UTICA DOMINATES IN SYRACUSE
Jan 21, 2022
Utica, NY – The Utica Comets stepped onto the ice on the road against their division rival looking to avenge their overtime loss from last weekend; and that’s exactly what they did when they defeated them by a 4-1 score.
Utica winger Alex Holtz started the scoring on the night after he fired a rocket of a one-timer setup by Aarne Talvitie at 1:52. The puck sailed past Syracuse goalie Huge Alnefelt and gave the Comets a 1-0 lead. Schmid, who stepped on the ice for the Comets for his first AHL game since early December, made 11 saves in the first period.
The Comets scored to extend their lead while on the power-play during the second period and it was Nolan Foote who slammed home a rebound opportunity as a flurry of shots found their way towards Alnefelt. Foote’s goal, his sixth of the season, put the Comets up 2-0 at 6:47. Utica wasn’t done in the second and it was Fabian Zetterlund who finished a give-and-go with Foote at 16:08. Zetterlund’s tally gave him sole possession of the team lead in goals scored with 12 on the season. The Comets left the second period up 3-0.
In the final period of regulation, Comets forward Nate Schnarr deposited an empty net goal at 15:12 which tied him with Zetterlund for the team lead in goals at 12 and the Crunch got one to erase the possible shutout for Schmid at 17:46 on the shot by defenseman Sean Day. Akira Schmid ends the game as the number one star making 34 saves on 35 shots and the Comets earned their 21st victory of the season.
The Comets will be back in action tomorrow night at home to battle Syracuse once again in a rematch of the Empire Recycling Galaxy Cup season series. Tickets are still available. For more information, visit uticacomets.com/tickets.