Comets Sweep Monsters, Extend Win Streak to Three
AHL Utica Comets

Comets Sweep Monsters, Extend Win Streak to Three

Published on March 29, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release


Cleveland, OH - The Comets faced off against the Monsters for the fourth and final time this season on Sunday afternoon and emerged with a 4-1 victory.

The Comets received an early power play opportunity when the Monsters were called for too many men on the ice just 2:05 into the game. Cleveland nearly struck for a shorthanded goal for the second straight game when Jack Williams rang one off the post, but fortunately for the Comets it stayed out. The Comets would open the scoring later in the period for the first time in the season series when Dylan Wendt entered the offensive zone, slid the puck across to Mike Hardman who then found Marc McLaughlin at the top of the crease who tipped it home past Cleveland netminder Ivan Fedotov for his sixth of the year which came at the 11:40 mark. The Comets nearly extended the lead later in the period when Kyle Criscuolo stole the puck behind the Monsters' net, but Fedotov scrambled back to the near post to deny Criscuolo's wraparound bid. Nico Daws was solid in net for the Comets, turning aside all 10 shots that he faced in the first frame.

The Monsters would get their first power play opportunity early in the second period, but it was the Comets who capitalized when Ryan Schmelzer darted up ice on a 2-on-1 with Jonathan Gruden and fed Gruden in the left circle who snapped one past the glove of Fedotov to make it 2-0 at the 4:08 mark of the second. It was Gruden's 11th of the year and the Comets' league-leading 12th shorthanded goal of the season. The Comets continued to press and would strike again later in the period when Xavier Parent dished the puck to Calen Addison, who hammered one home from the high slot, beating Fedotov blocker side to make it 3-0 at 11:49 on his fifth of the year. Cam Squires picked up the secondary assist. The Comets led 3-0 after 40 minutes while Nico Daws remained perfect in net, stopping all 19 of the shots he faced to that point.

The Comets continued to outwork the Monsters in the third period and nearly went up 4-0 when Jonathan Gruden sprung Xavier Parent on a breakaway who sent a backhand shot off the crossbar and out. The Monsters eventually got on the board at the 12:40 mark when Jack Williams tipped home a shot from Luca Del Bel Belluz for his 14th of the year, which made it 3-1. The Monsters pulled Ivan Fedotov for the extra attacker later in the period, but Nathan Legare would put the icing on the cake with an empty-net goal for his 10th tally of the year at 17:51 to make it 4-1 which was the final.

The Comets were outshot by the Monsters 27-23, while going 0-for-4 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

The Comets are back home this 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 29, 2026


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