UTICA, N.Y. – The Utica Comets picked up their second consecutive win Saturday night at the Utica Memorial Auditorium as they bested the Rochester Americans 2-1. The win brings the Comets record to 5-9-1-0 on the season.
Curtis Valk (1-0-1) and Darren Archibald (0-1-1) continued to stay red hot and each tallied a point for the fourth consecutive game. Cole Cassels (1-0-1), Jake Virtanen (0-1-1), and Joseph LaBate (0-1-1) each chipped in with one point apiece as well. Goaltender Richard Bachman picked up the win and stopped 15 of the 16 shots he faced.
Valk got the Comets on the board five minutes into the game when he buried a pass from Virtanen on a two-on-one rush. The goal was Valk’s fourth goal, and ninth point, in his last four games. Archibald picked up the secondary assist on the goal.
The two teams went back-and-forth throughout the first half of the second period until the Amerks scored their lone goal of the game. With Marco Roy in the box for slashing, Rochester was able to convert on the man advantage. Alexander Nylander sprung Nick Baptiste on a breakaway who snapped a shot past Bachman.
The Comets retook the lead for good just three minutes later as Cassels deked out Ullmark on a shorthanded two-on-one rush. LaBate recorded an assist on the goal for his third point in two games.
The scoreless third period saw the Comets goaltender Richard Bachman leave with a lower body injury. Thatcher Demko came on in relief after Bachman’s injury with seven minutes remaining. Demko stopped all four shots he faced as the Comets withstood a late Rochester flurry to preserve the victory.
The Comets power play went 0-for-3 on the evening, while the penalty kill allowed one goal in three attempts.
The Comets finish their six game homestand Wednesday November 23rd at 7pm against the Syracuse Crunch at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
