Sports stats



AHL Utica Comets

Comet Tales: Scouting the Sound Tigers

December 6, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release


Coming off a two-game sweep of the Abbotsford Heat this past weekend, and after dealing with the Rochester Americans on Wednesday, to conclude their road trip, it's time for the Comets to prepare for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers' visit The AUD.

Since dropping a 4-3 contest at home to the Hartford Wolfpack last Friday at home, by the time Bridgeport is introduced to Utica ice, the Northeast Division opponent's of the Comets will have skated in five games.  That's five games in seven days.  Leading up to game five  for the Sound Tigers in Utica, was a meeting in the Glens Falls Civic Center this past Wednesday with their divisional rival - Adirondack Phantoms.

Keeping the New York Islanders AHL affiliate in top performing mode, with the physically demanding schedule in just this past week, comes down to a total team effort.  The Sound Tigers coaching staff consisting of assistants Eric Boguniecki and Doug Holewa, along with head coach Scott Pellerin remain as busy as those doing the skating, in breaking down opponents.  For Pellerin, now in his second season as leader of the Sound Tigers after six  as an assistant with the Manchester Monarchs, visiting Utica will stir up memories from his playing days.

Drafted by the New Jersey Devils after his freshman year with the Maine Black Bears hockey program in 1989, Pellerin chose to remain in Orono,ME for 4 years.  It would be as his senior year was winding down, Pellerin received an honor few in college hockey get.  Pellerin became the twelfth recipient of the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top NCAA men's hockey player.

"During my senior year ('91-'92), after the season ended, everything seemed to happen real fast," says Pellerin, prior to leaving Bridgeport's Webster Bank Arena for an afternoon contest in Albany last Saturday.  " I signed with New Jersey and a couple days later I was off to Utica.  I got into three playoff games. I think it was Binghamton that we lost to.  After the series, I went back to school."

Although born in Shediac, New Brunswick, known as the "˜Lobster Capital of the World', as a Canadian, Pellerin was quite familiar in who his first Utica coach Herb Brooks was, and the "˜Miracle' his 1980 U.S. Olympic team in Lake Placid, New York had pulled off.  There are several memories of Pellerin's first and second seasons in  professional hockey that after more than two decades still stand out.

"My first time in Utica I stayed at the Howard Johnson's.  The next season, I ended up sharing an apartment in Washington Mills.  I lived with a couple of other guys - Jaroslav Modry was one of them,"Pellerin, a member of the '94-'95 Albany River Rats Calder Cup championship team, said.  Collecting 33 points during his first 27 games in Utica during the '92-'93 season, Pellerin was summoned to the Devils' parent club, and never wore a Utica jersey again.

Citing former teammates Jim Dowd and Dave Emma ( winner of the Hobey Baker Award the season before Pellerin ) as among those he remembers as hard workers, Pellerin recalls his introduction to the Utica Devils and The Aud.  "I get to the rink, I'm late, so I throw on my gear for my first practice, "Pellerin recalls. "I get out onto the ice and all the players start clapping their sticks on the ice.  They welcomed me, and let me know I was late."

A few practical jokes were made at Pellerin's expense.  Dean Malkoc, who simply introiduced himself to Pellerin as '274 penalty minutes', tossed  cheese dressing onto to Pellerin's shoes during a team luncheon.  As for the rookie goaltender Martin Brodeur, did Pellerin foresee the greatness that has been achieved since his one season in Utica?  "Marty was right out of juniors.  You could see in his passion and his work ethic that Marty was someone special.  I can remember seeing Robbie (Utica coach Robbie Ftorek) doing goalie drills with him (Brodeur).  Marty would be on his knees as Robbie would be firing slap shots at him. Marty was picking the pucks out of the air one after another.  He has great glove speed,"Pellerin explains.

Being hired by the Islanders to instruct the Sound Tigers last year was an opportunity Pellerin long awaited.  During the interview process, Pellerin was quite familiar with the Islanders general manager.  While turning in four solid season in Orono, two of Pellerin's teammates, goalies Garth Snow and Mike Dunham, found their way to NHL careers. Today, Snow is the Islanders GM and Dunham the organization's goalie coach.

"Both Garth and Mike are great people.  When Brent Thompson was promoted to an assistant in New York, I interviewed with Jack ( Isanders coach Jack Capuano), Garth, and Mike", Pellerin states.

As far as managing his line-ups and all that goes into having his team game ready five times in one week, Pellerin is well aware of strategies needed .  "We had a tough game with Hartford, and had to deal with adversity, but it was a great learning experience'"says Pellerin.  Evaluating talent quickly, balancing injuries, adapt to what lines opposing teams put on the ice, all go into setting a game plan for the Sound Tigers.

Pellerin tells of his club getting off to a tough start back in October.  Classifing his team as young, he sees the Sound Tigers learning and growing constantly.  On November 28, top Islanders prospect Calvin de Haan was called up to Long Island.  In exchange, Pellerin and his staff gained Matt Donovan.  Pellerin,43, also has welcomed Mike Banwell to his team on December 1.  Banwell, a veteran of 66 AHL games, is signed to a PTO contract.

Other names on the Bridgeport roster that Comets players and fans will hear much about on Friday are Jon Sim, a 469 NHL game veteran, Kirill Kabanov, the Islanders number three draft pick in 2010, Ryan Strome, who after 19 games leads Bridgeport in scoring with 23 points,and Anders Lee, who is second in scoring this season.

Before giving undivided attention to the Comets the Sound Tigers had a date on Wednesday in Glens Falls with the Adirondack Phantoms.  Bridgeport brings a 5-10-1-3 record to the start of this week. 

Check out the Utica Comets Statistics

• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...

American Hockey League Stories from December 6, 2013


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.

Other Recent Utica Comets Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central