Utica Comets continue their advance to AHL Calder Cup Final

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BC 1988
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Last night, the Canucks farm team in Utica won the 7th game of their Western Semi-Final over OKC (Edmonton). They move on to face Grand Rapids (Detroit). The winner of this series will face either Manchester (LA) or Hartford (NYR) for the Calder Cup.

This is significant mostly for the Comet's #1 goalie Jacob Markstrom, who continues to prove he is one of the top AHL netminders, but has had limited success in the NHL. He is an RFA this year, so is another piece of the puzzle in the Canucks goaltending future with Lack and Miller.

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Comet ... story.html
Comets 1 Barons 0: Markstrom shuts the door as Comets streak into 3rd round of AHL playoffs

UTICA, N.Y. — One goal was all the Utica Comets needed Wednesday night as they secured a spot in the Calder Cup’s Western Conference Final after eliminating the Oklahoma City Barons 1-0 in Game 7 at The Utica Memorial Auditorium.

After losing Game 6, Jacob Markstrom had another bounceback performance as he shut out the Barons and stopped all 35 of the shots the Barons unloaded on him.

Alexandre Grenier (1-0-1) was the offensive hero for the Comets as he netted his second game-winning goal of the series.

Since 1992, teams that have scored first in the Game 7’s have gone 47-13. With that statistic in the back of their minds, the Comets kept it a 0-0 game until the 7:11 mark in the third and final period.

“You want to get the first goal in a game seven. There was a lot of emphasis on that,” said head coach Travis Green.
It only took three consecutive shots but Grenier was able to find the rebound just inside the blue paint as he knocked the puck past the Barons netminder, Richard Bachman, that gave the Comets all that they needed to walk away with the win.

Both Travis Ehrhardt and Alex Biega were credited with the assists.

With the shutout, Jacob Markstrom became the second goalie in American Hockey League history with a 1-0 Game 7 shutout, joining Cleveland's Johnny Bower who achieved the same feat in the 1953 Finals.

After bringing both of their first two rounds to the brink, the Comets have played a total of 12 games with nine of them being one-goal games.

In those nine games the Comets have gone 5-4 this postseason.

Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals begins this Sunday at The Utica Memorial Auditorium, as the Comets will host the Grand Rapids Griffins at 7 p.m.

Three Stars: 1. UTI– Jacob Markstrom (35 Saves, Win) 2. UTI – Alexandre Grenier (1 Goal) 3. OKC– Richard Bachman (39 Saves)
Last edited by BC 1988 on Wed Jun 03, 2015 10:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Toppy Vann
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Tony Gallagher's complained that the Coach and team there are about winning and not development.

My sense (look at Edmonton) is that younger players need to play but be brought into game situations where they can grow and be successful - not in sink or swim situations as 82 games in the NHL like the Oilers finds them sinking at times. I like the mix of vets as long as they give the young players meaningful time and situations in games.
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http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Galla ... story.html
Gallagher: Player development taking a back seat in Utica
By Tony Gallagher, The ProvinceMay 14, 2015

We’ve seen some strange things go on with the way the Vancouver Canucks are attempting to develop this bevy of good young prospects they finally have in their organization. And now, the more successful the Utica Comets become, the more bizarre player decisions become when you look at it from a developmental point of view.

We get that Canucks management wants their players to get the feel for a winning environment, and the Comets are certainly doing that, tied 2-2 with the Oklahoma City Barons in their AHL second-round playoff matchup. But when you look at Brendan Gaunce being a healthy scratch in the first two games of the first series and Nicklas Jensen being scratched for a couple as well, you have to wonder whether player development is what Vancouver ownership is paying for down there.

Recently Jake Virtanen and Jared McCann finished their junior seasons and were assigned to Utica. But for what purpose? They haven’t seen the light of day in a game and they aren’t likely to as coach Travis Green clearly wants to make this year in Utica his ticket to consideration for an NHL job rather than develop young players for the Canucks.

Ben Hutton finished an outstanding season at the University of Maine recently and was assigned to Utica at age 22, and it’s not like the guy is chopped liver. GM Jim Benning recently said he thinks Hutton, who is big and has some offensive pop to his game, “can develop into a top-four defenceman for us.” And that mirrors the thinking of at least two more people in the organization and other well-known scouts around the league.

