COMETS LOOK FOR FOURTH WIN IN A ROW WEDNESDAY
Mar 30, 2022Previous Game: Taking on a second Atlantic division opponent in two nights, the Utica Comets stepped onto the ice on Monday night against the Hartford Wolf Pack. Previously, inside the Adirondack Bank Center on January 8th, the Comets were defeated by a 2-1 score. This time, on the road, the Comets got some revenge when they put up seven goals in a 7-3 win. Greer, who just returned from the New Jersey Devils, put up four points in the win including a goal and three assists. Akira Schmid took the victory in the net for Utica.
During the opening period, Comets forward Graeme Clarke scored on a backhand wrap-around after Hartford goalie Adam Huska made a save on a Brian Flynn slap shot but couldn’t located the rebound. The goal at 1:44 put Utica up 1-0 and was Clarke’s ninth goal of the season. The home team answered back at 13:59 on a cross-ice one-timer by Zac Jones that sailed passed Akira Schmid tying the contest at 1-1 which remained the score after the first period concluded.
In the middle frame, the Comets took the lead again and it was a power-play goal by the captain Ryan Schmelzer that did it. He tipped a Fabian Zetterlund slapper over the glove of Huska and struck for his 14thgoal of the season at 6:36. It was the Wolf Pack who, yet again, tied the contest after a goal from Anthony Greco on a rebound chance at 8:57. The Comets were undeterred when they went back on the power-play and this time it was AJ Greer’s deflection on the shot from Reilly Walsh at 14:34. The Comets left the second period up 3-2.
In the third period, the Comets went up by two goals after Zetterlund sniped his 24th goal of the season on a cross-ice pass from Fredrick Gauthier at 11:45. The Wolf Pack were resilient when they got a goal from Lauri Pajuniemi at 13:33. It only took 13 seconds later for Chase Deleo to answer back on a nifty goal that was setup by Greer at 13:46. DeLeo and Greer combined again as DeLeo scored again at 17:14 into the empty net. Clarke sent one more puck into the Hartford goal at 18:49 for his second of the game and a 7-3 victory for the Conference leading 38th win.
Comets Leading Scorers: The team’s leading scorers heading into tonight is forward Fabian Zetterlund with 24 goals and 26 assists for 50 points in 55 games played. Following him is Chase DeLeo, scoring 14 goals and 31 assists for 45 points in 42 games. Third in scoring is AJ Greer with 47 games played registering 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points. Rookie Alex Holtz has 22 goals and 21 assists for 43 points in 42 games for forth on the squad. Leading Comets defenseman in scoring is Reilly Walsh leads all d-men in scoring with seven goals and 29 assists for 36 points in 58 games. Defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon leads the team in plus/minus with a +28 rating.
Special Teams Ranking: Heading into the week, the Comets begin with the 5th ranked power play operating at 21.9%. On the penalty kill, Utica ranks 9th in the league at 82.2%.
The North Division: The Comets have 13 games remaining in the schedule with 59 games played so far this season. They currently hold a record of 38-14-6 -1 which gives them 83 points and a winning percentage of .703.