CanucksArmy Utica Comets Post-Game: Comets Fall Short in 5-4 Shootout Loss to Belleville

Game #16

At Belleville Senators

Wednesday, November 14th, 2018

7:00 pm Eastern/4:00 pm Pacific

The 23rd overall Utica Comets rolled into Belleville today to take on the 27th ranked Senators, (Ottawa affiliate) for game number 16 of the season. The Comets had a record of 6-8-1-0 coming into today’s action, giving them 13 points on the season. The Sens, for their part, were showing a record of 6-8-0-0, giving themselves 12 points so far this year.

The Comets brought the AHL’s 15th ranked power play into Belleville, going 13/65 for a success rate of 20.0%. Their penalty kill was sitting 13th in the league, giving up 11 goals while down a man 63 times for an 82.5% success rate.

The Sens had the league’s seventh-best power play, scoring 15 goals while up a man 63 times for a success rate of 23.8%. Their penalty kill was ranked 25th, giving up 16 goals while shorthanded 67 times for a 76.1% success rate.

Utica had gone 3-6-1-0 over their previous 10 games, while Belleville had gone 4-6-0-0 over that same span. In their last contest, the Comets lost 5-1 to Binghamton, while the Sens last played to an 8-2 loss to the Toronto Marlies.

The Comets had a road record of 4-2-1-0 coming into today’s game, while the Sens were sporting a home record of 4-4-0-0 this season. Belleville had been outscored by a 52-44 margin so far this year, while Utica had been outscored 54-42 by their opponents this season.

Olli Juolevi led all Comets rookies with one goal and 10 assists, giving him 11 points through 15 games this year. Drake Batherson led all Sens rookies with seven goals and 10 helpers, giving him 20 points through 14 games. Batherson wouldn’t be handy for the Sens today as he has been called up to Ottawa.

Batherson also led all Sens players in points with those same totals. Rudolphs Balcers sat second with five goals and six assists to give himself 11 points in 14 games. Adam Tambellini rounded out their top-three with six goals and four helpers, giving him 10 points in 14 contests.

Reid Boucher was the Comets leader with nine goals and 12 points through eight games played. Boucher has missed the last seven games with an ankle injury but is expected to play today. I’m guessing the power play will see a boost over the next couple of games with Reid back in the fold. Zack MacEwen sat second in scoring for the Comets with six goals and six helpers through 15 games, giving him 12 points. Tanner Kero rounded out the Comets top-three with three goals and eight assists, good for 11 points in 15 games played.

With injuries and call-ups ravaging the Comets forward ranks, the club signed Tony Cameranesi to a PTO, (professional tryout) deal this week to help fill in the gaps. Cameranesi, as you may recall, spent 34 games with the Comets last season, picking up eight points while with the team on PTO deals. He also plays the middle and we know how thin the Comets are at that position.

 

Kole Lind, (injured, week-to-week) Wacey Hamilton, (injured, week-to-week) Cam Darcy, (injured, week-to-week) Vincent Arseneau, (injured, week-to-week), Jesse Graham, Dylan Blujus, Petrus Palmu, and Reid Gardiner.

54 Jonathan Dahlen – 10 Tanner Kero – 24 Reid Boucher (A)

58 Michael Carcone – 27 Tony Cameranesi – 15 Zack MacEwen

19 Tanner MacMaster – 9 Lukas Jasek – 34 Carter Bancks (C)

22 Jonah Gadjovich – 21 Brendan Woods – 12 Alex Kile

48 Olli Juolevi – 26 Jaime Sifers (A)

6 Ashton Sauter – 5 Jalen Chatfield

55 Guillaume Brisebois – 2 Evan McEneny

31 Ivan Kulbakov

33 Connor LaCouvee (backing up)

This first period was a bit of slow one as far as action goes as the two clubs managed just 12 shots on net between them in the opening stanza.

Zack MacEwen showed up with a pair of solid hits early in the offensive zone before Filip Chlapik was whistled for a delay of game at the 1:23 mark of the period. Take note of the time of that penalty for later in the game.

The Comets rolled out power play groups of Dahlen, Kero, MacEwen, Juolevi, and Boucher on one unit. The other consisted of MacMaster, Jasek, Gadjovich, Carcone, and McEneny. Neither unit would gain much traction and they would come up short.

Moments after the penalty expired, Jonathan Racine struck for his first goal of the season with a floater from the left side. Christian Wolanin picked up his seventh helper of the year on the play, while Andrew Sturtz earned his third.

The game had a bit of a lull after the goal before Jalen Chatfield stepped up with a nice pinch in the offensive zone to keep the play alive for his team.

At the other end of the ice, Kulbakov covered the puck with a net-side scramble and he held for the whistle. The Comets were scrambly in their own end for a shift with the Woods, Gadjovich, Kile line out there with Sautner and Chatfield.

Reid Boucher was back in the lineup and his presence was a welcomed addition. The Comets sharpshooter hit Tanner Kero with a touch pass to send the pivot in for a scoring chance that saw him get hauled down by Wolanin. The Comets were headed back to the man advantage.

