Comets Defeated at Home by Rocket, 3-2
January 17, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release
Utica, NY - Riding the wave of momentum, the Utica Comets stepped onto the ice against the second placed team in the North Division on Friday night at the Adirondack Bank Center. The Laval Rocket, holding a five-game point streak, looked to derail the Comets home winning streak of three straight games. The crowd, which jammed the arena in Utica, was lively and boisterous from the onset of the game's puck drop. During the game, the Comets captain helped the team to a lead but ultimately, the Rocket used the third period to win the contest by a 3-2 score.
During the opening period, the only goal was scored on the powerplay by Ryan Schmelzer as he drove the net and deflected the Max Willman pass into the Laval net behind Cayden Primeau at 2:54. The goal was Schmelzer's sixth of the season and the Comets left the first period up, 1-0.
The Comets did it again in the second period on the powerplay and it was once again Schmelzer who scored for his seventh of the season at 5:44. Schmelzer pounced on a rebound left by Primeau after the Nemec shot. The Rocket would strike back after a goal mouth scramble in front of Comets netminder, Nico Daws, resulted in Logan Mailloux flipping the puck into the Comets net at 13:24. This goal sliced the Comets lead in half, 2-1 after forty minutes of play.
In the third period, the Rocket tied the contest after Florian Xhekaj fired a shot from the bottom of the left circle that beat Daws at 10:52 bringing the game to a 2-2 score. Owen Beck scored the go-ahead goal for the Rocket at 15:00 firing a shot through traffic that snuck in passed Daws. That made the game 3-2 and the Comets couldn't find a way to tie the contest and skated away with the loss.
The Comets are back on the ice tomorrow night against the Laval Rocket on the road at 7:00 PM before heading to Syracuse on Monday afternoon for a 1:00 PM game. They return to the Adirondack Bank Center on Wednesday, January 22nd at 7:00 PM. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting www.uticacomets.com/tickets.
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