American Hockey League
Utica Comets
Friday, December 14th
Binghamton Devils (11-15-3-0) – 2
Utica Comets (14-13-2-1) – 5
Brendan Gaunce scored a goal and added an assist to help lift the Comets over the Devils 5-2. Zack MacEwen got the home team on the board 3:49 into the first period. Binghamton scored two goals in the first half of the second period to take a 2-1 lead before Cam Darcy tied the game at two. Lukas Jasek stepped over the blue line and drew two Devils defenders to him before sending a pass to a streaking Darcy down the middle of the slot. Darcy went backhand to forehand and stuffed home his fifth of the year.
The Comets were outshot 13-7 in the final period, but still managed to score three more times. Guillaume Brisebois scored his second of the year four minutes into the period. Gaunce added a shorthanded tally nine minutes later to increase the lead to 4-2. Jasek added an empty netter at the 16:13 mark. Thatcher Demko stopped 27 shots to help secure the Comets fourth win in a row.
Sunday, December 16th
Utica Comets (14-13-2-1) – 1
Charlotte Checkers (22-6-1-0) – 2
After a scoreless first period that saw both teams fire 5 shots on net Jasek got scored an unassisted goal to give Utica a 1-0 lead 6:08 into the second.
Right place, right time and @LukasJasek has his seventh of the year!#UTIvsCHA pic.twitter.com/ARz5q6ewFo
— Utica Comets (@UticaComets) December 16, 2018
Thanks to some stellar play from Demko the Comets held onto the 1-0 lead until the final 10 seconds of the period when the Checkers were finally able to tie it up.
How Thatcher, HOW?!?#UTIvsCHA pic.twitter.com/C541nDlLCe
— Utica Comets (@UticaComets) December 16, 2018
It only took 22 seconds for Charlotte to win this one in overtime showing why they are the best team in the American Hockey League.
These two teams face-off again Tuesday night at 7:00pm at the Bojangles’ Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Comets will then travel to Springfield, Massachusetts for a game against the Falcons Friday, December 21st before returning home Saturday for another game against the Binghamton Devils.
Syracuse Crunch
Friday, December 14th
Syracuse Crunch (15-6-2-0) – 3
Laval Rocket (10-14-2-2) – 2
Otto Somppi scored in the sixth round of the shootout and Eddie Pasquale made 21 saves to give the Crunch a 3-2 win over Laval. It only took 2:26 for Dennis Yan to get Syracuse on the board with a shot from the point. Laval came out strong in the second and scored twice in the first 4:30 to take a 2-1 lead. Alexander Volkov tied things up on a wrist shot from the top of the circle two minutes later. The game would remain tied through the rest of regulation as well as the extra five minute overtime period.
Both teams scored a goal in the shootout sending it to extra shooters where Somppi ended the game on a beautiful backhand to forehand move.
This kid is fitting in just fine.#SYRvsLAV pic.twitter.com/rYznrkRfOw
— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) December 15, 2018
Saturday, December 15th
Syracuse Crunch (15-7-2-0) – 0
Laval Rocket (11-14-2-2) – 4
Laval scored two first period goals and added two more in the third, one being an empty netter, as they trounced Syracuse 4-0. The Crunch only managed 12 shots on goal in the entire game, Laval had 11 in the second period alone. Connor Ingram was in net and stopped 23 of 26.
Syracuse is back on the road Wednesday for a tilt against the Springfield Falcons. at 7:05pm. They then travel to Allentown, Pennsylvania to face the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday, December 21st. the Crunch will be back home on Saturday when they host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
