No Bobby, No Alex, No Problem! Comets top Marlies 5-2
By Jay Flemma, Special to Facewash Magazine
UTICA, NY – There’s no I in this team, but there sure is a capital D, because despite losing All-star Bobby Sanguinetti and workhorse Alex Biega to the parent Vancouver Canucks, the feisty Utica Comets smothered the Toronto Marlies 5-2 last night at the Utica Aud.
Five different Comets scored, the special teams tallied three goals, (one short-handed), and goaltender Jacob Markstrom snagged 26 saves as the Comets notched their seventh win in nine games, and opened up a nine point North Division lead over the Hamilton Bulldogs. The win also propelled the Comets (31-14-6, 68 pts.), into sole possession of second place in the AHL Western Conference, just two points behind the Oklahoma City Barons.
For those of you scoring at home, the Comets enjoy the largest division lead any team has in entire league.
The Comets took a 3-0 third period lead when Dustin Jeffrey tallied his 17th of the season, but two goals in a 2:41 span pulled the Marlies, to within one. But then Alexander Grenier tucked in a rebound with 8:29 to go, and Will Acton scored an empty net goal from center ice to close out the scoring. The loss dropped the Marlies to 21-20-9, (51 pts.), fourth placed in the North Division and 12th place in the Western Conference, eight points shy of a tie for the eighth and final playoff spot.
Andrey Pedan and Kent Huskins were the sturdy backbone all evening long, keeping the crease clear for Markstrom and were seemingly effortless at times in frustrating the Marlie forecheck. Meanwhile Peter Andersson and Travis Ehrhardt helped trigger the Comets transition game, which helped Utica control the pace for much of the game. Newcomer Jeremie Blain and John Negrin were also solid, the former impressing Utica Observer-Dispatch editor John Piterresi come praise him both in post-game interviews and in last night’s game story. And everyone ran the blue line well on the power play as they went 2-for-4 with the man advantage.
Once again, the Comets defense was a gestalt creature, everyone playing as one, the system executed to a T – quintessential Comets hockey despite missing three talented and popular players in Frankie Corrado, Bobby Sanguinetti, and Alex Biega. This team is built on defense and happily for Comets fans the talent pool is deep.
“Defense is one of the things we pride ourselves on as a team,” explained Kent Haskins. “We try to make that one of our signatures and core values. Right from training camp, that’s the expectation and the work ethic that we have. It’s prescribed to us from the coaching staff from day one….And it’s an interesting facet of this league that guys go up to the NHL and down as well, but when you start with those values you can really rise to the challenge. It makes the coming and going easier.”
“it’s like the New England Patriots – next man up!” gushed fervent Comets fan John Fanelli, and he’s right. With interchangeable parts for players and flawless execution top to bottom through the line-up, it is like the Patriots, just without the cheating.
The Comets play their third of five consecutive homes games tonight against the Albany Devils. Hamilton and Adirondack tangle with the Comets at the Aud on Tuesday and Friday of next week respectively, before the Comets invade Syracuse.
“We’re gonna munch the Crunch like the little, grubby, uncooked popcorn kernels they are. Screw them!” shouted one Comets fan as he downed Kamikaze shots at Swifty’s last night. But that’s how fervent Comets fans are: there’s still tomorrow to play, yet they are already excited for next week. 18 sellouts this season and counting!
Indeed, it will be a week of serious fan-hate since the Bulldogs are desperate to hold on to the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot, the Flames haven’t beaten the Comets since the Truman Administration, and Syracuse is…well…Syracuse. If you can’t get up for that game, you might not have a pulse.
So as the beating heart of the AHL starts to turn towards the season’s home stretch, it’s gut check time for everyone. Now is the time to get hot. After all, nothing thaws an I-90 winter like a rock concert or playoff hockey…and the way the Aud is rocking lately, you’d think we were watching the Rolling Stones.
