2023-24 Utica Comets and ECHL thread

[Bad Goalie]

The Official word today is that both van de Leest and Ghantous have signed PTOs. The Adirondack site had the idea of a Standard AHL Player Contract being signed by Ghantous. AHL.com has them both listed as adds to the Comets roster on PTOs. It means nothing as to actually putting Ghantous on the roster. They did this with Poulter and were lucky nobody else wanted him. Hopefully the same is true with Ghantous while they make up their minds. Poulter impressed immediately, but they didn't give an AHL contract until June.

Players on PTOs are poachable > Somebodty correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Guttersniped]

The Official word today is that both van de Leest and Ghantous have signed PTOs. The Adirondack site had the idea of a Standard AHL Player Contract being signed by Ghantous. AHL.com has them both listed as adds to the Comets roster on PTOs. It means nothing as to actually putting Ghantous on the roster. They did this with Poulter and were lucky nobody else wanted him. Hopefully the same is true with Ghantous while they make up their minds. Poulter impressed immediately, but they didn't give an AHL contract until June.

Players on PTOs are poachable > Somebodty correct me if I'm wrong.

Ghantous could have signed a 2024-25 deal and will this season on a PTO.

For example:
Adirondack signed Erik Middendorf to an ECHL deal on March 21, 2023.
Utica signed Middendorf to a 2023-24 AHL deal on April 13, 2023.

 

[StevenToddIves]

No, we just all were clamoring for him because we knew the organization needed centers, he seemed to be a non-draftee twice for no apparent reason, and @StevenToddIves was a big fan of him as a 2nd half of the draft pick. He signed with Seattle after attending Dallas camp a couple of times and is on track to have 20-30-50 in his first AHL season with Coachella.

Such a huge miss for the org.

Morrison has the upside of a very good scoring NHL 2C with no weaknesses in his overall game. The fact he was never drafted still astounds me. Just a heck of a hockey player. I wish him the best in Seattle, but I wish we took a flyer on him in New Jersey.

 

[Bad Goalie]

As of the moment Ghantous has been released from the PTO he signed yesterday. I hope @Guttersniped was correct and he is now going to sign an AHL contract. The kid can skate, goes to the right spots, and made a tape to tape pass every single time he got the puck (something the Comets don't seem like they have ever worked on). The AHL.com transaction post does not say he has been returned to Adirondack, which is usually the case when a guy has been released from a PTO and has at team to go to that loaned him.

He was not in the defensive zone position the Comets wingers take up. He looked to be playing either Northern Michigan U. or Adirondack's spot high slot between the 2 points. He didn't look lost there, but it's not where the Comets wing would be.

I wonder if he even got a chance to work with the line he was on. Being centered by waste product Stevens didn't make it easy to manage any kind of attack as his idea idea of running a line is to carry it as far as he can before he looks to pass which usually means a turnover. A complete waste of a waiver claim.
His opposite wing was Gambardella. Gamby's legs are gone. He is strong on his skates but has no speed. What he does every night is battle like Hell to carry the puck down the offensive boards, center it, send it back to the point, swing into the circle and shoot, or go behind the net and look for someone to pass it to. He had a clean 2 on 1 break into the Islanders zone with Ghantous and gave the break zero chance to capitalize when he passed the puck 4 feet behind the net rushing Ghantous,

Isaac Poulter was just called up. There is no mention of anything going on with Schmid or Daws. Does that mean they are going to keep dressing him as the backup while the odd man out between Daws and Schmid will rest? My guess is yes at least for the rest of this weekend.

Daws played last night in the Comets 2-1 shootout loss. Right after the game the Comets boarded the bus to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for a 6 o'clock game tonight. The Comets then come back from Pennsylvania to Rochester for their 3rd game in 3 days at 3 pm tomorrow. I'm betting Daws stayed home and gets 2 night's good rest and meets them in Rochester.

 

[Bad Goalie]

3/23/24
Utica Comets @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Forwards:
15 Gambardella/ 51 Criscuolo/ 24 Halonen
90 Ibragimov/ 26 Schmelzer/ 92 Clarke
67 Parent/ 21 Stevens/ 61 Stillman
79 Laberge/ 16 Engaras/ 11 Legare

D-Pairs
83 Vilen/ Russo
3 MacKinnon/ 22 Felix
52 van de Leest/ 2 Vukojevic

Goal - 40 Schmid

Scratches:
Kallgren (BU)
Daws (H)
Osmanski (H)
Fitzgerald (H)
Dowling (H)
Middendorf(H)
Misyul (Inj)
Bowers (LTIR)
Ghantous (?)

