Last Week in Review: The Utica Comets enjoyed a 2-1 record during their three-game homestand last week. The hometown boys outscored opponents 9-3 in those games. On Wednesday, at the team’s home opener, the Comets defeated the Rochester Americans 4-2. On Friday night, a controversial goal in the game’s final minutes was all the Comets allowed in a 1-0 defeat. At Saturday night’s game, the first time the team debuted their green alternate jersey, the Comets routed the Syracuse Crunch by the score of 4-0.
Business Side of Things:
The Streak: With the first three games of the season sold out, Comets fans have extended their sell out streak to 18 games. The Streak dates back to April 10, 2015 vs the Adirondack Flames, and runs through the 13 home dates at The AUD. A limited number of tickets remain for the Comets following home dates on Nov. 4 (Portland), Nov. 6 (Toronto), and Nov. 7 (Providence).
Wednesday, October 21: Utica Comets vs. Rochester Americans – W 4-2 SOLD OUT
The crowd was electric Wednesday for the Comets first home game of the season against the Rochester Americans, as the Comets won their first game of the season by the score of 4-2 at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Hunter Shinkaruk led the way for the Comets with his first professional hat trick.
Shinkaruk (3-0-3) and Alexandre Grenier (1-0-1) accounted for the team’s scoring, while Joe Cannata made 12 saves for his first win of the season.
Friday, October 23: Utica Comets vs. Hershey Bears – L 0-1 SOLD OUT
A questionable Hershey Bears goal in the game’s final minutes was all the Bears needed to defeat the Utica Comets 1-0 on Friday night at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Comets’ goaltender Joe Cannata made 24 saves in the loss.
Saturday, October 24: Utica Comets vs. Syracuse Crunch – W 4-0 SOLD OUT
The Utica Comets rebounded from a tough loss last game, and came out strong behind another great crowd at the Utica Memorial Auditorium on Saturday, when they defeated their arch-rival, the Syracuse Crunch 4-0. Joe Cannata had 30 saves two get his first career AHL shutout for the Comets.
Brendan Gaunce (1-0-1), Blair Jones (1-0-1), Linden Vey (1-0-1), and Hunter Shinkaruk (1-0-1) all scored for the men in green. Jordan Subban (0-2-2) chipped in a pair of assists for his first career multi-point game in the professional ranks.
A Look Ahead:
The Comets hit the road for their first three-in-three series of the season.
Friday, October 30: Utica Comets (2-3-0-0) vs Binghamton Senators (3-3-0-0)
Where: Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena
When: 7:05pm EST
NHL Affiliate: Ottawa Senators
Season Series: 0-0-0-0
Comets vs. Senators: This will be the first match-up of the season between the divisional rivals.
About the Senators: To date, the Binghamton Senators have alternated wins and losses, with their most reason game a 4-1 loss to the hands of the Albany Devils. If that trend continues, it will be good news for the Comets, as the B-Sens have a game on Wednesday night against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins before Friday night’s tilt against the Comets. Four players, Eric O’Dell (5-0-5), Matt Puempel (3-2-5), Cole Schneider (3-2-5), and Tobias Lindberg (0-5-5), sit atop the Senators point leaders list with five points apiece. Former Comet defenseman Patrick Mullen is off to a fast start with four assists in six games. In net, Chris Dreidger, and Matt O’Connor have shared equal duty with each appearing in three games. Dreidger is perfect 3-0, with a 1.99 goals against average, and a .932 save percentage. Conversely, O’Connor is 0-3, with a 3.04 GAA, and a .894 save percentage.
Saturday, October 31: Utica Comets (2-3-0-0) vs Albany Devils (3-2-1-0)
Where: Times Union Center
When: 5:00pm EST
NHL Affiliate: New Jersey Devils
Season Series: 0-0-0-0
Comets vs. Devils: This is the first meeting between the clubs. The Comets are 0-6 all-time vs. the Albany Devils.
About the Devils: Off to a 3-2-1 start, good for seven points, the New Jersey Devils’ AHL affiliate currently sits in third place. The Comets vs. Devils game will be the fourth game of the Devils’ season-high five game home stand. Defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani (0-5-5) is Albany’s top point-getter right now with five assists in six games. Leading the way in goals is left winger Blake Pietilla (3-1-4), with three. Yann Danis has started five out of the team’s six games and possess a 3-1-1-0 record to go along with a 2.17 goals against average, and a .923 save percentage.
Sunday, November 1: Utica Comets (2-3-0-0) vs Bridgeport Sound Tigers (6-2-0-0)
Where: Webster Bank Arena
When: 5:00pm EST
NHL Affiliate: New York Islanders
Season Series: 0-0-0-0
Comets vs. Sound Tigers: This game will be the first game between the teams since the 2013-14 season.
