Trick and Treat – Senators Halt Streaks, Comets Steal Point
By Jay Flemma – Special to Facewash Magazine
UTICA, NY – Were there tricks or were there treats at the Utica Aud last night? I’m afraid it’s both. The Utica Comets saw two streaks halted by the Binghamton Senators 4-3 in overtime, yet still stole a point from their division rival after coming back from an early 3-0 deficit. The 6-1-2 Comets, (14 points) still maintain a two point lead in the Western Conference North Division over the Rochester Americans, (who defeated the Syracuse Crunch 3-0), and a one point lead in the overall Conference standings over the Rockford Ice Hogs, who smeared San Antonio 6-3.
I’ll pause for a second so you can all have a laugh at “Rockford Ice Hogs…” Have you collected yourself? Okay, good.
The Senators snapped Utica’s four game winning streak and frustrated goalie Jacob Markstrom’s attempt to break the AHL’s consecutive shutout minute streak. Just under six minutes into the game Sens defenseman Alex Guptill scored his first goal of the season off a rebound, halting Markstrom’s streak just 31 minutes shy of the 268:18 mark set in 2012 by Barry Brust. Star winger Chris Wideman added two more goals, including the game winner on a power play 4:21 into overtime.
“We were fortunate to earn that power play, it’s not too often that happens,” confided Wideman. “Then we just kept putting shots on net and one went in.”
Wideman’s blistering slapper past Markstrom on the stick side bailed out his squad after they squandered a three goal lead in the span of 11 minutes. After Guptill’s tally, Wideman and Alex Grant added power play goals to give the Senators a 3-0 lead. But with just 51 seconds left in the second period Utica defensemen Alex Biega lasered a slap shot from the left circle past goalie Scott Greenman, making his first start in net this season for the Senators.
As often happens in all sports a tally before a period or halftime break sparks a rally, and the Comets added two more early in the third period to tie the game. Tommenes and Frank Corrado also scored on slappers from the left circle at 4:07 and 10:15 of the period respectively.
“They pushed back. This is a really great team – a veteran group that we really respect a lot – and it’s an extremely tough place to play,” explained Wideman. “I’m just glad we rallied and came through in overtime. We really needed a win, and we really needed to play our best to beat them. They skate well, and they are physical.” At 3-4-2, (8 pts.), Binghamton remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference East Division, and 11th place in the Conference. Binghamton hosts Syracuse tonight while the Comets travel to Glens Falls to tangle with the Adirondack Flames.
Though it was a slow start that doomed the Comets – sloppy passes and lost puck battles for the first 30 minutes – the Senators also neutralized Utica’s trademark transition game. All game long the Sens’ forecheck didn’t allow the Comet forwards to get separation and smothered the Utica defensemen as they tried to join the play.
Utica adjusted well to the more physical dump and chase end to end hockey and took it to the Sens the last half of the game – they outshot Binghamton 44-27 – but they couldn’t tally the game winner before Wideman’s OT shot ended the contest.
“Give their power play credit, they scored some goals [3 for 6] and the penalty kill was solid too,” said Comets coach Travis Green. “But we did some good things. Any time you battle back from 3-0 and got a point, you’ve done some good things in the hockey game.”
Still, the cruelest trick of the night was Markstrom falling short of the record. He banged his stock on the ice in frustration after Guptill’s goal went in, yet the ardent Utica fans stood and applauded long and lustily for Markstrom, acknowledging his remarkable run, one which made Utica the epicenter of the AHL once again. Marlstrom then skated a circle with his stick in the air to thank them in return for the fine tribute.
Green is right, there is still a lot to love about the Comets. Grit, character, and unselfishness are the hallmarks of this team’s work ethic.
“We’ve got a lot of unselfish guys, guys that play for each other. And we have got guys that have tremendous shots, I just try to get them the puck,” added Captain Cal O’Reilly, who had three assists for Utica. “We’re gelling more as the year goes on.”
Meanwhile Binghamton better have a short memory of the win, because they have a lot of work to do to get into playoff contention. They “held on by their fingernails” as Wideman put it, but they can’t make a habit of that. Losing leads leads to losing games and losing streaks, and it’s always too early to fall behind in the playoff race.
