerman caught the attention of the hockey world with his “hockey-guy” name and even more impressive beard. Drawing comparisons to Yukon Cornelius of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and Tormund from “Game of Thrones,” Saucerman had full attention turned his way upon arrival to Utica.
“Shampoo every couple of days. Just like you wash your hair,” Saucerman said to the media following his first practice with the team. “Ice cream cones are tough to eat,” he added.
It was at that moment that everyone knew that this guy was something special. But that would only be the start of what soon became known as Saucermania.
Hosting the Providence Bruins at the Adirondack Bank Center on Wednesday, December 12, Saucermania erupted in full force at the 10:13 mark of the first period of the contest.
Winning a face-off on the left wing side, Brendan Gaunce tugged the puck back to Jagger Dirk, who slid a feed across to Saucerman. And, after receiving the pass, the puck was sent off Saucerman’s stick and straight to the goal.
As if the waters of the Red Sea had parted, the shot sailed through the pads of Zane McIntyre and into the back of the net. The Adirondack Bank Center erupted, and Colton Saucerman was forever etched in the history books of the Utica Comets.
Two days later, the Comets put “Get Sauced Utica” shirts on sale in the Team Store ahead of their game against the Binghamton Devils. The shirt featured a white helmet, and Saucerman’s big red beard. All proceeds from the shirts benefitted childhood cancer research at the request of Saucerman, and they sold out over the course of fifteen minutes.
During his five-month stint with the Comets, Saucerman became one of the team’s most recognizable players, and he used his platform to leave a mark in the community after countless appearances at local schools and organizations.
Rarely does a player captivate the way that Saucerman did. His cool name, epic beard, and down-to-earth attitude allowed him to become one of the most notable players in the six-year history of the Utica Comets.
Though the future of Saucerman in Utica is unknown, what is known is that the region will remain Sauced.