About the Sound Tigers: The American Hockey League’s point leaders (12 points), also have played a league-high eight games. Due to the new standings format (point percentage), the Sound Tigers sit in third place in the Atlantic Division. The Sound Tigers have plenty of offensive fire power, and have scored a league-high 31 goals. Former Albany Devils forward Joe Whitney (5-6-11) has posted 11 points to go with a +5 rating. Bracken Kearns (5-4-9), and Alan Quine (1-8-9) are tied for second with nine points. Goaltenders Christopher Gibson and Stephon Williams have both appeared in five games thus far. Gibson leads the way with a 3-0 record, a 2.10 GAA, and a .922 save percentage.
Shooting Star of the Week: Joe Cannata
For the second week in a row goaltender Joe Cannata takes home the honors. The Wakefield, MA native started all three games for the Comets, and posted a 2-1 record, with a 1.00 goals against average on the week. The 25-year old goaltender posted his first career American Hockey League shutout on Saturday night when he turned aside all 30 of the Syracuse Crunch’s shots.
Cannata’s 1.42 GAA on the season is the second best mark amongst goaltenders who have played three or more games, trailing only Peter Budaj (0.98 GAA) of the Ontario Reign.
Comets Leaders
Goals: Hunter Shinkaruk (4)
Assists: Jordan Subban (3)
Points: Hunter Shinkaruk (5)
Power Play Goals: Hunter Shinkaruk (2)
Penalty Minutes: Mackenze Stewart (15)
Shorthanded Goals:
Shots On Goal: Taylor Fedun (17)
Plus/Minus: Hunter Shinkaruk, Nicklas Jensen, Wacey Hamilton (+2)
GAA: Joe Cannata (1.42)
Save Percentage: Joe Cannata (.940)
Wins:
Milestone Alerts:
Travis Ehrhardt is 12 games away from his 200th AHL game.
Linden Vey is 4 games away from his 200th AHL game, and 11 away from his 300th career professional game.
Carter Bancks is 14 games away from his 200th AHL game, and 12 away from his 300th professional game.
Wacey Hamilton is 22 games away from his 200th AHL game.
Rapid Fire
Hunter Shink-tastic: The sophomore forward for the Comets burst onto the 2015-16 season with four goals last week, including a Hat Trick in the team’s Home Opener on Wednesday night. The Vancouver Canucks’ 24th overall draft pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Level Draft enjoyed a 31-point rookie season with 16 goals in 74 games.
Killin’ It: The Comets penalty-killing unit has successfully killed off all but one of the team’s 22 penalties this season. The unit’s 95.5% success rate is third best in the league so far, trailing just Stockton (100%), and Ontario 96.2%).
A Man Up: The Comets power play unit currently sits in 12th place in the AHL with a 17.4% conversion rate. On Wednesday and Saturday the team scored two power play goals in the game, tying a franchise mark for power-play goals in a game.
Early Lead: When the Comets escape a period, any period, with the game’s lead, they are 2-0. The team is 1-0 when leading after one period, and 2-0 when leading after two. As a franchise the team is 53-0-4 all-time when leading after two periods of play. Conversely, when they exit a period losing, the Comets have failed to win a game. The team is 0-1 when trailing after the first period, and 0-2 when trailing after two.
Captain Alex: This past Wednesday Travis Green named Alex Biega the third captain in franchise history. The 27-year old defenseman is entering his third season as a stalwart on the Comets blue line. Last season Biega served as an assistant captain during the team’s run to the Calder Cup Finals. Biega, no stranger to being a captain, also served as the assistant captain of the American Hockey League’s Rochester Americans during the 2011-12 campaign. During his senior season with Harvard during the 2009-10 season, Biega was named the 116th captain in the school’s history. A veteran of 336 games in the AHL, Biega is entering his sixth as a professional.
Bench Boss: Travis Green enters his third year of being the Comets Head Coach. In that time he has compiled an 84-53-18 record (.592 winning percentage). Including playoffs the Castlegar, B.C. native has led the Comets to 107 total wins, and just three wins shy of winning the Calder Cup last season.
A Hat Trick of Medicine: Three of the top five point-scorers for the 2010-11 Medicine Hat Tigers are on the Comets roster. Linden Vey (116 points), Hunter Shinkaruk (42), and Wacey Hamilton (73) paced the Tigers to a third round exit in the WHL. Curtis Valk also played in 56 games for the Tigers, and recorded 17 points.
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