Comets Blanked by Belleville in Final Game of Calendar Year
AHL Utica Comets

Comets Blanked by Belleville in Final Game of Calendar Year

Published on December 28, 2025 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release


Belleville, ON - The Comets visited CAA Arena in Belleville for the first time this season and were shut out by a score of 7-0.

The game had a terrific pace from the opening faceoff with the Comets getting the majority of the scoring chances early on and applying pressure in the Belleville zone, which led to a tripping penalty on Senators forward Jamieson Rees. On the ensuing power play, however, it was Belleville who would end up capitalizing when Oskar Pettersson skated onto a loose puck in the right circle in the attacking zone and beat Jakub Malek glove side from a tight angle to give the Senators the 1-0 lead at 5:13. It was Pettersson's sixth of the season. After a scrum later on in the first period, the Senators ended up on the power play which led to their second goal which came from Landon Hookey who was parked in front and finished off a nice feed from Jan Jenik at the 17:39 mark for his second of the year. It was the first power play goal of the year for Belleville against Utica.

The Senators found some insurance in the second period starting with another goal from Oksar Pettersson who was set up from behind the net by Jamieson Rees and fired one home from the right circle to make it 3-0 at 7:46 for his seventh of the year and second of the game. Belleville went on the power play shortly thereafter, and it was Arthur Kaliyev who snapped a one-timer past Malek from the right circle for his league-leading 11th power play goal and 20th goal of the season to make it 4-0 at 10:24. Phil Daoust and Olle Lycksell picked up the helpers. The Senators would find the back of the net once more before the end of the period when Olle Lycksell skated into the Utica zone one-on-one, cut to the slot and beat Malek blocker side to make it 5-0 at 17:55 for his fifth of the year.

Nico Daws replaced Jakub Malek in net as the Comets started the third period shorthanded after Ryan Schmelzer was assessed a holding penalty late in the second, but were able to kill off the Belleville power play. The Comets outplayed the Senators in the third, holding a 12-4 shot advantage. The Senators, however, would tack on two more goals before the end of the game. After a shot from Djibril Toure hit the post, Landon Hookey tapped in a loose puck in the crease at the 17:27 mark for his second of the game to make it 6-0. Then, with just 12.5 seconds left, Oskar Petterson received a pass from Jamieson Rees in the left circle who snapped one past Daws for his eighth of the year to complete the hat trick.

The Comets outshot Belleville 31-23, while going 0-for-5 on the power play and 2-for-4 on the penalty kill.

The Comets are back home next Wednesday, January 7th against the Springfield Thunderbirds at 7 pm. For tickets, please visit uticacomets.com/tickets or call 315-790-9070.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 28, 2025


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