Mar 3, 2026
Utica, NY – The Comets returned home to host the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the one and only time this season and came away with a 4-1 win.Â
It was the first time for the Comets facing the Phantoms since December 6th, and the two teams went through a feeling-out process in the first period. Each team registered seven shots on goal. The Comets’ best chance came from Matyas Melovsky who dangled through the Lehigh Valley defense but was stopped on a nice glove save by Phantoms’ netminder Carson Bjarnason.Â
The pace picked up a bit in the second period with the Comets playing with the upper hand. Shortly after killing off a Nathan Legare holding penalty, Kyle Criscuolo stole the puck at the offensive blue line and moved in on Bjarnason who stopped his offering and then made an even better stop on Mike Hardman’s follow-up bid to keep it a scoreless game. The Comets would break through later in the period when Xavier Parent chipped the puck up the right-wing boards in the defensive zone, moved in 2-on-1 with Colton White, and snapped a shot past Bjarnason from the right circle inside the far post to make it 1-0 Comets at the 19:15 mark of the second on his 14th of the year and fifth goal in the last three games.Â
The Comets found themselves on the penalty kill again in the third when Marc McLaughlin was called for tripping, but it was Utica who would capitalize. Colton White hoisted a puck out to center ice, and Nathan Legare took advantage of a fortuitous bounce that sprung him in on a breakaway, beating Carson Bjarnason low glove side to give the Comets a 2-0 lead at 7:53 of the third on his eighth of the year. The Comets would later head to the power play, and it was Shane Lachance setting up Mike Hardman on the doorstep who roofed one past Bjarnason on his seventh of the year to make it 3-0 at 9:48. Ryan Schmelzer picked up the secondary assist and it was Hardman’s team-leading fifth power play goal of the season. The Phantoms would end Nico Daws’ shutout bid later in the period when forward Oscar Eklind tipped home a centering pass from Garrett Wilson to make it 3-1 at 13:10 on Eklind’s fifth of the year, but that would be all that Lehigh Valley would muster up for goals. Brian Halonen added an empty-netter at 18:25 for his 16th of the year from Ryan Schmelzer to make it 4-1 and seal the deal for the Comets, extending their winning streak to three games.Â
The Comets were outshot by the Phantoms 28-22 and went 1-for-4 on the power play while going 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.Â
The Comets are back home on Friday at 7 pm against the Belleville Senators. For tickets or more information, fans can visit uticacomets.com/tickets or call 315-790-9070.Â