2:05 pm Pacific

The 11th overall Utica Comets kept their brief road trip going today as they headed to Binghamton to take on the 30th ranked Devils, (New Jersey affiliate), for the Comets 59th game of the season. Utica had 69 points coming into the day, while Binghamton had 45.

The Comets power play had dropped from fourth in the AHL to sixth since yesterday, now operating at 19.1%, while their penalty kill had moved up from fourth to third with an 86.0% effective rate. The Devils power play sat 22nd in the league, operating at 15.9%, while their penalty kill was the league’s 21st best with an 81.9% effective rate.

As the Comets haven’t scored a goal for the past two contests, their leading scorers have not changed. Reid Boucher was still the leader with 45 points in 44 games, while Patrick Wiercioch was still the blue-line leader with 26 points in 42 games played. Defenseman Jacob MacDonald was the Devils leading scorer with 40 points in 56 games, while Bracken Kearns led their forward group with 38 points in 56 games this season.

The Comets were coming off a 3-0 beating at the hands of the Belleville Senators for their fifth straight loss, while the Devils last played to a 4-0 loss to Lehigh Valley. The Comets brought a road record of 17-6-3-1 into the game today, while the Devils had gone 9-15-3-1 at home this season.

The Devils had been outscored by their competition by a count of 181-134 this season, while the Comets had outscored their opponents by a 166-163 margin. So far this season, the two teams had faced off in five games, with Utica holding a four-games-to-one advantage in the series with one of their wins coming via overtime. The Comets had outscored the Devils 12-7 thus far in the season series.

Scratched today for the Comets were: Carter Bancks, (injured), Yan-Pavel Laplante, (injured), Cam Darcy, (injured), Jayson Megna, (injured), Brendan Woods, (injured), Evan McEneny, (injured), Joe LaBate, (injured), Jalen Chatfield, (sick), and Griffen Molino.

24 Reid Boucher – 21 Michael Chaput (A) – 19 Cole Cassels

58 Michael Carcone – 36 Wacey Hamilton (A) – 15 Zack MacEwen

22 David Dziurzynski – 27 Tony Cameranesi – 17 Alexis D’Aoust

44 Adam Comrie – 82 Andrew Cherniwchan – 39 Zac Lynch

28 Patrick Wiercioch – 26 Jaime Sifers (A)

6 Ashton Sautner – 8 Dylan Blujus

55 Guillaume Brisebois – 29 Frankie Simonelli

32 Richard Bachman

The Comets would be facing a goaltender who Canucks fans are familiar with today as former Canuck, Eddie Lack got the start for the Devils.

The two teams would have a good bit of back and forth early as they looked to be feeling each other out. Perhaps both teams were a little gun-shy after coming off of shutout losses. Michael Chaput would get the first decent scoring chance when he sent a hot-shot in on Lack, but the taco-loving netminder made the save and held for a whistle.

At the other end of the ice, Richard Bachman turned aside a shot from Nick Lappin before Blake Pietila used a backhander to beat the Comets netminder for his ninth goal of the season. Jan Mandat earned his fifth helper of the year on the play, while Steven Santini picked up his first. It was 4:26 into the game and the Comets were down 1-0.

Trent Cull was using the line blender yesterday and he was at it again today, rolling several different line combos over the boards looking for an edge.

Bachman would make a save on a low shot from Mario Lucia before Jan Mandat was sent off for holding to give the Comets their first power play of the day. The power play would be short-lived, however, as Zack MacEwen was whistled for holding just 17 seconds later. During the four-on-four play, Jacob MacDonald would ring the iron and send the puck out of play. Steven Santini was set up by MacDonald for a point shot and Bachman gobbled it up. Bracken Kearns followed up with another point shot, but Bachman said no once again. Bachman was busy in the first period and he was solid.

The Comets would come up with a good kill and not long after, Adam Comrie would spring Andrew Cherniwchan for a breakaway and the forward buried his fourth of the season with a backhander. Comrie picked up his ninth assist of the season on the play, while newcomer Zac Lynch earned his first.

