Comets Double up on Marlies, Win 6-3, Extend Point Streak to Seven Games
AHL Utica Comets

Comets Double up on Marlies, Win 6-3, Extend Point Streak to Seven Games

Published on April 10, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release


Utica, NY - The Comets hosted the Marlies on Friday night and came away with a 6-3 victory.

For the second straight game in the two-game set against the Marlies, it was the home team who had the better start as the Comets were buzzing from the opening shift. They would get on the board at the 6:19 mark when Shane Lachance came flying into the offensive zone on the left wing and fed Austin Strand in the slot who snapped one past the glove of Toronto netminder Dennis Hildeby for his third of the year to make it 1-0. Matyas Melovsky picked up the secondary assist. For the second straight game, a fight took place in the first period. This time it was Dylan Wendt squaring off with Marlies' forward Landon Sim, who fought Cam Squires in Wednesday's game. The Marlies picked up the pace as the period went along, but Jakub Malek was strong in net, stopping all nine shots he faced in the first.

The Marlies would find the equalizer in the second period when they won a battle behind the Comets' net, and the puck came to Matthew Barbolini who slid a pass backdoor to Alex Nylander who pounded it home for his 22nd of the year at 7:34 to tie the game at one. The Comets regained the lead later in the period after a strong shift in the offensive zone when Nathan Legare made a cross-ice pass to Mikael Diotte who snapped a laser low blocker side past Dennis Hildeby for his first career AHL goal at the 13:45 mark to make it 2-1. Josh Filmon picked up the secondary assist. After the Marlies were called for a couple penalties late in the second, the Comets found themselves on a 5-on-3 man advantage and would pad the lead when Matyas Melovsky rifled one home from the high slot past Hildeby to make it 3-1 at 19:13 on his eighth of the year, with Xavier Parent and Calen Addison picking up the assists.

The Marlies pulled within a goal early in the third when Vinni Lettieri walked into the right circle and picked the top corner on Jakub Malek to make it 3-2 at 2:46 on his 13th of the year. The Marlies headed to the power play shortly thereafter with a chance to tie the game when Ethan Edwards was called for holding, but the Comets would score a shorthanded goal when Nathan Legare picked off a pass and outskated Marlies' defenseman Henry Thrun to the net and beat Hildeby to make it 4-2 at 4:05 on his 13th of the year to extend his goal streak to three games. It was the Comets' league-leading 13th shorthanded goal of the season. Later in the frame, the Comets were buzzing in the offensive zone on a delayed penalty when Xavier Parent missed the net, but the puck sprung off the end wall right to Calen Addison who fired it home from the right circle to make it 5-2 on his sixth of the year at 14:06. Cam Squires picked up the secondary assist. The Marlies came back just 18 seconds later when Borya Valis fired a shot right off the faceoff from the top of the left circle which broke off Malek's glove and in to make it 5-3. The Marlies pulled Dennis Hildeby for the extra skater towards the end of the game, but Austin Strand found the back of the net from the opposite end of the ice, scoring an empty-net goal for his second of the game and fourth of the season at 19:06. The Comets came away with a 6-3 win to extend the point streak to seven games.

The Comets outshot the Marlies 26-22, while going 1-for-4 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

The Comets are back home next Friday at 7 pm against the Providence Bruins for Fan Appreciation Night. For tickets or more information, fans can visit uticacomets.com/tickets or call 315-790-9070.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 10, 2026


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