 

[Bad Goalie]

Period 1

Halonen shoots, a pad save.

Halonen passes it through the crease, but Criscuolo was just late getting there.

Schmid a save.
Net is loose

Comets out 2 on 1 and Clarke is carrying the puck.
Shoots............................................................?
G___________________O_______________________A____________L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Off the crossbar.

Clarke (23) from Ibragimov (7) and Vukojevic (7)

1-0 Comets 2:08

A Penguin leans to the net and he's dragged down, but no call. Schmid freezes it as it rolls to him.

TY Smith is on the scene.

Gambardella centers the puck right out of the zone past both of his D-men for the 2nd time tonight.

Comets ice it.

Point shot stopped by Schmid.

Wrister off the boards - stop Schmid.

Comets can't get out.

Both lines change.

Former Comet and Vancouver prospect Rathbone also on the Pen's roster.

Pen's goalie ices it.

Schmid a stop and holds on.

TV TO
12:21 to go

 

[Bad Goalie]

Since the goal this game has been all Pens.

Comets can't even touch the puck. Finally out and Gamby passes to Halonen right in front and the keeper, Ludovic - I'll call him Ludo from here out, stops it.

Good move by a D-man and Schmid has to make a good stop.

TV TO
9:21 to go

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets fail to gather the puck one after another and a Pen ends up in clean on Schmid and he stops his shot and smothers his rebound.

Clarke tries a shot from nowhere and that's where it goes. Ibragimov sends a perfect pass to van de Leest coasting through the circle, but his crap puck skills result in his inability to take the pass.

Pens trying long stretch passes and at least hitting sticks. It's an offensive plan against Comets D who are not the swiftest.

Gambardella grabs an errant pass right in the slot and instead of shooting it as soon as he gets it, he skated through the slot looking to make a perfect pass to somebody, who incidentally weren't there and a good chance ends up going the other way and Schmid has to end up making another stop.

TV TO
5:08 to go

 

[Bad Goalie]

Point shot tipped right in front by a Pen going through the slot. He makes a big save.

Halonen in the slot fires it, guess where, wide.

Shaya says he is convinced the Comets will make the post season based upon their keepers and the offensive talent they have and how they have been playing of late. The guy is the most ridiculous homer who makes predictions based upon nothing. A last place team with 12 games to go that keeps losing points. Says he's a realist.

Off the draw Schmid makes a huge save off a 1-timer.

Comets inside their doomsday zone, last 2 minutes of the period. Lose the draw, Schmid a save. Another stop and he holds on.

Last minute to go.

Vilen handles pucks as if they are made of flubber.

They survive.

1st ends with the Comets ahead 1-0

SOG are more indicative of how this game has gone. Utica scored on their 2nd shot. They have only had 6 for the period.

14-6 W-B/Scranton

The play of Schmid has been the difference in the period. Not only have the Comets been held to 6 shots, but they have been denied the puck for the better part of the period.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Period 2
Schmid makes a stop right in front.

A huge lengthy board battle and Hallonen ends up with a good chance and as usual his shot is wide. The Comets most skilled offensive players must have the impression that the net is 10 ft wide because they are always wide. Here's Clarke and his shot is wide.

Schmid a save.
Another shot wide.
A Pen in Schmid's FEET and he makes the save laying across his crease.
This is just ridiculous how bad the Comets are playing in their end!

As soon as the puck is in their zone, they can't do a thing including touch the puck, let alone possess it. As soon as they get it into the Pen's end it is right back in the Pen's possession.

Clarke got the puck in front and Schmelzer tries to get it to Ibragimov and eventually Clarke is free to shoot on the shortside and his shot is WIDE and out of play.

Comets ice it.
13:23 to go and the Comets have yet to get a shot. Faceoff won by the Comets and Lebarge has a breakaway. With a Pen draped all over him backhands it and he_____________________?

S________C_______O_______R________E________S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Laberge! First shot of the period and it's 2-0 Comets.

After the faceoff it's all Pens. They are everywhere. Comets get out and the Comets look dangerous but only get a soft shot sticked aside.

Schmid thinks he has it covered but it ekes between his legs and an alert Halonen takes it out of the crease!

Comets look threatening and Russo instead of shooting or dumping makes a weak pass across the top and it's picked but the Pen screws up as breaks up ice.

