Comets Downed by Rocket, 6-2
February 11, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release
Laval, PQ. - Coming off a home victory, the Comets packed their bags and headed to Laval to play their divisional rival, the Laval Rocket at the Place Bell. Despite taking a lead into the first intermission, a quick strike Laval squad took a lead in the second period and never looked back as the Comets suffered a defeat against their division rival, 6-2.
The Comets came our roaring in the first period, and it was Joe Gambardella who sliced through the Laval defense after a nifty pass by Andreas Johnsson. Gambardella shot the puck blocker side and into the cage behind Cayden Primeau at 3:45. The goal was his sixth of the season and it was assisted by Johnsson and Ryan Schmelzer. It ended up as the only goal of the period as the Comets skated away with a 1-0 lead after twenty minutes of play.
The Rocket were quick to answer in the middle frame when they scored two shorthanded goals in the span of eight seconds. The first was struck by Brandon Gignac and the latter was scored by former Comets forward, Nate Schnarr at 7:39 and 7:47 respectively. The Rocket weren't done and it was a goal Joel Teasdale at 10:02 that put his team up, 3-1. But, Nolan Foote assured the Comets that they could stem the tide after he redirected the Graeme Clarke pass into the net at 13:23. The goal was Foote's second in as many games and his 16th of the season. With dust settling after forty minutes, the Comets left the period down, 3-2.
In the third period, the Rocket added a power-play goal at 3:37 when Mitchell Stephens slapped home a rebound in front of Nico Daws putting the Comets down 4-2. Stephens added another goal, this time shorthanded, at 5:51 giving the Rocket a 5-2 lead. Brandon Gignac added a goal on a breakaway at 14:09 putting Laval up, 6-2.
The Comets will head to Toronto on Wednesday for an 11 AM game against the Marlies. The team will return home inside the Adirondack Bank Center at 7:00 PM on the 18th against the Syracuse Crunch. Great seats are still available, visit www.uticacomets.com.
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