Daws Perfect in Goal as Comets Down Rockets in Game One, 4-0
April 19, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release
Laval, PQ. - The Comets started game one of the North Division's first round best-of-three series in enemy territory on Wednesday night in Laval at the Place Bell. The two teams battled six times over the course of the 2022-23 regular season against one another and were quite familiar with one another raising the temperature a few more degrees before the game. The crowd in Laval was roaring from the puck drop to try and help their team to a win but the Comets were relentless in their attack and the game was highly contested from the very start. Ultimately, the Comets were able to use great defensive play and capitalized on their scoring chances to burn the Rockets throughout the game on their way to a game one victory. Nico Daws was perfect in goal for Utica stopping all 33 shots he faced.
In the first period, it was a defenseman that started the scoring after Reilly Walsh took a pass from Jeremy Groleau and skated between the circle and sent a backhand shot passed Rocket goalie, Cayden Primeau at 12:21. Walsh, who lead Comets defenseman in scoring during the regular season, scored his first of the playoffs while assists went to both Groleau and Jayce Hawryluk. It was the only goal of the period, and the Comets left the first twenty minutes ahead, 1-0.
Another Comets goal extended the lead for Utica after Aarne Talvitie stepped into the Rocket zone down the right-wing side and wristed a shot that beat Primeau low-blocker side at 3:11. It was Talvitie's first of the playoffs and assisted by Tyce Thompson and Tyler Wotherspoon. Next up was the captain who buried his chance from the slot as Alex Holtz put the pass right on his stick and immediately rifled a shot that found the back of the net at 18:49. Once again, the Comets silenced the crowd in Laval as they jumped up to a 3-0 lead. After forty minutes of play, the Comets went into their dressing room up, 3-0.
In the final period of regulation, Utica's captain Schmelzer added an empty net goal to put the Comets up 4-0 for his second of the game. Daws left the contest with the shutout as he was perfect stopping all 33 shots he faced in the contest as the series shifts to Utica on Friday night.
The Comets will play the Rocket in game two of round of the Calder Cup Playoffs on Friday night at the Adirondack Bank Center at 7:00 PM. Tickets are available now as well as Playoff passes uticacomets.com/playoffs. Get your tickets and playoff passes now.
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