DARREN ARCHIBALD’S OVERTIME HEROICS LANDS THATCHER DEMKO HIS FIRST PRO VICTORY
UTICA, N.Y. – Darren Archibald’s overtime winner landed the Utica Comets a 3-2 victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack at the Utica Memorial Auditorium on Saturday evening. The victory snapped the Utica Comets four-game losing streak and improved their record to 3-8-1-0.
Rookie goaltender Thatcher Demko earned his first professional victory with a 29-save performance. Curtis Valk (1-2-3) posted a career-high three-point game, while Archibald (2-0-2) potted two goals for his sixth career multi-goal game.
For the second straight game the Comets surrendered a goal in the game’s opening three minutes when Tanner Glass snuck a shot past Demko just 2:22 into the game. Despite outshooting the Wolf Pack 12-8 in the period, the Comets ended the first period down 1-0.
The Comets knotted the game at 1-1 when Valk struck for the first time in The AUD late in the second. Valk received a pass from Negrin and wristed a shot past Hellberg’s leg pad after he raced by a Wolf Pack defender. David Shields was credited with the secondary assist.
1:11 into the third period, the Wolfpack’s re-grabbed the lead when Mat Bodie scored on the power play. Prior to that power-play goal, the Comets had successfully killed off 12 of their last 13 penalties.
The lead was short-lived as just over two minutes later the Comets struck again. Valk capitalized on a defensive zone turnover from the Wolf Pack and quickly dished it across the crease to Darren Archibald, who fired a shot past the sprawled-out goaltender.
Late in the third, with the game still deadlocked at 2-2, the Comets withstood two full minutes of a 5-on-3 power play for the Wolf Pack. Several big saves by Demko, and blocked shots by the penalty-killing unit sent the game to overtime.
Just 34 seconds in, Archibald put the finishing touches on Valk’s pass to the slot to give the Comets their first home win of the season.
The Comets power play went 0-for-3 on the night, while the penalty-killing unit was successful on seven of the Wolf Pack’s eight opportunities.
The Comets six game homestand continues Wednesday night. The Comets welcome the Hershey Bears to The AUD for the first time this season. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