TV TO
8:25 to go

 

[Bad Goalie]

Pens ice it. Still working on those stretch passes.

Comets are called for a penalty. Clarke a hooking penalty because he does nothing defensively but wave or reach out with his stick.

Comets clear it down.

Pens right back in.

Comets clear again.

Pens get it in a Vuk sends it out..

Back in and now they get a good chance and Schmid makes the save. Engaras picks a pass down low and clears it.

Long shot and Schmid gloves it.

Comets won the draw and tried to shoot it all the way around and it just gets across the blueline.

Comets shoot down the face off and the PK is successful

Ibragimov and Clarke are in and Timur's pass is perfect and Clarke swings and misses on a 1-timer attempt.

TV TO
4:42 to go

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets to the PP

LM hit in the face on the faceoff. His helmet is broken. Getting it fixed at the Pen's bench.

Halonen a 1-timer off the draw. Where do you think it is? -----
YUP>WIDE.

Russo a low shot off the edge and Gambardella tips it WIDE.

Pens the draw and they shoot it down. Comets off sides. Pens however, commit another foul. 59 seconds of 5 on 3.

Comets win the draw and Hallonen 1-timer is stopped.

Halonen shot hits a shin pad. Halonen another 1 timer from the bumper spot.
G___________________O________________A________________L

3-0 and it's a 5 on 3 goal.

Now 5 on 4 for about a minute.

Parent hits a post.

Pens win a long puck battle and 2 come out and go offsides.

PP is over and the Comets enter doomsday again (last 2 minutes)

Long stretch pass and the Pens are in the Comets end. Another very long boards battle. Pens get this one too. A shot is blocked and the Comets get it out.

Period ends
3-0 Utica

SOG:
11-10 Utica

2-period total:
24-17 W-B/Scranton

 

[Bad Goalie]

Period 3

Please Dineen do not try to make this team simply sit back and protect the lead. They don't have the D-men first off nor a good defensive zone game.
It would have to be Schmid standing on his head. Why would you want to do that? They have had a tough enough time tryin to get out of their own end to play in the other end to begin with.

H-m-m-m, Deja-vu all over again, Last road game in Belleville Felix took a stupid slashing penalty after the period ended. He did it again tonight. What a fine way to allow your opponent to get back into the game.

Criscuolo gets in shorthanded but just like last night he can't finish.

Wrister over the net.Halone blocks a point shot and the puck is out.

Pens get a real good chnace butthe shot is off target.

Criscuolo another shorthanded breakaway and fails again. DAMN!

We're at even strength.

Pens come back, but offsides so the Comets get it up ice.

Vuk loses the puck and the Pens shot was over the crossbar and Schmid never saw it.

Comets offsides.

Pens get it in and Russo is lambasted and he is down and not moving. Being helped to one knee and has to be helped off. The only RH d-man the Comet5s now have is Felix. No penalty on the play. Gambardella a breakaway and VComets fans don't have high hopes. He is stopped.

Now the Comets to the sin bin again and Schmid makes a big stop on the 6 on 5.

Vukojevic tripping. He is the LH D-man playing the right side.

Comets clear.
Comets clear again.
Pens dump it in and Schmid holds on.

Comets skate it dwn and Criscuolo battles them. back in a Schmelzer blasts it down.

Pens hit the PO

Schmid a stop.

Even strength.

Pens offsides.

TV TO
12:28 to go

 

[Bad Goalie]

This game has an eternity left.

Comets keep getting possession and try to skate it out, but don't make it. Get the puck out and worry about what comes next after.

Doesn't Dineen demand simple hockey? Get the puck out and then get the puck deep. It's the oldest late game strategy with a lead.s

Schmid a save.
Shmid immediately a huge save from point blank range.

Schmid stops it from the edge of his net and smothers it.

TV TO
8:44 to go

 

[Bad Goalie]

The Comets are playing pitiful Defnse and

2 on 1 Parent and Stevens 2 on 1.
Parent shoots and it's stopped.

Scmelzer steals it a t the blueline and sprints towards the net with a Pen right on him and he shoots it over the crossbar.

The Comets have had so many all alone chances and would have won this game a by a host of goals already.

Gambardella has the puck inthe high slot and instead of just shooting it, he tries to pass it back across and it's picked and the Pens get out. You don't do stupid s**t like that when ahead late and trying to hold on.

Now Stevens carries it around in the Pen's end and has it moving towards the back of the net killing time. Instead of just stopping there and holding on, he centers it to the high slot area and the Pens say thanks and break out.

