Utica, NY – The Comets hosted the Senators for the Jack Kane Dedication Game and got a 4-3 lead in a shootout. The first period was a low shooting period for both teams, but the Comets carried the game and had no shortage of opportunities. Brian Halonen hit the post after being set up by Seamus Casey, who picked up a pass in the neutral zone and made a great feed to Halonen. Angus Crookshank and Mike Hardman also had some good scoring opportunities, but Belleville netminder Hunter Shepard was strong between the pipes. The Comets went 0-for-1 on the only power play opportunity they had in the first inning.
The physicality increased in an eventful second period. The Senators had a 5-3 lead just over five minutes into the period, but the Comets kept them at bay. At 8:46 of the period, Utica defenseman Austin Strand finished off a nice backdoor feed from Jonathan Gruden from the left circle for his first of the season, giving the Comets a 1-0 lead. Jack Malone picked up the secondary assist.
Austin Strand received a minor for pre-processing later in the period. Not only did the Comets kill the ensuing power play in Belleville, but Lenni Hameenaho raced down the right wing and fired a shot with a low blocker past Hunter Shepard to give the Comets a 2-0 lead at 16:01. It was the Comets’ first shorthanded goal of the season and Hameenaho’s second goal in as many games.
The teams started the third period 4-on-4 and it was the Senators who struck just 45 seconds later to make it 2-1 after a Xavier Bourgault goal for his fifth of the year, beating Nico Daw’s five-hole. The Senators continued to press, and a few minutes later Landon Hookey deflected a Jorian Donovan shot past Nico Daws to tie the game at two at 4:44. Belleville would eventually take the lead when Arthur Kaliyev pulled back his first shot, which was blocked, and then beat Nico Daw’s high blocker side at 3:17. Less than a minute later, the Comets stormed back and Brian Halonen ripped a laser past Hunter Shepard to tie the game at three. Angus Crookshank and Topias Vilen picked up the assists.
The teams went to overtime and the Comets outscored Belleville badly in the extra session, outscoring them 10-1, but Hunter Shepard was great in net. After Lenni Hameenaho and Stephen Halliday each scored in the first round of the shootout, neither team would score again until the fifth round, when Wyatt Bongiovanni won it for the Senators.
The Comets defeated the Senators 28-27 in the game. The Comets went 0-for-2 on the power play and went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.
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