Ben Birnell

UTICA The third time was the charm for the Utica Comets.

In two previous meetings over the last eight days against the Toronto Marlies, the Comets had come up short in a pair of losses against their North Division rival. Wednesdays game at the Utica Memorial Auditorium had a different outcome, though.

The Comets rallied with a three-goal second period and earned a 5-2 victory over the Marlies on Wednesday in front of an announced capacity crowd of 3,870.

"It was (a) huge (win)," said Kunyk, who scored in that second period and also added two assists. "It felt nice, too, since weve played them so many times in the last week and a half. It was nice to finally beat them."

Carter Bancks (two assists) and Evan McEneny (goal, assist) also had multi-point efforts in support of Richard Bachman, who stopped 22 shots to help the Comets (20-21-6-2, 48 points) snap a five-game losing streak at home. It was Uticas first win at home since Jan. 11 against Syracuse.

Borna Rendulic and Curtis Valk each scored on the power-play and Wacey Hamilton added a shorthanded tally for the Comets, who totaled five goals for the first time since Jan. 17 at St. Johns.

"We got contributions from almost every line. Thats big. This time of the year, we cant rely on one line. We need everyone to chip in," said Comets coach Travis Green, whose team is 2-5-1-1 in the last nine games. "To get the five goals was a bonus."

Included in the effort was holding Toronto (24-22-3-1, 52 points) to zero power-play goals on six chances Wednesday after they went 6-of-7 in the two contests last week.

It was an important victory for the fifth-place Comets, who are outside of a North playoff spot with 27 regular-season games remaining. Utica trails Toronto by four points in the division.

First period

The teams played a fairly even opening 20 minutes, with neither getting many quality scoring chances.

However, Andreas Johnsson put Toronto ahead with 3:15 left when he buried his 14th of the season after the puck popped out of the right corner to the slot, where the forward buried it just under Bachmans pads.

Second period

The Comets exploded for a season-most three goals in the frame and a one-goal advantage.

"It was just being persistent," Green said of the Comets effort. "I give our guys a lot of credit."

Utica got on the board 1:47 in. Kunyk won a faceoff on the right side and sent a pass to Rendulic in the left circle. The forward backhanded his sixth of the season past Garret Sparks (28 saves).

"That was kind of a messed up play off the faceoff," Kunyk said. "I knew someone was going to be wide open in front. And, (Rendulic) was there. He made an unbelievable backhand shot."

The teams combined for three goals over the last 7:37. The Marlies briefly took a 2-1 lead when Andrew Nielsens blast from the blue line found its way through traffic.

The Comets took over from there.

That advantage lasted 46 seconds with help from some hard work from Bancks on the penalty kill. With Jordan Subban off for holding, Bancks picked up the puck along the Marlies goal line and waited for a streaking Hamilton, who buried his seventh of the season from the slot with 6:51 remaining.

The Comets grabbed the lead for good about three minutes later after a big stop by Bachman. Utica went the other way and Andrey Pedan received a pass from Jake Virtanen on the right side and sent a blast from the left side on the point. Kunyk, who was standing in front, redirected it in for his seventh of the season.

"Me and (Cole Cassels) were standing there and I was lucky enough to get a stick on it," Kunyk said.

Third period

The game remained unchanged until later when the Comets added two goals about three minutes apart.

Utica made it 4-2 with 6:29 left when McEneny cleaned up a shot by Bancks from the right circle for his sixth of the season.

The Comets added their second power-play goal when Valk took a nice feed from McEneny and scored his 14th of the season.

"Id like to say everything looked pretty on the power play," Kunyk said with a smile. "It is just something that weve been sticking with it. We were fortunate to get two tonight."

Up next

The Comets continue a 10-games-in-16-days-stretch when they head to Springfield for the second time in less than a week to play the Thunderbirds at 7:05 p.m. Friday at the MassMutal Center. Utica picked up a 2-1 victory at Springfield last Saturday.

NOTES: Wednesdays game was the 80th consecutive sellout for the Comets; however, there were a few unfilled seats throughout the Aud. Sparks entered the game with the second-lowest goals-against average in the AHL at 2.17. Pascal Pelletier (day-to-day), Derek Hulak (29 consecutive games) and John Negrin (16 games) all were out of the lineup because of injuries. The Comets and Marlies play again April 7 in Utica.

Comets 5, Marlies 2

Toronto 1 1 0 2 Utica 0 3 2 5

1st Period-1, Toronto, Johnsson 14 16:45. Penalties-Dermott Tor (interference), 10:45; Zalewski Uti (holding), 17:01; Archibald Uti (slashing), 18:56.

2nd Period-2, Utica, Rendulic 6 (Kunyk, LaBate), 1:47 (PP). 3, Toronto, Nielsen 10 (Corrado, Clune), 12:23. 4, Utica, Hamilton 7 (Bancks, Shields), 13:09 (SH). 5, Utica, Kunyk 7 (Pedan, Virtanen), 16:49. Penalties-Griffith Tor (holding), 1:10; Hamilton Uti (holding), 3:36; Nielsen Tor (high-sticking), 6:34; McEneny Uti (holding), 8:57; Subban Uti (holding), 12:43; Archibald Uti (boarding), 19:15.

3rd Period-6, Utica, McEneny 6 (Bancks, Kunyk), 13:31. 7, Utica, Valk 14 (McEneny, Grenier), 16:21 (PP). Penalties-Griffith Tor (interference), 10:24; Nielsen Tor (hooking), 15:42.

Shots on Goal-Toronto 9-10-5-24. Utica 8-15-10-33.

Power Play Opportunities-Toronto 0 / 6; Utica 2 / 5.

Goalies-Toronto, Sparks 13-7-0 (33 shots-28 saves).

Utica, Bachman 11-10-2 (24 shots-22 saves).

A-3,870.

Referees-Tyler Puddifant (9), Olivier Gouin (54). Linesmen-Tory Carissimo (54), Francois Dussureault (60).

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Utica Comets cruise past Marlies - Utica Observer Dispatch