We saw the good Juolevi on this power play, followed up by the not as good player of the same name as Olli let fly with a shot that was gloved down by Belleville netminder, Filip Gustavsson. On the ensuing play, Juolevi found himself with time and space to unload for a scoring chance but elected instead to pass the puck to Jonathan Dahlen, putting his offering well out of Dahlen’s reach. It was another learning moment for Juolevi…we will see more of those throughout the season as he adapts to the AHL game.

The Comets would come up empty on the power play once more.

Alex Kile uncorked a stiff hit at the Sens blueline before Brendan Woods freed Zack MacEwen for a chance that TheBigFella sent over the Belleville net.

Jalen Chatfield was crushed by a hit in the Comets zone, and the young defender stayed down on the ice for a few tense moments before making his way back to the bench under his own power. Chatfield would be back out for his next shift.

Guillaume Brisebois and Evan McEneny have been paired together over the last few games and the duo are starting to look like they are building some chemistry. Brisebois hit McEneny for a one-timer that was stopped, but Dahlen should also get some credit for the feed to Brisebois to get the play started in the first place. Dahlen is starting to get on a nice little roll.

The trio of Lukas Jasek between Tanner MacMaster and Carter Bancks had a nice shift in the Sens zone in the late going. I like that the club is giving Jasek an honest look in the middle. Trent Cull mentioned in his pre-game interview with Comets play-by-play man, Joe Roberts that he likes Bancks better along the wall and that is part of the reason why Jasek is getting this chance. The Comets could really use someone who can make plays from the middle, and while I’m not certain that Jasek is the man for that particular job, he does have a great shot, he skates really well, and he is relentless on the forecheck. He’s worth a look at developing as a centre.

As the period came to a close, we saw Ashton Sautner come up with a nice stick along the boards in his own end to thwart a Sens rush before Wolanin got the last shot of the period away. Kulbakov was ready with a blocker save.

The two clubs were tied with six shots apiece in the opening frame.

The second period was a little bit more exciting as we saw six goals scored between the teams with the Comets grabbing three with the man advantage.

There was some early back and forth before Kulbakov came up with a save on a point shot and he held for the whistle.

Ben Sexton was whistled for slashing at the 1:23 mark and the Comets were headed to the power play…remember in the first period when I asked you to take note of the time of the game’s first penalty?

It didn’t take long for the Comets to convert with the man advantage as Michael Carcone hammered home a point shot to beat Gustavsson for his third goal of the year. Carcone just keeps getting the job done for the Comets. Evan McEneny picked up the lone assist on the play for his second helper of the season.

Kulbakov followed up with a nice save to help keep the momentum on his club’s side. He wouldn’t be able to stop the next one, however, as Chlapik snuck one through a bit of a crowd for his third goal of the season. Andreas Englund earned his second helper of the year on the play, while Ben Sexton picked up his third.

The Sens kept their collective foot on the go pedal as less than a minute later, they went up 3-1 when Jack Rodewald beat Kulbakov from the slot for his fourth goal of the year and the Comets found themselves in a hole. Jonathan Racine was awarded his first assist of the season on the Rodewald marker, while Nick Paul grabbed his fifth.

Kulbakov followed up the two goals with another save before we saw some pretty sloppy hockey from both clubs for a couple of shifts.

Racine was sent off for slashing at the 7:56 mark and it was back to the power play for the Comets. Moments later, Patrick Sieloff was whistled for a high-stick and the Comets had 1:46 of five-on-three time to work with.

Juolevi had a blast gobbled up by Gustavsson before Tanner Kero saw his chance kicked away by the netminder. Kero wasn’t done there though, as he beat Gustavsson for his fourth goal of the season to make it a 3-2 game. Jonathan Dahlen grabbed his seventh helper of the year on the play, while Juolevi picked up his 11th.

There’s that Dahlen fellow picking up another primary assist. Some filthy passes have been coming off the blade of his stick all season.

A little over 30 seconds later, Julius Bergman was sent off for slashing and the Comets were back to the two-man advantage. Juolevi fed Boucher for a pass and the winger ripped his shot high over the net.

It wouldn’t be a Comets power play this year without us seeing a shorthanded scoring chance and this one was no different as Sieloff beat Juolevi to a loose puck at the Sens blueline and broke in for a chance that was denied by a big Kulbakov save.

Zack MacEwen evened things at three when he gathered up a loose puck and picked his spot for his seventh goal of the season. TheBigFella played in 66 games last season and scored 10 goals…he’s up to seven in just 16 games this season. Evan McEneny grabbed his third helper of the year on the play, while Dahlen picked up his eighth.

Kulbakov followed up with a trio of saves before Carcone had a chance of his own gloved down at the other end of the ice. Tanner Kero tipped a Dahlen offering but Gustavsson turned it aside as well.

Paul Carey walked into the Comets zone, uncontested and put his team up 4-3 at the 15:27 mark for his first of the season. Jordan Murray picked up his seventh assist of the season on the play, while Nick Paul grabbed his sixth.

Jonah Gadjovich has been seeing regular ice lately and it is showing in his game. The sturdy winger let fly with a shot from the left side that was turned aside before he followed up with a pass to Brendan Woods for a shot that was also denied by Gustavsson.

