CanucksArmy Utica Comets Post-Game: Lukas Jasek Debuts With Three Points. Comets Beat Springfield 6-5

4:05 pm Pacific

The 15th overall Utica Comets hit the road to Springfield today to take on the 25th ranked Thunderbirds, (Florida affiliate) for game number 70 of the Comets season. The Comets had 80 points coming into the day today, while the Thunderbirds had 65.

The Comets power play was the league’s 11th best, operating at 18.3%, while their penalty kill was ranked second in the AHL with a success rate of 85.9%. Springfield, for their part, had the league’s 28th ranked power play, operating at 13.9%, while their penalty kill sat ninth in the league with an 84.0% success rate.

Michael Chaput led the Comets active scoring leaders with 38 points in 50 games this season, while Patrick Wiercioch was second with 35 points in 53 games. Zack MacEwen rounded out the top three with 32 points in 64 games. Former Comets forward Curtis Valk sat atop the ‘Birds points list with 50 points in 66 games, while Anthony Greco sat second with 47 in 68 games. Another former Comet, Alex Grenier, was their third-leading scorer with 40 points in 65 games this season.

The Comets last played to a 3-1 win over Hershey yesterday, while the Thunderbirds were coming off of a 5-0 win over Bridgeport. The Comets had gone 6-4-0-0 over their previous 10 games, while the Thunderbirds had a record of 2-5-2-1 over the same span.

Springfield showed a home record of 19-12-3-1 coming into the day, while the Comets had a road record of 20-10-3-1 this season. Utica had scored 194 goals coming into today’s game while giving up 197. The Thunderbirds had been outscored by a count of 213-192 before today’s game.

The two clubs had squared off three times already this season with the Thunderbirds holding a two-games-to-one advantage in the season series. The Comets win came in overtime, while the Thunderbirds shut them out in their last contest by a 4-0 margin.

In other Comets news, with Thatcher Demko playing his first game in Vancouver today, the Comets needed to find another backup goalie. They did that today when they signed Paul Berrafato to a PTO. Thanks again to Ben Birnell of the Utica Observer-Dispatch for hunting that one down.

The team also signed defenseman Justin Hamonic and RW Dwyer Tschantz to PTO, (professional tryout) deals. Both men bring size to the table, but neither has been a big point producer over their careers.

One more thing to get to before I list the scratches and lineup. I received a comment on my last post from “bushdog” that the post was too lengthy and included 60% more information than he would like for his tastes. Well, bushdog, I include a link to the boxscore from the game in every post. It is always found right between the end of the third period and the “Three Stars in the building” segment. Consider that your 60% off sale.

Now that the Canucks game is in the books, Congrats to Thatcher Demko for picking up his first NHL win in his first NHL game. The Jackets made it interesting with a pair of late goals to send things to overtime, but Thatcher got the 5-4 overtime win none the less, making 26 saves in the process.

Scratched today for the Comets were: Yan-Pavel Laplante, (injured), Joe LaBate, (injured), Brendan Woods, (injured), Cam Darcy, (injured), Jayson Megna, (injured), Tony Cameranesi, (injured), Zack MacEwen, (injured), Patrick Wiercioch, (injured), Dylan Blujus, (injured), Zac Lynch , (illness), and Dwyer Tschantz.

34 Carter Bancks (C) – 10 Matt Leitner – 82 Andrew Cherniwchan

7 Tanner MacMaster – 21 Michael Chaput –  13 Griffen Molino

58 Michael Carcone – 36 Wacey Hamilton (A) – 40 Lukas Jasek

17 Alex D’Aoust – 19 Cole Cassels – 18 Vincent Arseneau

44 Adam Comrie – 5 Jalen Chatfield

55 Guillaume Brisebois – 29 Frankie Simonelli

26 Jaime Sifers (A) – 2 Justin Hamonic

32 Richard Bachman

The opening frame was a period of firsts for a couple of Comets rookies as Jalen Chatfield picked up his first pro goal and Lukas Jasek, who was playing his first game with the Comets picked up his first AHL point with an assist on the Chatfield marker, but we will get to that goal in due time.

Wacey Hamilton got things going when he lobbed a floater in on ‘Birds netminder Samuel Montembeault that was grabbed up and held for the whistle. Newcomer Justin Hamonic jumped right in and played today after signing his PTO and he sent a shot on net early that Montembeault turned aside. Michael Carcone followed up with a shot that was also shut down by the Springfield goaltender.

Bobby Farnham decided that Richard Bachman needed some action and he sent a shot his way that the Comets tender gobbled up and held for the whistle. Dryden Hunt came back looking for his chance, sending a shot on net that had Bachman lunging to make the save. There was a brief scramble in the Comets crease and Bachman found the puck and covered it up for a faceoff.

Bachman was slow to get up after the scramble and went to the bench for a moment or two and came back with a new bucket on his head. Comets play-by-play man Andy Zilch figured Bachman was using a veteran move to buy his team a few extra seconds after the scramble in their end.