These guys are the most brain dead pros I've ever seen. They have to have been taught for years how to turn down the crazy tries and just run out minutes in the offensive end unless clear cut opportunities arise.

TV TO
4:25 to go

Netminder has to be leaving tres soon. They need 3.

Comets get it out fro9m a net front cluster.

Ludo is gone.

Clarke tries to pass the puck to an open mate and it's picked. They don't need the empty netter just dump it in. So dumb.

Comets pressing the Pens in their end.

Comets get it back in and they are offsides and Halonen shoots the puck inot the empty net.

Yep, that's a n o no and he is immediately attacked and those 2 get into a fight.

Parent is taken on by Ty Smith.

They are all being thrown out, 5 for fighting with 2:31 to go.

Comets to the PK. Halonen got 2 for unsportsmanlike conduct for shooting the puck into the net after the whistle.

2:31 to go
6 on 4

Criscuolo a shot from his bluline at the open net and he misses.

Schmelzer dumps it out. Comets intercept twice but can't get it out.

Puck is loose in the crease and somehow Schmid gets it with his glove.

1 minute to go.

Shot the length of the ice.

Comets get it out and the penalty is over.

Puck out of play with :17 to go.

IT'S OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

COMETS WIN!, but more importantly>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Schmid gets a shutout saving 39 of 39 shots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Final Score
Utica Comets 3 Wilkes-Barre /Scranton 0

 

[Mgd31]

@Bad Goalie how many points out of the playoffs are the Comets?

 

[Bad Goalie]

3/23/24
Utica Comets @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Final Score
Utica 3 W-B/Scranton 0

SOG:
UTC - 6 11 5 = 22
WBS - 14 10 15 = 39

PP:
UTC - 1/2
WBS - 0/4

Scoring:
Clarke (23) from Ibragimov (7) and Vukojevic (7)
Laberge (5) Unassisted
Halonen (15) from Parent (27) and Vilen (18)

Schmid - 39/39 Shutout #1

3 *s
1 - Akira Schmid (Utica Comets) SA 39 / SV 39
2 - Graeme Clarke (Utica Comets) 1 G/ GWG
3 - Samuel Laberge (Utica Comets) 1 G

Laval beat Belleville giving both teams 66 points tied for 5th.
Utica has 63 points and has 1 game in hand on Belleville and 2 on Laval.

The 5th place team makes the playoffs. It's still a race. it's been like this for close to 2 months. The problem is every time the Comets creep up they turn around and lose 2 or 3 in a row and have to creep back all over again. Their best hope right now is that their goalies can keep up what they are doing. There is no reason they couldn't do that. We'll have to wait and see.

 

[Bad Goalie]

What a crazy s**t show they have going on with their goalies. Schmid and Daws are in Utica. Poulter gets sent down to the ECHL. NJ needs a keeper (likely for backup) and they recall ECHL Poulter. Nice reward Poulter or maybe it's a way of apologizing without saying anything. After all you were the 11th best goalie in the AHL when demoted to the ECHL.

I totally understand why NJ did it, but the failure to properly acquire and distribute the goalies for the season has kicked a rookie's great season right in the ass.

 

[Bad Goalie]

3/24/24
Utica Comets @ Rochester Americans

Forwards:
10 Dowling/ 26 Schmelzer/ 92 Clarke
15 Gambardella/ 51 Criscuolo/ 24 Halonen
67 Parent/ 21 Stevens/ 61 Stillman
79 Laberge/ 16 Engaras/ 11 Legare

D-Pairs:
52 van de Leest/ 2 Vukojevic
83 Vilen/ 23 Wotherspoon
3 Mac Kinnon/ 22 Felix

Goal - 40 Daws

Scratches:
Kallgren BU
Schmid (H)
Fitzgerald (H)
Ibragimov (H)
Middendorf (H)
Osmanski (H)
Russo (Inj)
Misyul (Inj)
Bowers (LTIR)

Period 1

Houser makes a save off his face.

Daws a good glove save from the dot.

Stevens is a center with no hockey IQ. Have to wonder how he ever got this far with such a lack of knowledge of what's going on around him and how to respond to it.

Wotherspoon hits the post dead on.

Comets to the PP.

TV TO
13:33 to go

Gambardella a shot at the end of the 1st minute. Stopby Houser.

Dowling a 1 timer at the end of the PP.

