Comets Clip Thunderbirds 5-1 in First Home Game of 2026
Jan 7, 2026Utica, NY – The Comets hosted the Springfield Thunderbirds in their first home game of the 2026 calendar year and came away with a 5-1 victory.
The Thunderbirds had a great chance within the opening minute when forward Alek Kaskimaki found himself alone in front of the Utica crease, but Nico Daws made a great pad save to deny the bid. Shortly thereafter, Lenni Hameenaho received a pass from Angus Crookshank, broke into the right circle and beat Springfield goaltender Georgi Romanov five-hole to give the Comets a 1-0 lead just 48 seconds into the game on their first shot. It was the fastest goal to start a game this season for Utica. The Comets were assessed a penalty a few minutes later when Thomas Bordeleau was called for tripping, but they killed off the ensuing Springfield power play with ease. The Comets had some quality chances later in the period, outshooting the Thunderbirds 9-3, but Georgi Romanov kept the deficit at one with some big saves.
The Comets would extend the lead in the second period when Angus Crookshank won the race to a loose puck to negate an icing, fed Kyle Criscuolo who tried to beat Romanov, but Lenni Hameenaho was parked at the side of the net to stuff it home for his second of the game and ninth of the year to make it 2-0 at the 6:36 mark. A little later on, the Comets were set up in the offensive zone and out of a scramble in the corner, Xavier Parent found Jackson van de Leest at the point who lasered one past Romanov for his first career AHL goal at 11:08. Parent’s assist marked his 100th career AHL point. The Comets weren’t done as they found themselves on the power play later in the period and after taking a pass from Lenni Hameenaho, Angus Crookshank knifed his way behind enemy lines and snapped one blocker side past Georgi Romanov to give the Comets a 4-0 lead at 16:54. It was Crookshank's seventh goal of the season.
After Springfield forward Dylan Peterson was called for roughing late in the second, the Comets began the third period on the man advantage. Although they were unable to capitalize, Brian Halonen deflected a point shot from Topias Vilen just after the power play expired to make it 5-0 at 1:29 of the third on his seventh of the year. The Thunderbirds would get their fourth power play of the night later in the period, and it was Chris Wagner who fired a one-timer past Daws to put Springfield on the board and make it 5-1 at 13:09 on his eighth of the season.
Nico Daws picked up his sixth win of the season as the Comets held the Thunderbirds to just 14 shots on goal and matched a season high in goals in the 5-1 win. The Comets went 1-for-3 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill.
The Comets are back home on Friday for the second-ever “Sock Toss” against the Syracuse Crunch at 7 pm. For tickets, please visit uticacomets.com/tickets or call 315-790-9070.