Unfortunately, Gadjovich would also end up heading to the box seconds later when he was whistled for hooking at the 16:14 mark.

Carcone and MacEwen were being used as a pair of penalty killers up front, with Sautner and Chatfield on the blueline. Kulbakov had to come up with back-to-back saves to keep his team in the game.

The Comets would come up with a good kill.

The period wound down with Lukas Jasek hitting Jaime Sifers with a nice feed and the veteran defender saw his shot gobbled up by Gustavsson.

Utica showed a 17-12 edge in shots for the middle frame.

The Comets started out the third period having a tough time getting out of their zone before Tanner MacMaster set Carter Bancks up with a nice feed for a scoring chance. Bancks saw his shot kicked aside by Gustavsson.

Kulbakov came up with a save on Chlapik from in close before Jordan Murray was sent off for tripping at the 4:06 mark. The Comets had some good zone time with their first unit but were unable to gain any traction. The second unit would fare no better and the Comets came up empty.

Ben Sexton would make sure that his team kept on killing penalties as he was soon fingered for a high-stick and the Comets had the man advantage once again.

Juolevi teed up a one-timer for Boucher, but Gustavsson swallowed up the offering and held for the whistle. The penalty trouble continued for the Sens when former Comets forward, Joe LaBate was sent off for interference at the 7:37 mark, rewarding the Comets with another five-on-three man advantage.

It didn’t take long for Tanner Kero to bury his second of the game and fifth of the season when he beat Gustavsson with a Reid Boucher Special, burying a one-timer from one knee into the net. Juolevi picked up his 12th assist of the year on the play, while Boucher earned his fourth.

Michael Carcone broke down the left side with the puck, trying his luck with a short-side chance that was turned aside. At the other end of the ice, Kulbakov made a save on Wolanin through traffic before making an alert save on a Sieloff shot that was tipped on its way through to him.

Lukas Jasek showed some speed as he worked down the right side boards before getting a shot off that was denied by Gustavsson. The Comets kept it coming as Tony Cameranesi broke in with Carcone for a chance that was shut down before Carcone showed his wheels once again to break in for another chance that was kicked aside with a pad save.

Kulbakov had to come up with another big save in the dying seconds and this one would need an extra frame. Utica showed a 10-8 advantage in shots for the third period.

Overtime went by quickly as Wolanin had another chance denied as Kulbakov got a glove on his offering before Carcone went the other way for a chance that was denied as well. Kulbakov gobbled up another shot of his own before making a quick reaction save on another tipped shot.

Reid Boucher had a pair of chances denied in the dying seconds. Overtime would solve nothing and we were off to the shootout. Belleville showed a 5-3 advantage in shots during the overtime period.

Rudolph Balcers – Scored on the backhander.

Jonathan Dahlen – Put shot over the net, no goal.

Gabriel Gagne – Put shot off the post, no goal.

Michael Carcone – Tried a backhander, no gaol.

Adam Tambellini – Scored, game-winning goal.

Michael Carcone (3) from Evan McEneny (2). Power play goal.

Tanner Kero (4) from Jonathan Dahlen (7) and Olli Juolevi (11). Power play goal.

Zack MacEwen (7) from Evan McEneny (3) and Jonathan Dahlen (8). Power play goal.

Tanner Kero (5) from Olli Juolevi (12) and Reid Boucher (4). Power play goal.

3rd Star: Adam Tambellini. Game winning shootout goal.

2nd Star: Nick Paul. Two assists.

1st Star: Jonathan Racine. One goal, one assist.

3rd Star: Michael Carcone. Carcone has been playing very well of late and he has been rewarded with some points along the way. He picked up another goal today and put five shots on net. He has five points over his last six games and is currently clicking along at 0.67 points/game. Carcone uses his speed well and I wouldn’t mind seeing him play with a couple of players who could probably take advantage of that speed in Tanner MacMaster and Lukas Jasek. I think the trio could put teams back on their heels with speed and well-placed passing plays.

2nd Star: Jonathan Dahlen. Dahlen is another player who is starting to hit his stride a little. He picked up a pair of assists today and now has 10 points in 15 games. That puts him on the same 0.67 points/game pace as Carcone. He has six points in his last six games and has been feeding some sweet passes all over the ice. He still needs to show more consistency on the ice, but he is back going to the dirty areas more often. Dahlen will need some more time, but his game looks like it is trending in the right direction after a bit of a slower start than many expected for him this year.

1st Star: Tanner Kero. Kero grabbed a pair of goals today and now has five on the season to go along with eight assists to give him a share of the team lead with 13 points. Boucher, MacEwen, Kero, and Juolevi all have 13 points on the season now. He has five points in his last six games and he has been bringing a steady game while taking on work with both special teams and playing top fiddle in the middle for the Comets since the start of the season. Kero is currently putting up 0.81 points/game and has been good on both sides of the puck.

Game #17

Vs Syracuse Crunch

Friday, November 16th, 2018

7:00 pm Eastern/4:00 pm Pacific