COMETS DROP HARD FOUGHT BATTLE TO MARLIES
Dec 22, 2017Utica, N.Y. – The Utica Comets fell to the Toronto Marlies by a score of 4-3 Saturday night at the Adirondack Bank Center.
Justin Holl netted the first goal of the game four minutes into the first period with a pinballing puck that squirted through Richard Bachman. Dymtro Timashov and Andrew Nielsen had the assists. Vincent Arseneau tied the game at one with 3:46 remaining in the opening frame, tipping a puck past Calvin Pickard. Patrick Wiercioch and Carter Bancks picked up the assists. The goal was Arseneau’s first AHL goal.
Joseph LaBate gave the Comets a 2-1 lead 23 seconds into the second period. Alexis D’Aoust and Dylan Blujus tallied the assists. Chris Mueller tied the game at two at the 7:26 mark of the middle frame. Ben Smith and Timashov were credited with the assists. Ben Smith’s unassisted goal regained the Marlies lead with less than four minutes to go in the second.
Cole Cassels tied it up at three a minute and a half into the third period. Michael Carcone was the lone assist. Smith notched his second of the game five minutes later to put the Marlies back up 4-3. Rinat Valiev and Holl collected the assists. Despite a late power play, the Comets were unable to come up with an equalizer.
Bachman finished with 24 saves and his record falls to 2-6-2. Pickard stopped 24 shots. His record improves to 10-4-0. The Comets power play went 0-3, while the penalty kill did not allow a goal in four attempts.
The Comets return to the ice tomorrow night for game three of the Galaxy Cup series against the Syracuse Crunch. Puck drop at the Onondaga War Memorial Arena is at 7 p.m. The game can be heard on 94.9 KROCK and viewed on AHL Live.