Comets Fall in Feisty Affair to Crunch, 5-3
AHL Utica Comets

Comets Fall in Feisty Affair to Crunch, 5-3

Published on November 26, 2025 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release


Utica, NY - The Comets hosted the Syracuse Crunch on Thanksgiving Eve and lost by a score of 5-3.

It was one of the most action-packed first periods we've seen all season, and it was the Comets who jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal from Jonathan Gruden who made a dazzling move around Syracuse defenseman Simon Lundmark on a 1-on-1 rush and beat Crunch netminder Brandon Halverson at the 6:26 mark for his second goal of the season. The Crunch would answer just over a minute later when Conor Geekie hit the post, but Chris Harpur recovered the puck and fed Geekie, who buried his second chance to make it 1-1 at 7:30.

The Comets went on the power play a few minutes later and had some good looks, but as time expired, Jakob Pelletier stripped the puck and charged up ice with Conor Geekie and Brendan Furry, and it was Furry who ultimately scored from the side of the net on a pass from Geekie to make it 2-1 at 14:20 of the first. The back-and-forth pace continued later in the period when the teams were skating four aside and Xavier Parent picked up the puck at center, skated into the Syracuse zone, made a drop pass to Mike Hardman who buried one past Halverson to make it 2-2 for his third of the year at 16:59.

The Comets started the second period on the penalty kill but were able to kill it off. After Mike Hardman took a heavy hit from Syracuse defenseman Roman Schmidt, Nathan Legare confronted Schmidt and the two combatants squared off at center ice at the 2:31 mark of the period for the Comets' fourth fight of the season. A few minutes later, Jakob Pelletier and Conor Geekie executed a give-and-go in the Comets defensive zone, and it was Geekie who hammered one past Daws for his second of the game to make it 3-2 for the Crunch at 7:18. The Crunch were set up again in the offensive zone a few minutes later when Matteo Pietroniro's shot from the left point was stopped by Daws, but the rebound took a fluke bounce in front and found its way to the back of the net to make it 4-2 at 11:54.

The third period was fairly evenly matched, with the Crunch having a slight advantage in shots at 7-6. They extended the lead to 5-2 at the 10:50 mark when Brendan Furry jammed home a rebound for his second goal of the game.

The second fight of the game unfolded in the third period when Dmitri Osipov and Scott Sabourin converged at center ice with under five minutes left in the game. The Comets would be assessed a penalty a few minutes later and Brian Halonen scored a shorthanded goal on the ensuing kill on a beautiful shot that beat Halverson high blocker to make it 5-3 at 18:10, but the Crunch would prevail, beating the Comets for the first time on Thanksgiving Eve.

The Comets were outshot by the Crunch 24-22, while going 0-for-2 on the power play and 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.

The Comets are back home next Friday against Bridgeport at 7 pm. For tickets, please visit uticacomets.com/tickets or call 315-790-9070.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 26, 2025


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