Well, since he got to Utica he played four regular-season games — getting a goal in the process — then promptly got a seat on the bench so that such luminaries as 36-year-old Kent Huskins and 26-year-old Travis Ehrhardt can play in his stead, although, to be fair, the latter got two assists in Wednesday night’s 7-4 loss to the Barons.

Here’s my question. Can either of these guys develop into top-four D for the Canucks any time soon? And if not, why are they playing ahead of someone who can?

Even if the Comets were to promptly go out of the playoffs as a result of these decisions, wouldn’t that experience of being in such meaningful games be better for these young players than sitting there watching from the sidelines? They could learn more going to Anaheim and Chicago to ‘watch’ games. At least there they would see the pace at which they’ll ultimately have to play.

We get that the Canucks want these players to learn how to be professional players. But with all do respect to the players, we’re about to mention, is watching Cal O’Reilly, Alex Grenier and Alex Friesen get ready for a game going to be that memorable an experience for first-round picks like Virtanen and McCann? Are you kidding me? They are, in fact, entirely likely to discount what they see as simply something that will prepare them for a career in the American League, something both are trying desperately to avoid at this stage in their careers.

This is not to say it’s a total disaster down there. Gaunce is playing now and producing. Adam Clendening and Hunter Shinkaruk are getting in and so is Jensen, but perhaps not in a position to allow him to succeed. And Sven Baertschi seems to be getting a very prominent role with lots of power-play time in all nine games.

But if someone could explain to me why Carter Bancks, at 25 years of age with all of six goals and eight assists in 57 regular-season games down there, should be playing ahead of another B.C. lad in Virtanen, it would be genuinely appreciated.

Now this is not to say we’re experts on player development here in Vancouver. Far from it, and hence we’re subject to advice.

The best development process ever seen in these part other than say, Alex Burrows, might have been the Sedin twins. They were no more ready for the NHL than becoming astronauts when they first came over from Sweden, but Marc Crawford kept running them out on the second unit of every power play and on a regular shift and they developed into exceptional players despite a couple of years of caterwauling here about them not earning the opportunities they were constantly being given. It worked wonderfully well. Never did they have to sit and watch Harold Druken teach them how to be pros in Manitoba.

But hey, the game is different now. Maybe this is the way to go. We’ll know in a few years.

tgallagher@theprovince.com
Thanks for the heads-up about the article. It's an interesting perspective. I've heard Gallagher making similar comments on 1040 from time to time.

Matt Sekeres on 1040 today said that Jim Benning was attending the next round to get a first-hand look at Jacob Markstrom, with a mind to his upcoming RFA status negotiations. Benning wants to find out if Markstrom really can fit into the Canuck's plans.
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Typical Tony Gallagher, making a mountain out of a mole hill. The surest way of destroying a player's career is handing him a job for which he is ill prepared. In the real world, you have to earn your playing time. Just because you are a top draft pick doesn't mean you the job is handed to you.
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TheLionKing wrote:Typical Tony Gallagher, making a mountain out of a mole hill. The surest way of destroying a player's career is handing him a job for which he is ill prepared. In the real world, you have to earn your playing time. Just because you are a top draft pick doesn't mean you the job is handed to you.
I agree fully but one thing. There are SOME coaches who fear youth and will let a cagey old vet play who isn't delivering for fear of a rookie mistake.

I feel that getting that person into the game with good time and good situations is the way to improve players.

But the entire hockey mindset is nuts.

Top 6, 3rd or 4th line player, etc... blah blah. What more proof is there that they play too many games and have watered their product than this? Only sport in the world where you're hired to play 3 minutes a night and can't improve it no matter if you pull off a natural hat trick.
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Comets take the opener of the West Conference Final last night 2-1, with goals by Jensen and DeFazio (both were their first of the playoffs.) Markstrom was the first star, with 25/26 saves/shots.

Game 2 goes tonight in Utica.

http://theahl.com/stats/official-game-r ... id=1014678
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In Game 2 tonight, Grand Rapids 4 Utica 2.

Markstrom was replaced by Eriksson in net at the end of the 2nd period, when it was 4-0. A pair of PP goals by Baertschi and Gaunce came late in the 3rd period.