The tying marker would only last a brief time as less than a minute later, Ben Thomson beat Bachman for his fifth goal of the season. The Thomson goal was unassisted and the Devils were up 2-1.

Bachman had to follow up with a save on a heavy shot from the faceoff circle and then another off a Brian Strait one-timer. The Comets were playing a sloppy period of hockey.

Zack MacEwen kept up with his more recent physical play when he dropped a shoulder into Tim Kennedy and sat him down along the boards. Michael Carcone would have a shot denied by Lack before MacEwen was sent off for slashing. I like the more physical play from Zack, but he has been taking a few too many unnecessary penalties in the last few games. This will happen in a rookie season and I’m sure the big fella tighten things up before long.

Bachman would make a save on another MacDonald shot and he would hold for the whistle. Wacey Hamilton would get a shorthanded break, but unfortunately, he ran himself out of room and Lack made an easy save.

Blake Pietila came back with a hot-shot and Bachman swallowed it up for a whistle. At the other end of the ice, Cassels hit Boucher with a pass and the Comets sniper returned the favour on a give-and-go. Cassels got the shot away and Lack came up with a nice save.

Ashton Sautner must have thought MacEwen looked lonely in the box because he joined him at the 18:01 mark after taking a high-sticking penalty. Bachman would come up with a sprawling save before turning aside a Time Kennedy offering and the rebound chance that came after. MacDonald would test Bachman once more before the period came to an end and Bachman was equal to the task.

The Comets finished the opening frame down 2-1 on the scoreboard and 18-9 on the shot clock.

The Comets would get the middle frame underway by killing off the final second remaining on the Ashton Sautner penalty. Mario Lucia sent an early shot Bachman’s way and the Comets netminder was ready with a save. Bracken Kearns followed up with a partial break and Bachman was ready for that one too.

Unfortunately, Bachman was not ready for the next shot as Nick Lappin beat him with a shot off the wing through traffic just 1:29 into the period. The goal was Lappin’s 21st, while Kevin Rooney picked up his 12th helper of the year on the play and Yaroslav Dyblenko earned his sixth. We would be hearing from Lappin again…and again before this one would end.

Bachman would come up with a pair of saves before David Dziurzynski and Dyblenko were each assessed slashing penalties at the 3:19 mark. This game would get out of hand with penalties in the third, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

During the four-on-four play, Zack MacEwen made a nice play to Wacey Hamilton for a chance that Lack denied. Dylan Blujus sent a puck to Carcone in front and his shot was turned aside as well, but the Comets forward drew a penalty on the play as Blake Pietila was whistled for slashing.

Wiercioch dished to Boucher for a one-timer that the forward sent wide of the net and the Comets would get no traction with the extra man.

Ben Thomson stepped over the Comets blue-line and let fly with a shot that Bachman turned aside. At the other end of the ice, Wiercioch got a chance from in close but Lack came up with a blocker save. Boucher picked off a pass and dished to Blujus for a point shot that Lack gloved down for a whistle. Sautner sent another point shot Lack’s way and the netminder got a pad on it for the save.

Michael Chaput was sent off for tripping at the 9:52 mark and it was back to the kill for the Comets. Christoph Bertschy got a shot away that Bachman denied before Blake Pietila put the Devils up 4-1 with his 10th goal of the season, beating Bachman high to the blocker side and chasing him from the net. Blake Speers picked up his fifth helper of the year on the goal, while Jake Walman earned his 14th. With Bachman being pulled for Demko after the goal, it marks the first time the Comets have swapped goaltenders mid game this season. It also ended a run of 21 for 21 on the kill for the Comets.

Demko wasn’t eased into this one as he had to make make back-to-back saves as soon as he came in. Guillaume Brisebois did his goaltender a solid though when he blocked a shot which led to Michael Chaput heading the other way with the puck.

