Comets Punch Ticket To Playoffs With Win Over Devils

The Comets defeated the Binghamton Devils 4 to 3 Sunday night at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena. With that win, Utica has clinched a spot in the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs.

Zac Lynch started the game and put the Comets up 1-0 with 3:04 remaining in the first period by ripping a wrist shot past the Devils goaltender Eddie Lack. Comrie was the lone assist.

On to the second period and Simonelli extended the Comets lead to 2-0 three minutes into the second period with a power-play goal. Chaput and Wiercioch picked up the assists. That goal was Simonelli's first as a Comet but certainly will not be the last. Four minutes later Cherniwchan made it 3-0 with a short-handed goal after a Devils defensive zone turnover.

The Devils Bastian scored with a rebound past the Comets Bachman to cut the lead to 3-1 this just 1:35 into the third period. Leitner regained the Comet's three-point advantage five minutes later to notch his first AHL goal. MacDonald responded with a goal two minutes later to make 4-2 Comets. Blake Speers brought the Devils to within one with 3:09 left in regulation.Bachman and the Comets defense made sure that Binghamton never got back in the game in spite of a late flurry to secure the win.

The Comets are back in action Wednesday night as they battle the Rochester Americans. The puck drops at 7 pm at the Blue Cross Arena.

[uticacomets]