The series is tied at 1-1, and moves to Grand Rapids for games 3-5 on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.

http://theahl.com/stats/official-game-r ... id=1014679
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Grand Rapids had 18 shots on goal and 4 of them found the back of the net.
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TheLionKing wrote:Grand Rapids had 18 shots on goal and 4 of them found the back of the net.
Right, Markstrom had 12/16 saves/shots before he was pulled. His worst performance of the playoffs.

The first 2 Grand Rapids goals were scored by 18 yr old prospect Dylan Larkin, playing only his 2nd pro game. He was the leading scorer for the US team at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship.
http://mensworlds.usahockey.com/page/sh ... lan-larkin

Interesting article about his career possibilities with Detroit.
http://www.wingingitinmotown.com/2015/5 ... -red-wings

The 4rd goal was scored on the PP by 19 yr old Tyler Bertuzzi (nephew of Todd). He's another recent acquisition who had just come to the AHL after finishing his season with the OHL Guelph Storm.
http://www.wingingitinmotown.com/2015/4 ... to-the-top

The Comets are going to have a tough time making it to the Calder Cup if they don't get a better defensive effort and Markstrom has to remember he's actually playing in the AHL, not the NHL. (That was too much like March 15th vs San Jose).
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Utica 4 Grand Rapids 1 in game 3. Comets lead best of seven 2-1.

Markstrom had an excellent bounce back performance with 41-42 saves-shots, losing his shutout bid in the 3rd period when he faced 22 shots.

Sven Bärtschi scored a natural hat trick in the 2nd period, with Cory Conacher rounding out the scoring late in the 3rd.

http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.ph ... id=1014680
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Grand Rapids 3 Utica 2 (OT) Series tied 2-2

Comets had a 2-1 lead after 2 periods with goals by Alex Friesen and Cory Conacher, but couldn't hang on to the lead. Anthony Mantha tied it up at 5:44 of the 3rd, then Andreas Athanasiou scored the OT winner at 5:05.

Markstrom had 22/25 saves/shots, and Tom McCollom was the busier netminder with 34/36 saves/shots.

Game 5 is Sunday in Grand Rapids at 2pm Pacific.

The Manchester Monarchs (LA) , having swept their series 4-0 against Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) 2 nights ago, wll have a long layoff as they await the Western Finalist. Game 6 returns to Utica on Tuesday, and Game 7 on Wednesday (if necessary).

http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.ph ... id=1014681
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Utica 3 Grand Rapids 2. Comets regain home-ice advantage with a 3-2 series lead heading back home Tuesday.

First period goals by Brendon Gaunce, Hunter Shinkaruk, and Bobby Sanguinetti were all they would need. Markstrom was 1st star with 32/34 saves/shots, while GR goalie Tom McCollum only had 18/21 saves/shots.

http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.ph ... id=1014682
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Utica 2 Grand Rapids 0. Comets win series 4-2 and the Robert W. Clarke Trophy as the American Hockey League’s Western Conference Champion.

Markstrom turned aside all 21 shots he faced. GR Goalie Tom McCollum was 27-28, allowing what turned out to be the winner by Cory Conacher early in the second period. Alexandre Grenier scored the EN insurance marker.

As the 1st seed in the West, they will face the East 1st seed (and 1st overall) Manchester (LA) starting on Saturday in Manchester.

http://www.theprovince.com/Comets+Griff ... story.html

http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.ph ... id=1014683

The further Markstrom goes in these playoffs, the more likely he will fit into the Canucks plans as the backup goalie next season. There are rumors that the Canucks are looking to deal Eddie Lack for a 2nd round draft pick.

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/05/repo ... ound-pick/
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Manchester 3 Utica 2 (OT). Manchester leads series 1-0.

Goals by Sven Baertschi and Cory Conacher in quick response to Monarchs goals weren't enough, as the team was outshot 37-17. Michael Mersch scored 2 goals for Manchester, including the OT winner at 4:10.
Jacob Markstrom 34/37 saves/shots
Jean-Francois Berube 15/17 saves/shots

Game 2 goes today at 2pm broadcast on TSN 1040.

http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.ph ... id=1014685
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Manchester 2 Utica 1 (OT) Manchester leads series 2-0.

For the 2nd straight day, the Comets were outshot (39-25, and 7-1 in 5:36 of OT) and lost in OT.

Nicklas Jensen scored the only Utica goal to tie the score at 1:12 of the 2nd period.

The series now moves to Utica on Wednesday for game 3.

http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.ph ... id=1014686
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