The Comets spend most of their PP time trying to get possession of the puck in the o-zone and get set up. It's sad really.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Houser shoots it over the glass and the officials have to confer for several minutes to make an obvious call.
2 for DOG

Cleared all the way down.

Comets have to win the o-zone draw or else they will spend the majority of the remaining time just getting into the zone and setting up.

Cleared all the way down.
Cleared all the way down.

Parent in 2 on 1 and from the bottom of the circle he passes it back and it's intercepted and sent down. STUPIDITY. THESE GUYS JUST WON"T TAKE THE SHOT WITH REAL GOOD CHANCES.
On the other hand they will try to force shots when there isn't one there.

PP is over.

TV TO
7:04 to go

 

[Bad Goalie]

Parent shot blocked.This game looks like two teams just learning how to play hockey. Nobody can make a pass. Nobody can control a pass to them. Nobody can stickhandle. Nobody can can a shot off.

5:23 to go and the shots are 5-1 Comets
TVTO

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets win the draw clean and it's past everyone out to center ice

Halonen hits Houser and it goes off the post

Daws a save.

Dowling in and spins around in front and Houser makes a
the stop.

Daws another stop.

Doomsday time for the Comets, inside 2 minutes.

Daws a stop after a Criscuolo turnover.

Comets chips it in and 1 minute remains.

Daws a grabs a puck that rolls into his net front.
Amerks have had no offense until doomsday and it's been all Rochester since.

Dowling fires a blast just WIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! from the right dot at 2 seconds.

1st is over
0-0

SOG 7-3 Utica

 

[Bad Goalie]

Period 2
Would not be surprised to see the Amerks take over after a slow 1st.

Amerks hit the post!

Felix can't handle a pass to the point and checks the Amerk going past him and he's gone for 2. Interference.

Amerks shoot wide and out of play. 1:35 left
Halonen a block and off to the bench.

Vilen goes down the ice and shoots wide and the Amerks come back with Vilen chasing.
Daws covers a puck rolling to him from the corner :09 to go.
Point shot saved PP is over.

Amerks won every face off during the PP.

Amerks score off a skate going way wide. It hit Vuk on the skate and went in, The shot was from the opposite point and wide but hit Vuk with his back to the puck. I think he was looking for it to come out on the other side. Very unfortunate for Nico.

The Comets turn it over twice in a row trying to cross into the Amerks zone. Tge Amerks come back twice. On the 2nd Amerks rush a shot is taken at the open side of the net and Felix makes the save on the doorstep. It would have been 2-0.

3 on 2 for the Amerks. Puck carried by the left player , ,to the center, to the guy wide on the right and Daws makes a great stop from the bottom of the circle wide open.


Vukojevic 2 for tripping.

TV TO
13:31 to go

 

[Bad Goalie]

A close shot deflected wide by the Amerk all alone on the far post.

Another shot from the high slot wide. It goes to Murray off to the right of Daws. He shoots it and deflects off Daws into the net.
2-0 Amerks.

Comets acting as f they don't know what hit them.

Another Amerk now misses another tip on the wide side.

A hard shot and Daws makes a big stop.. Right back in and another stop by Daws. Call TIME OUT DINEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vilen gets away with dragging a loose Amerk down before he can get his shot off to the left odf Daws. The Amerks are just flying an d the Comets have no answer.

Their 7-3 shot advantage is now a 9-8 disadvantage. Halfway through the 2nd and down 2-0.

Comets hit the post after a prior shot was just wide.

Comets get the puck into the crease and Comets are jabbing at it, but it comes out.

When the Amerks get into the Amerks zone they have all kinds of open shot opportunities.

Comets get the opuck back intoi the creas. Houser grabs it and there is a major scrum in front, but nothing come from it.

TV TO
6:25 to go

 

[Guttersniped]

What a crazy s**t show they have going on with their goalies. Schmid and Daws are in Utica. Poulter gets sent down to the ECHL. NJ needs a keeper (likely for backup) and they recall ECHL Poulter. Nice reward Poulter or maybe it's a way of apologizing without saying anything. After all you were the 11th best goalie in the AHL when demoted to the ECHL.

I totally understand why NJ did it, but the failure to properly acquire and distribute the goalies for the season has kicked a rookie's great season right in the ass.

I don’t see a problem here. Minor league goalies get moved around. They want to play Daws & Schmid so they gave Poulter a game in the ECHL & a NHL call-up.

He doesn’t need any apologies, he just got a ELC.