UTICA The Utica Comets ended their longest homestand of the season on a down note as they dropped a 5-2 decision to their American Hockey League North Division rivals, the Rochester Americans, at the Utica Memorial Auditorium on Friday night. <\/p>\n
A near sellout crowd of 3,716 was on hand to witness the seventh meeting this season between Utica and Rochester, a game which featured seven goals and 38 penalty minutes. The Comets went 4-2-0-1 in their seven-game home stand dating back to Dec. 15. <\/p>\n
Kellan Lain and Pascal Pelletier each scored for Utica, which fell to 6-10-1-2 at The Aud this season with the loss. <\/p>\n
Comets goalie Joe Cannata, who started his fourth straight game in net, made 21 saves on 26 shots in defeat. Despite tying their season high of 35 shots on home ice, the Comets were unable to extend their power-play scoring streak on home ice, which ends at ten games as they fell to 11-17-1-2 overall. <\/p>\n
Alex Hutchings scored twice for Rochester, while Tim Schaller, Nick Crawford, and Joel Armia had the other goals, and netminder Matt Hackett stopped 33 of 35 shots. <\/p>\n
Comets defenseman Kent Huskins, who picked up his first point of the season, got his shot through on net where Lain was on hand to put it home and get the hosts ahead 1-0 in the first period. The assist was also the 150th of Huskins professional career and Brandon DeFazio picked up his ninth assist on the play as well. <\/p>\n
The Americans answered back in the first with a goal by Hutchings, before the right winger scored his second goal of the season and of the game in the second period to put the guests up for good at 2-1. <\/p>\n
The Americans then scored twice in the second period and twice more in the third to seal the victory and improve to 14-11-3-3 overall. <\/p>\n
The Comets now head north of the border for their game against the Toronto Marlies tonight starting at 5 oclock at the Ricoh Coliseum. <\/p>\n
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Comets wrap up homestand with loss<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" UTICA The Utica Comets ended their longest homestand of the season on a down note as they dropped a 5-2 decision to their American Hockey League North Division rivals, the Rochester Americans, at the Utica Memorial Auditorium on Friday night. A near sellout crowd of 3,716 was on hand to witness the seventh meeting this season between Utica and Rochester, a game which featured seven goals and 38 penalty minutes Continue reading