Utica Comets Win Season Opener In Toronto

The Utica Comets won their season opener in Toronto on Saturday with a 2-1 win over the Marlies.  Last year, in their inaugural season, the season started much differently as the Utica club suffered 10 straight losses before scoring their first franchise victory.

Cal O’Reilly (0-2-1), and Alex Grenier (1-1-2) paved the way for the Comets with two points apiece, while goaltender Jacob Markstrom (1-0-0-0) started his Comets career with a win.

The Marlies lit the lamp first off of a Comets turnover in their own zone. Comets defenseman Peter Andersson, from behind his own net, tried to sneak a pass through the middle of the ice but had it intercepted by Connor Brown who quickly passed it across the slot to Trevor Smith, who fired a shot past Markstrom for the game’s first tally.

Less than two minutes later the Comets power play unit squared the game up at one. Grenier, off a feed from O’Reilly who was stationed below the goal line, ripped a one-timer from the top of the circle past Bibeau for the Comets first goal of the season. Bobby Sanguinetti picked up the secondary assist.

Watch video recap courtesy Leafs TV, Rogers, Kyle Hall:

The second period saw a lot of Comets action early, and often. 6:27 into the period Dustin Jeffrey recorded his first goal as a Comet on an off angle shot from below the goal line. After releasing the original shot, Jeffrey crashed the net and dug out his own rebound, to beat Bibeau who thought he had the puck covered under his glove. Grenier and O’Reilly credited with assists on the play.

Things got quite testy when Darren Archibald received 20 minutes worth of penalties for charging Marlies forward Petter Granberg, and then fighting Jamie Devane. The hit in question came as Granberg peeled away from the end boards looking behind him, and directly into Archibald’s crosshairs. Archibald’s check led to a fight with Devane. Devane received five minutes for fighting, and two minutes for instigating.

Markstrom turned away all 13 Marlies shots in the third period, to seal the Comets victory.

The Comets power play went 2 for 7 on the night, with both goals coming with a 5-on-3 advantage. Utica also killed all four Marlies power plays on the evening.

Jacob Markstrom stopped 24 of the Marlies shots, and the Comets finished with a 34 to 25 shots advantage.

The Comets and Marlies square off again Sunday afternoon, 3pm start time, at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, ON.