Alex D’Aoust was whistled for slashing at the 7:34 mark and the Comets were headed to the penalty kill.

It took just over 30 seconds for the Thunderbirds to go up 1-0 when Alex Grenier slipped a point shot past Bachman for his 18th of the season. Tim Erixon earned his 19th helper of the year on the play, while Bobby Farnham picked up his 10th.

Josh Brown was looking to put the home team up 2-0 with a shot, but Bachman was ready and turned it aside.

Thomas Schemitsch was sent off for tripping at the 9:55 mark and it was the Comets turn to go to the man advantage. Frankie Simonelli would tie the game at one just 11 seconds later with a point shot that beat Montembeault for his third goal of the season. Tanner MacMaster earned his third assist of the season on the play, while Carter Bancks picked up his 12th.

The game was tied at one and the Comets kept coming. Alex D’Aoust sent a shot on net but it was turned aside before Carter Bancks won a footrace to a puck and he also sent an offering on the net that Montembeault was ready for. Michael Chaput followed up by sending a pass to Griffen Molino who used a nifty move to get into a scoring lane. Molino got his shot off from the circle, but Montembeault said no.

Jalen Chatfield got his bench roaring moments later when he put the Comets up 2-1 with his first career goal. Chatfield jumped into the play and took a pass that he buried behind Montembeault. Wacey Hamilton picked up his 14th helper of the season on the play, while newcomer Jukas Jasek grabbed his first AHL assist with the other.

Bachman followed up the Chatfield goal with a save that sent the puck the other way and the Comets drew a slashing penalty on Mark Fayne. The power play wouldn’t last long, however, as Tanner MacMaster was sent off for tripping moments later.

During the four-on-four play, Wacey Hamilton was dumped by Dryden Hunt and managed to get a shot away during the ensuing delayed penalty. Montembeault was ready with the save and Hunt was headed to the box.

During the four-on-three play, Frankie Simonelli ripped a one-timer wide before Michael Chaput put a shot on net that Montembeault got a piece of. Wacey Hamilton put the rebound in the net but the ref had already blown the whistle. No goal.

Cole Cassels took a drop pass from Vincent Arseneau and let fly with a shot that was turned aside. The Comets would come up empty with the extra man.

Arseneau was whistled for holding moments later and the Comets would finish the period on the penalty kill. Bachman came up with a pair of saves on Farnham and Anthony Greco to close out the opening frame.

The Comets showed a 15-10 advantage in shots in the first period.

The Comets managed to kill off what remained of the Arseneau penalty but right after he was released from the box, Dryden Hunt beat Bachman for his 20th goal of the season and the game was tied at two. Former Comets forward, Curtis Valk earned the lone assist for his 34th helper of the year.

Cameron Brown was looking for more when he sent a shot on the Comets net that Bachman denied. At the other end of the ice, Wacey Hamilton hit Carcone with a pass from out of the corner and Carcone sent his shot on net. Momtembeault once again had the answer.

Bachman followed up with a pair of saves at the other end. The first came off the stick of Grenier right in the Comets crease, but Bachman got the pad on it. Max Fortunus followed up with a heavy slapper from the high slot and Bachman swallowed it up for the whistle.

Hunt was headed back to the box for hooking at the 5:20 mark and the Comets would get another chance on the power play. Tanner MacMaster took a clearing play off his face and he headed to the bench. He would make his return soon after but the Comets power play would come up empty-handed.

Former Comets PTO player, Joel Lowry put the Thunderbirds up 3-2 when he beat Bachman for his second goal of the season. Dryden Hunt side-stepped a Justin Hamonic poke check and set up Lowry for the goal. The assist was the 18th of the season for Hunt, while Valk grabbed his 35th helper as well.

Bachman followed up with another save before Wacey Hamilton was whistled for hooking. Colton Saucerman managed to get a one-timer away that Bachman denied before Andrew Cherniwchan was whistled for slashing. Trent Cull was showing his faith in rookie rearguard, Jalen Chatfield, as he was one of the defenders sent out to kill off the five-on-three that the team was up against.

Alex Grenier had a one-timer tipped out of play before Bachman stymied Anthony Greco with a blocker save on a one-timer attempt and Hamilton was out of the box. The Comets still had the remainder of Cherniwchan’s penalty to kill off. Bobby Farnham had the best chance when he sent a one-timer at Bachman and the Comets netminder swallowed it up and held for the whistle. The Comets would come up with another good kill.

About a minute after Cherniwchan exited the box, Thomas Schemitsch beat Bachman for his 10th goal of the year to put the Thunderbirds up 4-2. Curtis Valk earned yet another assist, his 36th of the season, while Ed Wittchow picked up his 10th helper of the year.

