Comets blast IceCaps at Mile One
Utica scores on three of first four shots in 5-2 win over St. John’s
St. John’s IceCaps goaltender Eddie Pasquale keeps an eye on a flying puck after making a save in their game against the Utica Comets. Looking on are Comets player Alexandre Grenier (28) and IceCaps player Mark MacMillan.
It was the start that finished the St. John’s IceCaps Friday night at Mile One Centre.
The Utica Comets, making their first-ever visit to St. John’s, scored on their first two shots and three of their first four en route to a 5-2 American Hockey League win in the first of two games between the teams.
The opening two goals by the Comets Friday were just plain ugly.
The first, by Comets’ captain Wacey Hamilton on a weird-angle, bounding, backhand shot that went off rookie goalie Zach Fucale and into the net, came just 16 seconds into the contest. The next, at 3:13, was even more of a groaner, as Joseph Labate made a backhanded dump-in from the neutral zone that looked to be headed into the corner to the right of Fucale, who went to the ice after he decided to play the puck, only to have it bounce the other way in front of the crease and straight into the net.
When Comets leading scorer Hunter Shinkaruk beat Fucale with a nice move at 5:16, the IceCaps netminder’s night was over.
Eddie Pasquale came in for some long relief and was solid in doing so, making 26 saves on 28 shots. And overall, the IceCaps, playing in front of Montreal Canadiens’ general manager Marc Bergevin, had a decent showing the rest of the way. However, it was far from enough, especially against Utica veteran netminder Richard Bachman, the game’s first star who finished the night with 40 saves.
The result extends the losing streak for St. John’s (19-18-9) to four games. In their last 13 results, the IceCaps are 3-9-1. It’s a recent record that includes six losses in seven home games.
The IceCaps will look to end their stretch of futility tonight in a 7:30 p.m. rematch with the Comets, the farm team of the Vancouver Canucks.
Bud Holloway and Jacob de la Rose scored for St. John’s Friday, with both tallies coming on power plays (Holloway’s was on a first-period five-on-three). Even then, the power play was part of the problem. Overall, the IceCaps had nine official opportunities, and in the first half of second period, when a St. John’s goal could have made the score 3-2 and put a far different complexion the game, the IceCaps were mostly effective in three straight man-advantage opportunities.
Hamilton finished with two goals and a helper for the Comets (21-17-6), while his linemate, Carter Bancks, had a goal and two assists.