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AHL Utica Comets

Gameday: Comets at Rochester

October 11, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release


UTICA COMETS (0-0-0-0) @ ROCHESTER AMERICANS (0-1-0-0)

Radio: FM 94.9 K-ROCK

April 10th, 1993. This was the date of the last regular season game played by an American Hockey League franchise that called Utica home. And tonight, seven thousand, four hundred and eighty-eight days later, AHL hockey has returned in Utica!

The last time an AHL team from Utica took on Rochester was on Mar. 9 1993, when the Utica Devils defeated the Americans 4-2 at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. The last time a Utica based franchise visited Rochester, Feb. 26, 1993, Martin Brodeur led the Devils to a 6-4 victory.

The Utica Comets (0-0-0-0) take to the ice tonight in Rochester for their first ever regular season game as they faceoff with the Americans (0-1-0-0). Faceoff at the Blue Cross Arena is set for 7:00 PM. Tonight's game is the first of 10 match-ups between the North Division rivals.

Comets Outlook: The Comets come in as one of just five teams who have not yet played their first game in this young AHL season.

Americans Outlook: Rochester enters their home opener following an 8-1 loss on the road against the defending Calder Cup Champions, the Grand Rapids Griffins. Center Luke Adam scored the team's only goal of the game.

Preseason Performance: The Comets skated in an AHL high four preseason contests, finishing with a 1-3-0-0 record. Defenseman Alex Biega scored the first preseason goal in Comets history in the 5-2 loss at Abbotsford. Forward Alex Friesen led all Comets in preseason goals with two, both against Adirondack. Joe Cannata earned the team's lone victory, during the 3-2 win over the Phantoms.

Canuck Country: 21 of the 24 players currently on the Comets roster are under contract with the Vancouver Canucks. Included are goaltenders Joe Cannata and Joacim Eriksson, defensemen Peter Andersson, Alex Biega, Jeremie Blain, Frank Corrado, Patrick Mullen and Henrik Tommernes and forwards Darrin Archibald, Ludwig Blomstrand, Brandon DeFazio, Benn Ferriero, Alex Friesen, Alexandre Grenier, Zach Hamill, Kellan Lain, Alex Mallet, Pascal Pelletier, Colin Stuart and Jeremy Welsh.

Greener Pastures: Utica Comets Head Coach Travis Green makes his AHL coaching Debut, following his run to the Memorial Cup Finals with the WHL's Portland Winterhawks. Green took over the position midseason, where he led the Winterhawks to a staggering 37-8-0-2 record over the team's final 47 games. Green is also a veteran of 164 AHL games as a player with the Capital District Islanders, recording 128 points (56-72-128).

Remarkable Rookies: Two Utica Comets players are looking to make their debuts against the Americans. Goaltender Joacim Eriksson and defenseman Henrik Tommernes come to North American hockey following extended careers in the Swedish Elite League. Both are looking at their first career games.

Comets In The Show: Eight Comets come into the 2013-14 season with National Hockey League experience, totaling 202 games, 22 goals, 20 assists and 42 points. These Comets include Benn Ferriero (96-14-9-23), Colin Stuart (56-8-5-13), Zach Hamill (20-0-4-4), Pascal Pelletier (13-0-0-0), Jeremy Welsh (6-0-1-1), Yann Sauve (5-0-0-0), John Negrin (3-0-1-1) and Frank Corrado (3-0-0-0).

An International Flair: The Comets Roster spreads three countries, the United States, Canada and Sweden. Comets players have skated with teams from six different countries, including the USA, Canada and Sweden, as well as Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

Dances With Wolves: 13 Comets saw action a season ago with the Chicago Wolves, Vancouver's AHL affiliate in 2012-13. Goaltender Joe Cannata, defensemen Peter Andersson, Jeremie Blain, Frank Corrado, Patrick Mullen, John Negrin and Yann Sauve and forwards Darren Archibald, Ludwig Blomstrand, Alex Friesen, Alexandre Grenier, Kellan Lain and Alex Mallet.

AHL Newcomers: The Comets are the first of the two newest AHL franchises to make their league debut. The Iowa Wild will host the Oklahoma City Barons tomorrow evening in their inaugural AHL game.

Returning From Across The Pond are Pascal Pelletier and Colin Stuart, the Comets leaders in career AHL points. Pelletier spent last season in Switzerland, where he scored 35 points in 46 games with Langnau. Stuart played his trade in Germany with the Iserlohn Roosters and the right-winger netted 21 points in 45 games.

Scouting The Americans: Rochester comes into their home opener following an 8-1 loss against Grand Rapids in their season opener. The Americans are coming off of an appearance in the Western Conference Quarter-Finals, where they bowed out in three games against Toronto.

Leading scorer Mark Mancari has moved on to the Chicago Wolves, but the Americans return three of their top seven scorers from a season ago, including their leading defensive point getter Brayden McNabb (5-31-36). Centers Luke Adam (15-22-37) and Phil Varone (11-24-35) also return to Rochester. The Americans also acquired veteran forward Mike Zigomanis in the offseason, a Stanley Cup champion with the Penguins in 2009.

Leading goaltender David Leggio signed with the Washington Capitals in July, but returning are Matt Hackett, Connor Knapp and Nathan Lieuwen. Hackett, acquired midseason by the Sabres as a part of the Jason Pominville. brings 13 games of NHL experience to the Americans this season, with a career .914 save percentage in the world's top league.

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