Sellout Crowd Sees Comets Fall to Syracuse
April 18, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release
UTICA, NY - In front of a passionate sellout crowd at the Adirondack Bank Center, the Utica Comets battled the Syracuse Crunch in the final home game of the season on Friday night. Despite a valiant effort and a pair of goals from forward Ryan Schmelzer, the Comets came up just short in a 3-2 loss.
The building was buzzing from the opening puck drop, and Ryan Schmelzer gave the home fans something to cheer about early in the second period. Just 38 seconds in, the captain ripped a shot from the right side, collected his own rebound, and buried it to give Utica a 1-0 lead.
Syracuse responded with two quick goals midway through the frame, including a power-play tally, to take a 2-1 advantage. But Schmelzer wasn't done yet. With 9:09 remaining in the second, he connected on a sharp pass from Cam Squires and launched a rocket into the top right corner to even the score at two. Lukas Reid also picked up an assist on the play.
The game remained tied into the third until Syracuse's Dylan Duke netted the eventual game-winner just 53 seconds into the final frame. Utica pushed hard in the closing minutes, but couldn't find the equalizer.
Despite the loss, the night was a celebration of the fans, who packed the building one last time and made their voices heard from start to finish.
The Comets will now close out the regular season on the road tomorrow at Syracuse.
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from April 18, 2025
- Colorado Claims Pacific Division Crown with 3-2 Win Over Roadrunners - Colorado Eagles
- Abbotsford Posts a Big Third Period to Take a 4-1 Win Over the Coachella Valley Firebirds - Abbotsford Canucks
- Griffins Drop Penultimate Regular Season Game in Rockford - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Moose Battle Back But Fall To Stars - Manitoba Moose
- Admirals Claim Central Division Title - Milwaukee Admirals
- Amerks Shut Out By Marlies In Home Finale - Rochester Americans
- Four-Goal First Period Powers Stars Past Moose - Texas Stars
- Jacob Melanson Scores Lone Goal in 4-1 Loss to Canucks - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Put a Bow on It- Phantoms Demolish Cleveland in Home Finale - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Rockford Rocks Grand Rapids 4-1 in Slugfest - Rockford IceHogs
- Wolves Blanked by Admirals 5-0 - Chicago Wolves
- Sens' Playoff Push Ends in 5-1 Loss in Laval - Belleville Senators
- Cleveland Monsters Clinch Playoff Berth, Open at Rocket Arena Thursday - Cleveland Monsters
- Dylan Roobroeck Scores 20th Goal as Wolf Pack Down Islanders 4-1 - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Wolf Pack Tops Islanders - Bridgeport Islanders
- T-Birds' Comeback Thwarted by Checkers' PK - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Penguins Fight Hard But Lose to Bears, 4-2 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Sellout Crowd Sees Comets Fall to Syracuse - Utica Comets
- Monsters Fall to Phantoms, Despite Loss Clinch Playoff Berth - Cleveland Monsters
- Bears Take Down Penguins 4-2, Clinch Division - Hershey Bears
- Syracuse Crunch to Face Rochester Americans in North Division Semifinals - Syracuse Crunch
- Charlotte Defeats Springfield 4-2 on the Road - Charlotte Checkers
- Charlotte Defeats Springfield, 4-2, on the Road - Charlotte Checkers
- Crunch Defeat Comets, 3-2 - Syracuse Crunch
- IceHogs Announce 2024-25 Team Awards - Rockford IceHogs
- Wranglers Fall 8-3 to Barracuda - Calgary Wranglers
- Barracuda Explode for Eight Goals in 8-3 Win over Wranglers - San Jose Barracuda
- San Diego Gulls to Host Fan Appreciation Night Saturday, April 19 - San Diego Gulls
- Firebirds Clinch Home-Ice for First Round of Calder Cup Playoffs - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Penguins Call up Jack Beck, Chase Pietila from Wheeling - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- O'Reilly Named Winner of Fred T. Hunt Award - Milwaukee Admirals
- Milwaukee's Cal O'Reilly Voted Winner of AHL's Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award for 2024-25 - AHL
- Amerks Single Game Tickets for North Division Semifinals to Go on Sale Saturday - Rochester Americans
- Preview: Phantoms vs. Monsters, Game #71 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Wolf Pack Conclude 2024-25 Season vs. Islanders - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Penguins, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Suspension to Islanders' Beckman Reduced to Eight Games - AHL
- Game Preview: Condors v Knights, 7 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- IceHogs Play Home Finale against Grand Rapids - Rockford IceHogs
- Preview: Islanders at Wolf Pack - Bridgeport Islanders
- Game #71 Preview: Tucson Roadrunners (33-31-4-2) vs Colorado Eagles (42-20-5-3) - Tucson Roadrunners
- Austin Watson Reassigned to Griffins - Grand Rapids Griffins
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