Michael Carcone wasn’t going to take that goal sitting down as 16 seconds later he put his 14th goal of the season behind Montembeault. The Comets were back within a goal. Lukas Jasek continued his impressive first game by picking up his second helper on the Carcone marker, while Adam Comrie earned his 12th assist of the season on the play.

Ryan Horvat, (no relation to Bo) was sent to the penalty box for tripping…times two just seconds after the goal. Horvat tripped Wacey Hamilton and on the ensuing delayed penalty, he took another tripping call. The Comets were heading right back to the power play.

It took about a minute for Carter Bancks to pick up goal number three on the season to tie the game at four. Tanner MacMaster, who has been playing well since joining the club on an ATO, dished a sweet pass for Banks to one-touch into the net. The assist was the fourth of the season for MacMaster, while Michael Chaput picked up his 23rd helper of the year for the other assist.

Frankie Simonelli let fly with a one-timer that Montembeault got a piece of before he turned aside a Tanner MacMaster offering as well.

With the teams back to skating at five-on-five, Vincent Arseneau had a chance denied by the ‘Birds netminder before Jalen Chatfield was sent off for slashing. The Comets would finish the period on the kill…again. They would also manage to get out of the period without giving up another goal.

Springfield showed a 14-13 advantage for shots in the middle frame.

The Comets still had the remainder of the Chatfield penalty to kill off to start the period and the ‘Birds came with a couple of chances. First up was Dryden Hunt with an early shot that Bachman gobbled up for the whistle before Alex Grenier had his chance denied. The Comets would come up with another good kill.

The clubs would trade chances as Adam Comrie sent a shot on net that was stopped and held for the whistle before Tim Erixon let fly with a point shot that Bachman gloved down.

Chatfield then made his second trip to the box, this time for holding. Colton  Saucerman ripped a shot on Bachman after a faceoff win and the Comets netminder turned it aside before having to make another save on the resulting rebound chance.

Bachman would not be able to stop them all on this kill as Curtis Valk beat him for goal number 18 on the season. Valk took a Saucerman feed and went blocker high on Bachman. Saucerman earned his third helper of the year on the play, while goaltender Samuel Montembeault grabbed his first.

The Thunderbirds were now up 5-4 and Bobby Farnham was coming right back in on a breakaway, but Bachman was equal to the task. It was a bit of back and forth for a bit after that as Cherniwchan had a chance in close that was denied before Greco came the other way for a chance that Bachman got a piece of, Tim Erixon got the puck and let fly with a shot that Bachman steered off the glass.

Griffen Molino would put a puck off the post and then Frankie Simonelli would take a puck to the mumbles and head off the ice for some attention.

Time was running out on the Comets and they needed someone to step up and tie the game. Cole Cassels tried to be that player when he sent a backhander on net that Montembeault snatched up and held for a whistle…and then it happened… Lukas Jasek grabbed the puck and wired it, burying it blocker side on Montembeault and this game was tied at five. The goal was the first in the AHL for Jasek, but it was also his third point of the game. Guillaume Brisebois kept the points coming with his 15th helper of the season, while Wacey Hamilton grabbed his second helper of the day and 15th of the year.

That is one heck of a hot start to his AHL career for Jasek.

The Comets weren’t done there though, as they clearly didn’t feel like going to an extra frame for this one. Captain Carter Bancks would send the hometown fans filing out of the building just over a minute later when he scored his second of the game and fourth of the season to put the Comets up 6-5. Wacey Hamilton picked up his third helper of the day and 16th of the season on the play, while Cole Cassels earned his 19th assist of the year.

That was it in Springfield, the Comets won 6-5, but were outshot 11-6 in the final frame and 35-34 for the game.

The Three Stars in the Building today were:

3rd Star: Lukas Jasek. One goal, two assists.

2nd Star: Curtis Valk. One goal, three assists.

1st Star: Carter Bancks. Two goals, one assist.

3rd Star: Carter Bancks. The Comets captain picked up a pair of goals, including the game-winner, and added a helper today. Bancks generally doesn’t pile up the points but he is a hard-working player who leads by example. He plays in all situations for the Comets and will be an important player in the playoffs.

2nd Star: Wacey Hamilton. Hamilton grabbed three helpers today and did some great work on the penalty kill. Hamilton is another one of the Comets leaders and he is a gritty, hard-working player. He is up to 20 points on the season now and will be another player who will be leaned on come playoff time. Hamilton has done some great work this year in mentoring players like Cole Cassels on what it takes to be a good penalty killer and all around good pro.

1st Star: Lukas Jasek. There was no way that I wasn’t going to give the first star to Jasek in this one. He was signed just the other day to his ATO and hasn’t had much time with the team, but that didn’t stop him from picking up two helpers and scoring the game-tying goal. Jasek was doing solid work along the boards in this one, going into board battles and often coming away with the puck for his efforts. Jasek looked shifty at times and the pace of the game did not seem to be a problem for him. I look forward to what the young man will do going forward with the Comets, he could end up being a playoff performer for the club.

8:00 am Pacific