2019-20 Utica Comets
- Thread starter Zombotron
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Game Summary
Boucher(3) from Camper(2)
Boucher(4) from Juolevi(1) and Goldobin(1) PP
Bancks(1) from Baertschi(1) and Sautner(1)
OT
Jasek(1) from Rafferty(1) and Baertschi(2)
McIntyre - 37/40
SOG:
Utica: 11 10 9 1 = 31
Pens : 10 14 10 6 = 40
PP:
Utica: 1/5
Pens : 2/5
3 Stars:
1st - Lukas Jasek (Utica Comets) 1G
2d - David Warsofsky (W-B/Scranton Penguins) 1G/1A
3rd - Reid Boucher 2G
Boucher(3) from Camper(2)
Boucher(4) from Juolevi(1) and Goldobin(1) PP
Bancks(1) from Baertschi(1) and Sautner(1)
OT
Jasek(1) from Rafferty(1) and Baertschi(2)
McIntyre - 37/40
SOG:
Utica: 11 10 9 1 = 31
Pens : 10 14 10 6 = 40
PP:
Utica: 1/5
Pens : 2/5
3 Stars:
1st - Lukas Jasek (Utica Comets) 1G
2d - David Warsofsky (W-B/Scranton Penguins) 1G/1A
3rd - Reid Boucher 2G
Blue and Green
Out to lunch
- Dec 17, 2017
- 3,427
- 3,387
Team didn't play particularly well but got the two points.
Baertschi's boxscore line will look good with the two assists but he was The Invisible Man for most of the game; needs to play better. Goldobin was okay but not a standout.
I thought MacIntyre, Rafferty, Bailey and Boucher were the best Comets. Jasek played a solid if unspectacular game, nice for him to get the OT goal. Lind's excellent opener was followed by a merely average game today.
Baertschi's boxscore line will look good with the two assists but he was The Invisible Man for most of the game; needs to play better. Goldobin was okay but not a standout.
I thought MacIntyre, Rafferty, Bailey and Boucher were the best Comets. Jasek played a solid if unspectacular game, nice for him to get the OT goal. Lind's excellent opener was followed by a merely average game today.
Megaterio Llamas
el rey del mambo
Blue and Green
Out to lunch
- Dec 17, 2017
- 3,427
- 3,387
A little lucky just beforehand when he got to puck-watching in his own zone, lost his man and MacIntyre bailed him out with a point-blank save. But overall he played well. Made a slick play at the blue line to help on the game-tying goal late in the 3rd.
wrote about the game here: 10/12/19 – Utica Comets (1-0-0-0) vs. WBS Penguins (1-1-0-0)
Genuinely thought this was a game the Comets had no business winning. Really think the line shakeups did the team no favors.
-Goldobin/Jasek clearly have some chemistry, but they do not gel with MacEwen,
-Baertschi was invisible
-Juolevi with another highly unremarkable game - outside of one nice cross-ice feed, he was basically just a body
-Team in general looked like they had zero chemistry or cohesive play - constantly bumping into eachother or weaving into one another while trying to move through the neutral zone.
-Lind looked OK, but it wasnt as strong as last weeks game... I do like his agitator game though. and he clearly gels with Boucher, the team just had no answer to the Penguins suffocating pressure
-McIntyre somehow was this teams best ally and biggest problem - 3 goals, every single one five-hole, never really a good look...especially that 2nd powerplay goal
-Rafferty continues to be the standout defender, even Brisebois was highly unnoticable in tonights game...very bizarre all around, like everyone was playing with the flu or something
-MacEwen NEEDS to get going somehow... he looks nothing like the guy who played last season, looks like he lost his trademark speed and hands...very bizarre
Genuinely thought this was a game the Comets had no business winning. Really think the line shakeups did the team no favors.
-Goldobin/Jasek clearly have some chemistry, but they do not gel with MacEwen,
-Baertschi was invisible
-Juolevi with another highly unremarkable game - outside of one nice cross-ice feed, he was basically just a body
-Team in general looked like they had zero chemistry or cohesive play - constantly bumping into eachother or weaving into one another while trying to move through the neutral zone.
-Lind looked OK, but it wasnt as strong as last weeks game... I do like his agitator game though. and he clearly gels with Boucher, the team just had no answer to the Penguins suffocating pressure
-McIntyre somehow was this teams best ally and biggest problem - 3 goals, every single one five-hole, never really a good look...especially that 2nd powerplay goal
-Rafferty continues to be the standout defender, even Brisebois was highly unnoticable in tonights game...very bizarre all around, like everyone was playing with the flu or something
-MacEwen NEEDS to get going somehow... he looks nothing like the guy who played last season, looks like he lost his trademark speed and hands...very bizarre
Watched the Lions game tonight, will catch the Comets on the replay. Good news I see
Ditto
the first assist is him standing at the front of the net and a pass from Ashton sautner ricocheting off his skates to Carter Bancks stick for a tap-in goal. he doesnt touch the puck once with his stick
his second is a secondary assist during 3-on-3 overtime play, that entire game-winning goal is because of Rafferty drawing a defender out to pressure him, then getting a sick through-the-legs pass to Jasek who backhands it in.
