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AHL Utica Comets

Comet Tales: Scouting the Monsters

November 26, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release


When the Comets step on to The AUD's ice on Tuesday, the Lake Erie Monsters could prove to be the most talented and difficult opponent yet.

The Colorado Avalanche have stacked their American Hockey League affiliate, Lake Erie, with high draft picks and successful veterans.  The Monsters are a North Division neighbor of the Comets, in the Western Conference.  Coming off of a  5-3 win last Friday at home over the Oklahoma City Barons in the Quicken Loans Arena, Lake Erie's record is 9-7-0-1.  Two points separate the third place Monsters (19 points), and co-division leaders Hamilton and Toronto (21 points).

Monsters' coach Dean Chynoweth, a former first round draft pick of the New York Islanders in 1987, is in his second season behind the bench.  During the 1990""s, Chynoweth and Comets head coach, Travis Green, were teammates.  They skated together while on the National Hockey League level on Long Island, as well as riding the buses with the then AHL Capital District Islanders coached by Butch Goring.  Last season, Chynoweth's first as a coach on the AHL level, the Monsters went 35-31-10.  Lake Erie missed being in the Calder Cup playoffs by just nine points.

With the Avalanche being the leading surprise story early on this NHL season with a 17-5  record, good for third place in the Western Conference's Central Division, their pipeline of success coming from Lake Erie appears solid.  The Monsters boast a roster which includes two second round draft picks, two first round selections, and a third-rounder.

Team captain Bryan Lerg, now in his second season with the Monsters,  leads the club in scoring with 16 points (8-8-16).  Center Mark Olver, who has seen action with the  Avalanche in 74 games over the past three seasons, is second in scoring with 14 points (3-11-14).  Left Wing Andrew Agozzino has tallied 24 goals over the past two seasons with Lake Erie.  Having played his Ontario Hockey League career for the Niagara Ice Dogs, Agozzino called current Boston Bruin Dougie Hamilton and Comets Darren Archibald teammates.

Defenseman Tyson Barrie, drafted in the third round by Colorado in 2009, has split this season with the Monsters, and skating in eight contests with the Avalanche.  Alongside Barrie on defense is Stefan Elliott.  Taken one round before Barrie in the 2009 draft, Elliott has logged 57 games thus far with Colorado.  In 17 games with the Monsters this season, Elliott has 10 points (4-6-10).

Center Joey Hishon in 2010 was the Avalanche's top amateur pick.  Limited to nine games last season, his first pro season, due to injuries, Hishon is considered one of the fastest skaters within the Colorado organization. Goalie Calvin Pickard, drafted in the second round in the 2010, has a 5-5-1 record this season.  This is Pickard's second full season of AHL competition.  After four seasons on defense with the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League, Colorado's top draft pick in 2011, Duncan Siemens has skated in 13 games this season.  Siemens is still looking for his first point of the 2013-2014 campaign.

David van der Gulik, 30, is the oldest member of this season's Monsters club.  The Abbotsford, Bristish Columbia native, who saw action in nine games with the Avalanche last season, will be counted on this year for veteran leadership and putting pucks in the net.  In 60 games with Lake Erie last season, van der Gulik notched 35 points.

Tuesday's Comets meeting with Lake Erie is the third of six slated for this season.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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