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AHL Utica Comets

Gameday: Comets at Syracuse

April 5, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release


UTICA COMETS (31-29-4-4) @ SYRACUSE CRUNCH (28-30-4-7)

Way Memorial at OnCenter, 7pm

Radio: 94.9 K-Rock | TV: Time Warner Cable Sports

Tonight's Game: The Utica Comets look to remain on the playoff push, as they travel up the Thruway for the final time this season to take on the Syracuse Crunch.  The Comets sit five points behind eighth place Charlotte, with two games in hand on the Checkers.

When They Last Met: The Utica Comets moved one step closer to the Galaxy Cup, with a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory over the Syracuse Crunch on Feb. 21.  Brandon DeFazio was the overtime hero, as he scored the game-winning goal with just 58 seconds left in the game. Nicklas Jensen also scored for Utica, his seventh marker during the month of February, while Cal O'Reilly added two assists. Joacim Eriksson picked up the victory, with 25 saves on 26 shots.

Comets Outlook: The Utica Comets used a team record five-goal second period to surge past the visiting Toronto Marlies on Friday evening in front of a sold out and rambunctious Utica Memorial Auditorium. Pascal Pelletier once again led the way with two goals, while Alex Friesen (1-1-2) and Kellan Lain (0-2-2) also had multi-point evenings.  Winger Brandon DeFazio and defenseman Frank Corrado also scored for Utica, which evened its series against the Marlies at two games apiece. Joacim Eriksson turned aside 21 of 22 shots, as he earned his 22nd victory of the season.

Crunch Outlook: The Crunch were victorious 2-1 over the Albany Devils last evening at the War Memorial.  Cedric Paquette scored late in the second period to knot the score at one, before Evan Rankin found the game winning goal midway through the third period.  Kristers Gudlevskis made 16 saves on 17 shots to earn the victory, while Scott Wedgewood was defeated as he turned aside 23 of 25.

The Drive For Five: The Utica Comets put on a display during the second period last night against Toronto, as they set the franchise record for goals in a single period, with five.  The Comets, who had scored five goals in an entire game just twice prior, broke the record set with four goals in the second period against Rockford on Feb. 9.

Short And Sweet: Courtesy of Pascal Pelletier's second goal of the night, the Utica Comets have now scored a shorthanded goal in four consecutive games.  The sudden surge, which has also seen goals from Alex Biega, Alex Friesen and Jeremy Welsh, has vaulted the Comets into a tie for sixth in the AHL in shorthanded goals (9) this season.

Pascal Collect: Utica Comets center Pascal Pelletier collected his fifteenth multi-point game of the season last night against Toronto and has now collected nine points (5-4-9) over his past seven games. Pelletier, who also has five goals over his past six games, is now tied for 13th in the league with 57 points (17-40-57) this season and tied for eighth with his 40 assists.

Frieseeee (Everybody Clap Your Hands): Despite seeing the calendar flipped from March to April, center Alex Friesen has remained on a tear with now 11 points over his past 12 games.  Friesen has each of his four career multi-point games over that stretch and has accounted for nearly 85% of his points this season on his current run.

Time Welsh Spent: Center Jeremy Welsh is currently riding a team best four game point streak, extended by his primary assist on Alex Friesen's goal during the second period on Friday.  Welsh had scored a goal in his past two games prior to last night.  The Union College graduate now has 11 points (4-7-11) on the season.

Scouting The Syracuse: Winger and top Tampa Bay prospect Brett Connolly leads the Crunch in scoring this season, with 47 points (18-29-47) over 57 games played.  Center Cedric Paquette is tied with Connolly for the team high in goals.  Winger Jonathan Marchessault, a midseason acquisition from Springfield, has 48 total points (17-31-48) over 68 games split between the two teams.  Marchessault has three goals and four assists over 12 games with the Crunch.

Defenseman Dmitry Korobov tops the Crunch defensive corps with 22 points (2-20-22) over 62 games played, while Nikita Nesterov leads all active blueliners with four goals over 53 games. Matt Taormina had six goals before he was moved to Springfield in the swap for Marchessault.

Goaltenders Kristers Gudlevskis (31) and Cedric Desjardins (29) have split action this season.  Gudlevskis, a hero from the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi where he represented his native Latvia, leads all active Syracuse netminders with 16 victories, a .907 save percentage and a 2.56 goals against average. Gudlevskis is also tied for the league lead with five shutouts.  Desjardins has recorded a .902 save percentage and a 2.82 goals against average this season.

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