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AHL Utica Comets

Gameday: Comets at Bridgeport

March 2, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release


UTICA COMETS (22-26-3-4) @ BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS (26-25-1-4)

Webster Bank Arena, 3 pm

Radio: 94.9 K-Rock

Tonight's Game: The Utica Comets look to snap a three game losing streak as they travel to Bridgeport for a matinee meeting with the Sound Tigers. Tonight is the final of two meetings between these two teams.

When They Last Met: The Utica Comets connected twice on the power play but could not quiet the Sound Tigers in a 5-3 defeat at the Utica Memorial Auditorium on Dec. 6. Patrick Mullen, Benn Ferriero and Yannick Weber were the goal scorers for the Comets. Ferriero had a three-point night with a hand on each of the Comet goals, while Ryan Strome led the way for Bridgeport with three points (1-2-3) of his own.  Joacim Eriksson made 27 saves on 32 shots and was handed the loss and Parker Milner was victorious with 28 saves on 31 shots against.

Comets Outlook: The Utica Comets dropped a nail biter on home ice, a 3-2 decision to the Adirondack Phantoms. Despite a 29-23 shots on goal advantage, the Comets surrendered a late goal to drop their third contest in a row. With the defeat, Utica fell to 22-26-3-4 on the season.  David Marshall and Benn Ferriero each scored for the Comets, while netminder Joacim Eriksson turned aside 20 of the 23 shots he faced. Tye McGinn potted two goals for Adirondack, which defeated the Comets for the second time this season.

Sound Tigers Outlook: Bridgeport dropped a narrow 2-1 decision to the Worcester Sharks last evening, in front of 5,711 fans at Webster Bank Arena.  Joe Diamond was the lone goal scorer for the home side, while Freddie Hamilton and Travis Oleksiak scored for the Sharks.  Harri Sateri was stellar between the pipes with 25 saves on 26 shots, while Kevil Poulin turned away 25 of 27 in defeat.

The Next Jeneration: Utica winger Nicklas Jensen finished the month of February tied for second in the AHL with eight goals.  Jensen and Binghamton winter Mike Hoffman trailed only St. John's' centerman John Albert, who finished the month with 11 tallies.  Jensen's prolific month was boosted by a hat trick on Feb. 9 against Rockford and four goals scored with the man advantage, which has him tied with Benn Ferriero for the team lead, with six.

Certainly Not a Has Benn: Speaking of Benn Ferriero, the winger scored against Adirondack on Friday, in his second game back in the lineup after a return from injury.  Ferrieri is the team leader with 18 goals this season and his 38 points this season are five behind team leader Pascal Pelletier.  The Boston College product is now just one goal shy of his AHL career high of 19, set back in 2009-10 with the Worcester Sharks.

The Monster Marsh: David Marshall finally got off the schneid, with his first goal as a Comet on Friday evening against Adirondack.  Marshall, who picked up the 17th marker of his AHL career on the play, had previously gone 57 AHL games without a goal, dating back to Mar. 17, 2013 when he was a member of the Charlotte Checkers.

Catch Me If You Cannata: Netminder Joe Cannata saw a three game winning streak snapped last Sunday in Albany.  Cannata has recorded a .954 save percentage over his past four starts, however, with 126 saves on 132 shots faced.  The Wakefield, MA native has already tied his AHL career high for victories in a season with six.

The Farmer In The Kell: Kellan Lain was returned to Utica from the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.  The 6'6" center saw a season high 7:36 of ice time on Feb. 26 against St. Louis, where he finished with a +1 rating.  Lain has recorded one point (1-0-1) and 21 penalty minutes over nine games in Vancouver and 12 points (7-5-12) through 42 games as a member of the Comets.

Scouting The Sound Tigers: Bridgeport will be without their three top forwards, as Ryan Strome (13-36-49), Andres Lee (22-19-41) and Mike Halmo (17-20-37) have all been recalled to the Islanders.  Alan Quine is the leading scorer amongst forwards remaining on the Bridgeport roster, with 22 points (5-17-22) over 48 games played, while winger John Persson leads all goal scorers with 12.

Defenseman Dallas Jackson leads the Bridgeport blueline and all active players on the Sound Tigers roster with 23 points (3-20-23) through 52 games played. Fellow blueliner Matt Donovan leads the team's defensive corps with six goals.

Anders Nilsson and Kenny Reiter have split time in net for Bridgeport, with 28 appearances for Nilsson, as opposed to 22 for Reiter.  Nilsson was also recently recalled to New York, with Kevil Poulin making his first stint in the AHL this season.  Nilsson leads the team in wins (11) and goals against average (2.82), while the two netminders are tied with a .899 save percentage.  Reiter leads with way with a 10-9-2 overall record.  Poulin made his debut last night, with 25 saves on 27 shots in a loss to Worcester.

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