The parade to the box continued as Dziurzynski and Brian Strait were each whistled for an infraction. For Dziurzynski, it was a hooking call, while Strait was fingered for holding the stick. The Comets were flatter than the prairies during the four aside play. Steven Santini got a shot away that Demko grabbed up and held for the whistle. The two teams continued with some sloppy play before Wacey Hamilton was sent off for holding at the 17:15 mark.

Reid Boucher had a shorthanded break and saw his shot deflected over the glass. He came back with another shot off a faceoff win that was denied before he buried his 25th of the year for a shorty. Michael Chaput won the draw and the puck came to Boucher who hammered it home. The lone assist went to Chaput for his 16th helper of the year.

The Comets still had a penalty to kill though, and Jake Walman had a chance turned aside by Demko before Lappin was stymied in close as well. The Comets would come up with a good kill.

Eddie Lack would have to come up with a late pad save as the period wound down before Michael Latta was whistled for holding at the 20-minute mark. The Devils finished the period with an 8-7 lead in shots for the middle frame.

Zack MacEwen put a puck on net early and Lack held on for the whistle. Outside of that MacEwen shot, the Comets would spend the first minute of their power play just trying to breach the Devils blueline. When they finally did get set up, Boucher dished to Chaput for a shot that was blocked before Lack would have to make a pad save on Hamilton and another on Cassels. It would be no dice once again for the Comets Holm-less power play that has scored just one goal since the slick-skating Swede was called up and dealt.

I thought I was going to get the goal that I was wanting to see when Brisebois sent a low shot in on Lack, but the netminder steered it to the corner. Lack was dealt to the Hurricanes by the Canucks for third and seventh round picks. Brisebois was the player taken with the third rounder, while Brett McKenzie was the player selected with the seventh. It is possible that McKenzie gets signed and will spend time in Utica as well. It is also possible that the Canucks let him go back into the draft this year by not offering him a contract.

Nick Lappin would put the Devils up 5-2 at the 2:47 mark when he beat Demko for his 22nd goal of the season and second of the game. The Lappin goal was unassisted.

Michael Carcone followed up a Michael Chaput rebound with a wraparound attempt that was turned aside. Things would only get worse for the Comets as Lappin would take advantage of some sloppy play in the Comets end and beat Demko for goal number 23 on the season. The hats rained down for Lappin’s third goal of the game and the Comets were in a 6-2 hole. Kevin Rooney picked up the lone assist on the Lappin marker, his 13th of the season.

The Devils kept coming as Demko had to turn aside another shot before Austin Cangelosi had a chance in close denied as well. The Comets were being beaten to loose pucks and they still looked flat. Demko made another save, this time doing the splits only to have Lappin take an extra poke at him. Demko was having none of it and gave Lappin a tap in the ankles with his club and another melee ensued. The officials had to restrain Thatcher who has to be feeling pretty frustrated with the way things have gone for him as well as his team of late. By the time the smoke had cleared, Dziurzynksi and Kevin Rooney were sitting in the box for two minutes each for roughing, while Lappin was sent off for slashing.

Shortly after that was cleared up, Reid Boucher crushed Michael Latta with a cross-check between the benches and all H. E. double hockey sticks broke loose. Players paired off but suddenly the crowd parted and Zack MacEwen and Michael Latta emerged from the pile. MacEwen landed a couple of bombs before his helmet popped off, his wild mop of hair flying around as he got the takedown on Latta.

The penalty list after this one was longer than this six-game losing skid. Boucher was given a five-minute major for his cross-check on Latta, he was also given another 10 and sent to the room for an early shower. He wasn’t the only person sent packing though as head coach Trent Cull was also assessed a penalty for abuse of the official. The Coach was some kind of angry with the officials. MacEwen and Latta were each given five for fighting and an extra two for roughing. This all occurred at the 10:05 mark of the period. Just 23 seconds later, Michael Carcone was given a 10-minute misconduct penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

We weren’t done there though, as roughly 20 seconds later, Jacob MacDonald was about to be assessed with a tripping penalty, but as it was a delayed penalty, play continued. The puck made its way to MacDonald and he fired at Demko and ended up getting an extra two for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Brian Strait would put the Devils up 7-2 with his third of the season and this game was well out of reach. Nick Lappin picked up his 16th helper of the season on the play, and fourth point of the day, while Kevin Rooney earned his 14th.

