Comets Fall 5-2 in Feisty Affair in Providence
AHL Utica Comets

Comets Fall 5-2 in Feisty Affair in Providence

Published on March 21, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release


Providence, RI - The Comets headed to Providence to face the Bruins on Saturday and lost by a score of 5-2.

It was the Bruins who jumped on the board early, just 30 seconds in when Joey Abate drove into the Comets' zone and sent a cross-ice pass to Jake Schmaltz who tipped it home past Jakub Malek for his seventh of the year to give Providence a 1-0 lead. Shortly thereafter, Nathan Legare dropped the gloves with Bruins' forward Navrin Mutter at the 1:44 mark for Legare's eighth fight of the season. The Comets had a few chances to tie the game, their best coming from Brian Halonen on the power play, but Providence netminder Simon Zajicek made a great glove save to preserve the 1-0 lead.

After going 3-for-3 on the penalty kill in the first, the Comets started the second shorthanded and remained perfect on the kill. It was a feisty period with two more fights transpiring when Jonathan Gruden squared up with Riley Tufte at the 3:22 mark of the second, and then Dmitry Osipov went toe to toe with Michael Callahan at 7:38. The Comets were able to find the equalizer later in the period when Calen Addison's drive from the right circle was stopped by Simon Zajicek, but Jonathan Gruden was there to pot the rebound for his 10th of the year at 11:41. Cam Squires picked up the secondary assist.

The Comets started the third period shorthanded after Austin Strand was called for tripping late in the second and right as the power play expired, the Bruins were able to regain the lead when Georgii Merkulov fired home a rebound after a shot from Matt Poitras was stopped by Malek just 52 seconds into the third on Merkulov's 19th of the year. Later in the period, the Bruins found some insurance when Riley Duran tipped home a shot from Max Wanner at 8:12 to make it 3-1 on his fifth of the year. The Bruins weren't done as Riley Tufte found the back of the net after being set up by Victor Soderstrom at 12:33 for his team-leading 26th of the year to make it 4-1. The Comets answered less than a minute later when Mike Hardman's shot from the right circle leaked through Simon Zajicek, which made it 4-2 at 13:40 on Hardman's eighth of the year from Matyas Melovsky and Austin Strand. The Bruins would go back up by three, however, when Riley Tufte hammered home a loose puck in the slot at 16:52 for his second of the game and 27th of the year to make it 5-2.

The Comets were outshot by the Bruins 33-20, while going 0-for-2 on the power play and 6-for-6 on the penalty kill.

The Comets are back home on Wednesday, April 1st at 7 pm against the Providence Bruins for Pucks & Paws 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 March 21, 2026


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