The Utica Comets and Rochester Americans needed overtime and then some, to settle Wednesday night’s contest at the Blue Cross Arena. After scoring in their two shootout attempts, and denying the Amerks in both of theirs, the Comets took home a 4-3 shootout victory.
Brendan Gaunce (0-2-2), and Andrey Pedan (1-1-2) enjoyed multi-point games for the boys in blue. Linden Vey (1-0-1), and Alex Friesen (1-0-1) tallied goals in regulation for the Comets, while Joe Cannata made 31 saves in the victory.
The Comets got the scoring going early just minutes into the game, and 15 seconds into their first power play of the evening. With the power play unit perfectly deployed in their umbrella formation, Taylor Fedun hammered a slap shot from a step inside the blue. Andrey Makarov made the save, but could not collect the rebound before Nicklas Jensen could tip it over to Brendan Gaunce, stationed to Makarov’s left. Gaunce one-touched a pass across the crease to Vey who tapped it in before Makarov could reposition himself.
The Amerks were able to return the favor with a power-play goal of their own just 1:01 into the second when Comets’ defenseman John Negrin errantly deflected a Matt Donovan shot on goal up and over his own goaltender. Former Comet Bobby Sanguinetti assisted on the tally.
Just three minutes later the Comet penalty-killing unit let them down for a second time. After Cannata turned aside a Chad Ruhwedel blast from the point, Dan Catenacci banged a rebound over the shoulder of the Comets goaltender for the 2-1 lead.
Pedan was able to make-up for his four minute double minor that kick-started the Amerks second period scoring frenzy at the midway point of the game. From up the half wall, Pedan let loose a rocket of a shot that beat Makarov to the short side. Taylor Fedun picked up an assist on the play.
The 2-2 score on the scoreboard would ultimately be short-lived. Evan Rodrigues walked the puck into the slot and ripped a wrist shot that went bar down on Cannata to reestablish the Amerks one-goal lead.
After killing four straight minutes down two men, and another minute and a half down one player, the Comets were able to tie the game back up. A fast break three-on-two started with a neutral zone turnover forced by Brendan Gaunce. After he gained entry to the Amerks zone, Gaunce pulled up and fed Pedan as he streaked down the slot. Pedan redirected the pass onto Makarov who denied the original shot before Friesen quickly buried the rebound into the net.
After a scoreless third period, and a thrilling end-to-end overtime, the Comets scored twice in the shootout, courtesy of Linden Vey and Nicklas Jensen, to cap off the big victory.
With the win, the Comets improved to 11-9-2-1 record. The Amerks’s record fell to 10-11-1-1 in the loss. The Comets fired 40 shots on goal, to the Crunch’s 34.

The goaltenders shined Friday night at the Utica Memorial Auditorium and combined to turn aside 55 of the 56 shots the Utica Comets and the Toronto Marlies fired on net. In the end, it was the Marlies’ goaltender, Jonathan Bernier, who stood tall and turned aside all 27 of the Comets shots to earn Toronto the 2-0 victory.
Comets goaltender Richard Bachman pitched in an incredible 29-save performance, reminiscent of his Calder Cup Semifinals performance Comets fans saw last season.
It took two and a half periods for the game’s first goal to be scored. 10:43 into the third period the Marlies scored the go ahead goal when Richard Panik received a pass from Josh Leivo, from behind the net, and slipped it past Bachman.
Rich Clune chipped in an empty-net goal with 10 seconds left to cap off the 2-0 game.
Toronto outshot the Comets 30-27. Both teams failed to take advantage of seven power plays throughout the game.
The loss drops the Comets to 11-10-2-1, while the win improved the Marlies record to 19-5-1-0.

Down 4-3 late in the third period to the North Division leading Toronto Marlies, the Utica Comets found a way to strike twice in 1:16 of game action to defeat the Marlies 5-4 in overtime. John Negrin’s goal with a minute left tied the game before Alex Friesen’s short-handed tally 16 seconds into overtime ended the game.
Jordan Subban (2-0-2), Alex Friesen (2-0-2), and Michael Zalewski (1-0-1) provided the offense for the Comets, while Joe Cannata made 19 saves in the victory.
The scoring kicked off on a Comets three-on-two odd man rush. Blair Jones cut across the top of the circle, to the high slot, and slid a backhand pass through the skates of a Marlies defenseman, and onto the stick of Subban. Subban quickly flipped a backhand to the far side of Jonathan Bernier as the goaltender slid across the crease. The goal stopped Bernier’s shutout streak at 203 minutes and 38 seconds. Blair Jones’ assist on the goal was the 300th point of his professional career.
The Marlies evened the score when Matt Frattin emerged from the corner uncontested and slipped a sneaky backhand over Cannata’s shoulder for a power-play tally.
A minute into the second period Friesen reestablished the Comets lead. On a two-on-one rush, Friesen cut to the hashmarks and let a wrist shot loose that beat Bernier. Jon Landry picked up an assist on the play.
Just 50 seconds later Zalewski cashed in with a highlight-reel worthy goal. With one hand fighting off a Marlies defender as Zalewski drove to the net, he used his one free hand to flip the puck up-and-over the extended leg pad of Bernier.
From there, the Marlies mounted their comeback.
The comeback was kicked off when Eric Faille slipped a shot past Cannata.
Utica appeared to have stretched their lead to 4-2 when Ashton Sautner put the puck into the net behind Bernier. The on-ice officials convened and controversially waved the goal off, citing incidental goaltender’s interference in the crease. The replay appeared to show a Marlies defender grazing Bernier, who was positioned about two feet outside of the crease.
Then, William Nylander, the American Hockey League’s points leader, forced the game’s third tie when an uncontested, point blank shot from just above the crease slipped through the pads of Cannata, with just 27 seconds left in the second period.
After the Comets took a too many men penalty, Mark Arcobello capitalized eight seconds into the power play to give the Marlies their first lead of the game.
With the game looking dire for the Comets, and their net empty in favor of an extra attacker, Jordan Subban fired a shot through heavy traffic in the slot, and past Bernier to tie the game at 4 with exactly a minute left. Linden Vey and Alexandre Grenier recorded assists on the goal.
With Wacey Hamilton in the penalty box for a slashing minor, Alex Friesen stepped up and provided the heroics.
With the Marlies trying to gain entry into the Comets zone, Travis Ehrhardt forced a turnover that sprung Friesen on a breakaway. With a defender draped over his back, Friesen got enough on his shot to slip the puck through the leg pads of Bernier and win the game for the Comets.