He was largely invisible despite what the scoresheet says. He was a non-factor to the games outcome. I'll give credit on the OT goal as he does gain the zone for his trio
Megaterio Llamas
el rey del mambo
I was just trying to crack a joke. Thanks for the report.
UticaHockey
Registered User
The Comets were lucky to win this game after falling behind and getting a late goal to force OT. Much of the lack of chemistry that you mentioned can be attributed to the well discussed lack of quality centers.
They have decent wingers up the wazoo but not enough centers to play with them. Last night was the second game of the season and they had just one legitimate center on the ice in AHL contracted Carter Camper. The other lines were centered by converted wing Lukas Jasek (with MacEwen taking many faceoffs for him before dropping back on the wing), Carter Bancks a 4th line grinding wing and Dyson Stevenson an ECHL face puncher.
Is this the group of centers that Vancouver fans want developing your prospects on the wing in the AHL?
2-0.
This team easily misses the playoffs.
Been said over and over again. Lack of centers.
Too many men on the ice....yikes.
This team easily misses the playoffs.
Been said over and over again. Lack of centers.
Too many men on the ice....yikes.
Red
Registered User
On its own, not a very convincing argument...
Blue and Green
Out to lunch
- Dec 17, 2017
- 3,427
- 3,387
It will be nice for people who don't have AHLtv subscriptions that you provide all of those video links so that they can at least see some of the highlights/lowlights. Good job.
Wow. The team goes 2-0 and you are already saying this?
Maybe Vancouver should just change its affiliation with Utica and move it to Abbotsford. Maybe the Penguins can move their prospects to Utica instead. Everyone can stop complaining about centers and Jim Benning and Ryan Johnson. Problem solved.
Maybe Vancouver should just change its affiliation with Utica and move it to Abbotsford. Maybe the Penguins can move their prospects to Utica instead. Everyone can stop complaining about centers and Jim Benning and Ryan Johnson. Problem solved.
Yeah, Jasek doesn't have the strength for faceoffs, that was apparent last Saturday when Justin Bailey took the majority for him. Dyson Stevenson got benched for the 3rd period, and rightly so the guy just does not have the vision or the speed to keep up with AHL players...was actively dragging down Gadjovich and Arseneau which is quite hard to do because Arseneau is a solid role player and Gadjovich on his own was QUITE impactful in yesterdays game, as well as the previous weeks'
thanks for the kind words!
I noted Lukas Jasek was named the number one star, at least on the AHL.com games-sheet...so assume it was also in the buiding....didn't catch the game, but other than the winning goal in OT, did he play a prominent role?
The comets will be tested this coming week. Syracuse is a top tier team, defending Calder cup champs in Charlotte, although they were gutted over the summer and a strong Rochester team. Hopefully the Comets can hold their own. Should be a very interesting season and I am looking forward to Wednesdays home opener!!!!
UticaHockey
Registered User
A little bit harsher than I would be. If Benning doesn't trade players that are currently part of the Comets to free up cap space this team should be much better than either team from the past two seasons. And there should not be a lot of call ups because the Canucks have only $166K in cap space and are currently going with a 22 man roster while Motte is on IR. Benning's bad contracts are currently helping the Comets.
Last year was a mess with too many rookies in one season trying to learn the pro game and struggling to get ice time. This year the rookies are mostly 24 year old NCAA grads and the learning curve is not so steep. The defense lacks a veteran anchor to mentor the prospects but as a group they have plenty of AHL experience.
My biggest complaint is the obvious lack of centers and how this can happen year in and year out. The Comets roster as it stands now is probably they deepest it has been at the wing since the Calder Cup Finals season of 2014-15 but the lack of centers might be the difference between just making the playoffs and going on a deep run.
And it's not just about a deep run in the playoffs which all Comets fans want. It's about giving the young players like Lind, Gadjovich and MacEwen the proper line-mates to help them develop. Dyson Stevenson should never be centering an AHL line unless he is the 7th choice on the depth chart and it's mid February with multiple injuries and call ups. But somehow he gets penciled in to the lineup in the second game of the year after one single injury at center.
So like I said the Comets should be a better team this year but they could be so much better if the two dipsticks running them were the least bit competent.
Can't help but wonder if Benning is working the phones to move Goldobin for a natural centre, AHL tweener from another organisation. Change of scenery deal to improve depth up the middle. Probably just a matter of time.
Megaterio Llamas
el rey del mambo
He was okay.. Gadjovich had a pretty good outing, and Justin Bailey was quite impressive. Carter Camper played a strong game, while Rafferty was the pick of the D. MacEwen and Juolevi were in and out. Goldobin had his moments while Baertchi was invisible.
Watch the games. Watch the play. Watch the players.
Maybe harsh but this group is uninspiring.
Devils and Pens poor teams as well.
Can't wait for Abbottsford to join the AHL again.
You can watch Benning and Johnson at work up close.
UticaHockey
Registered User
If Benning had a history of making in season trades to add system depth at positions of need that also benefited the Comets than I would say maybe. But he simply does not have that history at all.
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