COMETS WIN SEVENTH STRAIGHT ON HOME ICE
Mar 18, 2017Utica, NY – The Utica Comets defeated the Syracuse Crunch by a score of 4-3 on Friday night at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
Borna Rendulic struck first with 6:38 remaining in the opening period, firing a wrist shot past Mike McKenna for his 12th goal of the year. Pascal Pelletier and Colby Robak picked up the assists as the Comets led 1-0 after the first period. Tonight’s contest was also the 800th professional game for Pelletier.
Pelletier extended the Comets lead to 2-0 with five minutes to go in the middle frame, burying a pass from Michael Carcone. Rendulic also tallied an assist on Pelletier’s ninth of the year. Henri Ikonen cut the lead to 2-1 with his third of the year on the power play just three minutes later. Adam Comrie and Tye McGinn notched the assists as the Comets took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission.
Four minutes into the final period, Darren Archibald restored the two-goal lead for the Comets on the power play to earn his 20th goal of the year. Evan McEneny and Cody Kunyk were credited with the assists. Three minutes later, Mike Halmo’s 16th of the year made it 3-2. Ikonen and Slater Koekkoek were given the assists. McGinn’s seventh of the year tied the game just 31 seconds after the Halmo goal to tie the game at three. Erik Condra picked up the assist. One minute later, Mike Zalewski took back the lead for the Comets, tipping a point shot from Jordan Subban for his fourth goal of the season. Carter Bancks also notched an assist on the goal. Thatcher Demko shut the door on the Crunch’s late flurry to secure the win.
Demko finished with 35 saves for his eighth straight win and improve his record to 17-11-4. McKenna made 19 saves as his record falls to 10-13-8.
The power play scored once on four chances while the penalty kill surrendered one goal in three attempts.
The Comets return to action tomorrow night as they hit the road to take on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Puck drops at 7:30 p.m. from the Webster Bank Arena. The game can be heard on 94.9 KROCK and viewed on AHL Live.
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