Eriksson Backstops Comets to 4-1 Victory
November 7, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release
The Utica Comets extended their win streak to 7-0-1-0 tonight after a 4-1 win over the Lake Erie Monsters at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
Alex Biega (0-2-2) and Alexandre Grenier (0-2-2) led the way with two points apiece. Joacim Eriksson put in another solid performance recording 29 saves on 30 shots.
New Hartford native and first-year rookie, Mike Zalewski opened up the scoring in the opening period just 1:54 into the game, for his first goal of his professional career. With assists from Grenier and Biega, Zalewski guided the puck down the right wing to eventually overpower veteran defensemen, Maxim Noreau. As Noreau's stick got tangled up on the play, Zalewski took advantage of the distraction and slipped it in on Carter Pickard's left side to give the Comets the one goal lead.
Utica decided a one goal lead wasn't enough as they headed in to the second period. After receiving a pass from Grenier, Dustin Jeffrey dished it to the front of the net at 4:39 only to have the puck meet Shinkaruk's stick just above Pickard's right pad. This was Shinkaruk's second goal of the season and Jeffrey's sixth assist, which made it a 2-0 game.
The Comets found the back of the net again less than four minutes later after Brandon DeFazio fed the puck across the Monsters' zone to set-up a one-timer slapshot from Frank Corrado. This caught Pickard looking bewildered as the puck was buried high to his left side to make it a 3-0 game. The goal was Corrado's second goal of the season. Kellan Lain received the secondary assist on the goal.
After displaying some fancy puck handling skills at 3:19 in to the third period, Monster's forward Borna Rendulic split the Comets defenders to bring it in on Eriksson's right side. Rendulic lifted it over Eriksson's far side leg pad for Lake Erie's lone goal of the night.
For the final goal of the night, Alex Biega dished a cross-ice pass to Darren Archibald. This gave Archibald a break away look at the Monsters' empty net. Archibald's first goal of the year extended the Comets lead to 4-1.
The Comets are now leading the entire league with 20 points on the season out of a possible 24 points.
They are back in action tomorrow night as they head back to Upstate New York for their first meeting with the Rochester Americans at 7 p.m
Roster Move: Vancouver Canucks General Manager Jim Benning announced today that the Canucks have recalled right wing Nicklas Jensen from the AHL Utica Comets.
Jensen, 21, has collected six points (4-2-6) in 11 games with the Comets this season. He currently ranks tied for third on Utica in scoring. The Herning, Denmark native has appeared in 19 career NHL games, recording six points (3-3-6) and 10 penalty minutes.
The 6'3", 202 pound forward was originally drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round, 29th overall at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
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