March 20, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL) Utica Comets Utica Comets Director of Hockey Operations Pat Conacher announced today that the team has signed defenseman Ben Hutton to a professional tryout contract (PTO), and that goaltender Pat Nagle has been released from his PTO. Also, the Vancouver Canucks have reassigned goaltender Joe Cannata to the Comets from the Ontario Reign of the ECHL.

Hutton, 21, recorded 21 points (9 goals, 12assists) and 14 penalty minutes with the University of Maine this season. In 108 career total NCAA games for the Black Bears, Hutton notched 65 points (28 goals, 37 assists) and logged 40 penalty minutes. Hutton was named a Second Team All-American, and to the Hockey East First Team and was also the recipient of the Bob Monahan Award (top defenceman in New England) following a career season in 2013.14.

The 6'3" 200-pound native of Prescott, Ontario was selected by Vancouver 147th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Nagle, 27, appeared in one game for the Comets where he stopped 25 of the Syracuse Crunch's 28 shots in a loss. In 28 games with the ECHL's Fort Wayne Komets this season Nagle owns a 2.35 GAA alongside a 0.910 save percentage and a 20-5-1-1 record.

Cannata, 25, currently ranks third in ECHL goaltenders in goals-against average (2.02) and in save percentage (0.927). He has allowed just 42 goals in 21 games with Ontario and has posted a 12-6-0-2 record with a shutout. He was the starting goalie in the ECHL All-Star game.

The Wakefield, Mass. native appeared in 28 games with the Comets last season and went 11-12-1-3 with a 2.83 goals-against average and a 0.907 save percentage. He finished the season strong by winning seven of his last nine starts with just a 2.08 goals-against average.

A sixth-round selection (173rd overall) of the Canucks in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Cannata played four years at Merrimack College from 2008-12, where he appeared in 122 career games posting an overall record of 59-46-16 with seven shutouts, a 2.47 goals-against average and a save percentage of .915.

For a complete schedule of Utica Comets games, as well as ticketing information, visit http://www.uticacomets.com.

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