CanucksArmy Utica Comets Pre-Game: Game #57, Laval Rocket at Utica Comets

Game #57

Laval Rocket at Utica Comets

Saturday, February 29th, 2020

7:00 pm Eastern/4:00 pm Pacific

The 26-24-5-3 Laval Rocket, (Montreal affiliate) are in town today to take on the 31-20-3-2 Utica Comets at 7:00 pm Eastern/4:00 Pacific for game number 57 of the season. With 60 points, the Rocket currently hold down the sixth spot in the North Division, while the Comets are in third with 67 points for their season’s work.

Laval shows a record of 3-5-1-1 over their previous 10 contests, while the Comets have gone 6-3-1-0 over that same span. The Comets have won three straight and are coming off of a 7-3 dismantling of the Toronto Marlies. The Rocket, for their part, last played to a 4-2 loss to Rochester.

The Comets have been relatively consistent this season whether they’ve been at home or on the road, showing a record of 16-10-2-1 at home and 15-10-1-1 away from the Adirondack Bank Center. The Rocket, meanwhile, have gone 16-9-2-2 at home while going 10-15-3-1 on the road.

The teams do not look remotely the same in terms of goal differential as the Comets have outscored the competition by a margin of 199-174, leaving them at a plus-25 for their efforts. Laval has been outscored by a count of 177-165 to leave them at minus-12.

The Comets have had the better overall special teams this year, no matter how you slice it. Utica has gone 50/225 on the power play this year, giving them a success rate of 22.2% overall. At home, they have gone 26/119 for a 21.8% success rate. Their penalty kill has allowed 45 goals while down a man 237 times to give them an overall success rate of 81.0%. At home, they have allowed 21 goals while down a man 127 times for a success rate of 83.5%.

The Rocket, for their part, have an overall record of 49/254 on the power play, giving them a success rate of 19.3%. On the road, they have gone 20/129 for a 15.5% success rate. Their penalty kill has allowed 46 goals while down a man 241 times, giving them an overall success rate of 80.9%. On the road, they have allowed 22 goals while down a man 121 times for an 81.8% success rate.

Laval was kind of stripped for parts at the trade deadline this year, between call-ups and trades, they have lost their top three scorers. That leaves newcomer Laurent Dauphin as the club’s current points leader with 12 goals and 13 assists, giving him 25 points in 54 games split between Milwaukee and Laval. Alex Alain sits second with nine goals and 12 helpers, giving him 21 points in 56 games, while Otto Leskinen rounds out their top three with his two goals and 18 assists, putting him at 20 points in 48 games this season.

Jake Lucchini is the team’s rookie leader with seven goals and eight assists, giving him 15 points in 57 games split between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Laval. Brogan Rafferty leads all Comets rookies with seven goals and 34 assists to give himself 41 points in 52 games this year.

Reid Boucher is back in his rightful spot atop the AHL scorer’s list with 31 goals and 32 assists, giving him 63 points in 49 games. Those 63 points represent a new single-season record for the Comets… and for Reid. Boucher’s 32nd assist is a new high for him and his next goal will mark a new high as well. Nikolay Goldobin sits second with 19 goals and 30 assists, giving him 49 points in his 49 games played, while Justin Bailey sits third with 27 goals and 18 assists, good enough for 45 points in 48 games. Bailey scored his 100th pro goal yesterday and matched his career-high of 45 points in the AHL.

The two clubs have squared off in five games already this season with the Comets holding a three-games-to-two advantage while outscoring Laval 20-18.

The Comets power play has had success against the Rocket, going 11/25 for a 44% success rate, while they have allowed six goals to Laval while down a man for a success rate of 70%.

This series has been Carter Camper’s world and everyone else is just living in it as he has picked up eight points for his efforts. Reid Boucher has six points, as does Jake Evans, but he is currently up with the Habs. Nikolay Goldobin and Jonah Gadjovich have five each, while eight others have picked up four points along the way.

In net, the Comets have used Mikey DiPietro and Zane McIntyre, while Charlie Lindgren, Michael McNiven, and Cayden Primeau have all suited up for the Rocket.

DiPietro shows a record of 2-0-1 while putting up a goals-against-average of 2.99 along with a save percentage of 0.919%. McIntyre managed a record of 1-1-0 while putting up a GAA of 4.50 and a save percentage of 0.845%.

Lindgren has gone 0-1-0 with a 3.07 GAA and a save percentage of 0.880%, while McNiven shows a record of 1-0-0 with a 3.95 GAA and 0.886% save percentage. Primeau, for his part, has gone 1-2-0 while putting up a 4.11 GAA and a save percentage of 0.831%.

The two clubs will get after it today in Utica at 7:00 pm Eastern/4:00 pm Pacific. As always, stay tuned for your CanucksArmy Post-Game Report following today’s action.