The penalties would continue as Yaroslav Dyblenko was whistled for tripping at the 12:55 mark and Cole Cassels followed him to the box at the 13:18 mark when he was sent off for high-sticking. During the three-on-three play, Jaime Sifers beat out an icing call in the Devils end and put a shot on net that Lack turned aside.

We were just back to five aside hockey when Patrick Wiercioch wanted to see what all the fuss was about in the penalty box. Wiercioch was sent off for tripping and the Comets were back on the kill. Nick Lappin got a good shot away, but Demko had about had enough of his scoring antics and shut the door. The Comets would come up with a good kill.

Michael Kapla had a shot turned aside by Demko before Andrew Cherniwchan took the final penalty of the day when he was sent off for slashing. While shorthanded, Cassels and Tony Cameranesi broke into the Devils zone with speed, Cassels hit Cameranesi with a pass and the winger sent his shot wide. Wacey Hamilton tried a sneaky play late, looking to bank the puck in off Lack from behind the net, but Lack was wise to his plan and made the save. That was it for this one. The Devils and Comets finished the period tied with nine shots apiece, while Binghamton showed a 39-26 advantage in shots for the game.

I was interested to know what the penalty totals were for this one, and I was going to do the math, honest, I was, but as I have chemo brain, which can make math somewhat of a daunting task at times, I waited for Ben Birnell, of the Utica Observer-Dispatch to tweet it out. Ben is always on top of this stuff and is a great follow on Twitter for Comets fans, (@OD_Birnell).

The Three Stars in the building today were:

3rd Star: Kevin Rooney. Three assists.

2nd Star: Blake Pietila. Two goals.

1st Star: Nick Lappin. Three goals, one assist.

3rd Star: Michael Chaput. Listen, it isn’t always easy to pick stars in a game when the team has lost. It can be even more difficult when the team is mired in a six-game losing skid and have just lost their third game in three days. That said, I do tend to go through life looking for positives, so I will give Chaput the third star today for picking up the assist on the Boucher goal and for putting in a solid game of work, even if it didn’t show up on the scoreboard. Chaput is the best centerman the Comets have and they will need him to shoulder a heavy load if they want to ensure a playoff appearance. Chaput now has 28 points in 40 games on the season.

2nd Star: Zack MacEwen. Once again, I am going to look for a positive here. MacEwen has been upping his physical play of late, which is more than a welcome addition to his pro game. He has been using his body throughout the season, but lately, his hits seem to have a bit more moxy to them. He came to the aid of Boucher today after the Comets leading scorer buried Michael Latta with a cross-check. MacEwen hasn’t been in many tilts this season, so we haven’t really been able to see how he handles himself in a fight at this level. If his fight with Latta is any indication, I would say that he can handle himself well. I think he could still learn a thing or two in that department, and I would much rather watch him put up points. He may want to work on that element of his game though. Adding that layer would make him more valuable to the parent club that is pining for a physical bottom-six forward who can actually play, but is still a deterrent to other teams thinking about taking liberties with the Canucks star players. MacEwen did nice work early in his fight, teeing off with a few bombs before eventually getting the takedown.

1st Star: Reid Boucher: Boucher picked up his 25th goal and 46th point of the season before he was ejected from the game. Every point he puts up is a new career high. While I don’t want to see Boucher make a habit of getting ejected from the game, it was good to see him show that fire today. With the team slumping badly, they need some sort of jolt to get them back to reality. If that takes their leading scorer going after a known pugilist to inject some life, I’m all for it.

4:00 pm Pacific