by After a string of losses, the Utica Comets returned home to the Adirondack Bank Center on February 10 to try and crawl out of the hole they dug for themselves. Fortunately, their offense came alive, and so did “The Schmid Show,” a term for their starting goaltender’s game-defining performance lovingly coined by Spencer Davidson of WKTV.
Sporting their reverse retro jerseys, the team took the ice with their second best goaltender Akira Schmid starting in net after Nico Daws spent the week in the pro league. The first period saw an early boost in scoring chances by the Comets dominating 8-1 shooting difference. The crowd was treated to a rare penalty shot with Graeme Clarke earning the honor from a hooking call, but Bears Goalie Zach Fucale came prepared and locked him out to stall the heated Comets team.
Cutting into the second, not much was going on until a save by Schmid in the crease would give Jack Dugan and his Comets team their first goal of the game just 6:34 into the period. Now, on the defense, it was all Schmid who came in to stop a short string of shots and keep their lead. The Comets team kept up their shots on goal far above the Bears, who finished the game 33-19.
The gravy train continued for the Comets with both Nolan Foote and Andreas Johnsson scoring goals in the third, the latter with just 22 seconds left in the entire game. Schmid left the Aud with a shutout and the team with a 3-0 win at home.
