UTICA The Utica Comets moved its record to 4-1-0-1 on their current homestand as they defeated the Lake Erie Monsters, 3-2, at Utica Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday in a contest that kicked off the 2014 portion of the American Hockey Leagues schedule.

Pascal Pelletier, Colin Stuart and Darren Archibald each scored for the Comets, while Joe Cannata made 18 saves to earn his first victory on home ice this season, his third overall. Pelletier, Archibald and teammate Alex Biega all had multiple points on the afternoon.

Pelletier put the Comets ahead 6:10 into the second period with his sixth goal of the season. After serving his minor penalty for roughing, Alex Biega hit the Comets leading scorer with a breakaway pass and the center slotted a wrist shot past Aittokallio on the glove side. Brandon DeFazio also picked up an assist on the play, his eighth helper of the season.

Utica, which has now earned points in six of their past seven games on home ice, moved to 25 points on the season and are eight points out of eighth place in the Western Conference.

The Comets complete their seven-game homestand with a home tilt against the Rochester Americans on Friday starting at 7 p.m.

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Comets start new year with an AHL triumph