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By Ben Birnell Tuesday Posted at 10:54 AM The Utica Comets’ roster had more change Tuesday. After a three-game stint with the team, rookie Adam Gaudette was recalled by the Vancouver Canucks, while another defenseman was added by the Comets. Gaudette had a goal and two assists in the games with the output happening during a standout effort Saturday’s win over Cleveland. The move comes with the Canucks recently dealing with injuries to Elias Pettersson and Josh Leivo. Gaudette has spent a majority of the season with the Canucks. The move leaves the Comets with 14 healthy forwards ahead of Wednesday’s game against North Division rival Toronto. Earlier in the day, the Comets announced the addition of Cliff Watson to a professional tryout contract. The move gives the Comets -- who have had injury troubles and had their share of struggles among its blue line this season -- a total of eight healthy defensemen. Watson joins Colton Saucerman and Craig Wyszomirski as players on PTO contracts. The 25-year-old Watson, who played six games with the Comets during the 2017-18 season, gives the team another defense-minded option. He had been a solid addition during a season in which the Comets had a slew of players on PTOs last season. “We liked parts of his game when we had him last. So, when he became available we thought he could add something to our group,” Comets General Manager Ryan Johnson said. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Watson split time between the ECHL and AHL this season. He’s five goals and 10 points in 19 games with ECHL Kansas City this season. He’s also played nine AHL games with Stockton -- and most recently Hershey -- totaling three assists. Watson will look to assist a Comets defense that has allowed 133 goals this season, which is third most in AHL. The Comets, who have won straight games following a weekend sweep of Cleveland, are in third place in the North Division. Utica continues a road trip Wednesday in Toronto.

Having watched most of the games live at the Aud or on AHL TV, I'd say Tanner Kero has been the most consistent Comet on the ice. He's 100% effort all the time and does not take dumb offensive zone penalties. His current stats GP:39, G:13, A:18, PTS:31 and PIM: 20. Having played 72 NHL games from 2015 through 2018 I think he still exhibits the fire to get back up.

Another great team win! Kero hat trick and Arseneau 5 goals in 5 games.

Interesting pairing was the D line of Colton Saucerman and Craig Wyszomirski who are both on PTO's from the ECHL Manchester Monarchs. Saucerman was more proactive with his wingman this game although Wyszomirski was out of place on the second Cleveland goal and left a Monster wide open for the cross and tap in. Other than that lapse they held up pretty well.

CANUCKS RECALL DEMKO FROM THE COMETS Jan 4, 2019 Utica, N.Y. – Vancouver Canucks General Manager Jim Benning announced today that the club has recalled goaltender Thatcher Demko from the Utica Comets. Demko, 23, has a record of 8-5-1 along with a .911 save percentage and 2.58 GAA in 16 games played with the Comets this season. The third-year netminder has appeared in 107 career games with the Comets, holding a record of 55-35-12, a 2.56 goals-against average, a .915 save percentage and three shutouts. Additionally, he won his lone NHL start last season, making 30 saves to help the Canucks defeat Columbus 5-4 on March 31. The San Diego, California, native is the Comets all-time leader in career and single-season wins.

COMETS SIGN ALEX SAKELLAROPOULOS TO A PTO Jan 4, 2019 Utica, N.Y. – Utica Comets General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that the club has signed goaltender Alex Sakellaropoulos to a professional tryout contract. Sakellaropoulos, 24, has appeared in 18 games with Adirondack Thunder this season and holds a 10-3-3 record, a 2.46 goals-against average, and a .920 save percentage. Prior to turning pro, the Tinley Park, Illinois native played four seasons at Union College, playing in 80 games and finishing with a career record of 40-22-13.

The parent Vancouver Canucks made a key trade Wednesday with the Ottawa Senators that has some implications for the Utica Comets. The biggest news: The versatile Darren Archibald – the fan favorite forward known as “The Mayor” by teammates and who holds Comets records in games played (305), goals (75) and is second in points (144) – had his time in Utica come to an end. Archibald, 28-year-old forward, was sent to Ottawa along with goaltender Anders Nilsson and in exchange for goalie Mike McKenna, forward Tom Pyatt and a 2019 sixth round draft pick. Another big development as part of the trade, which isn’t a big surprise: Touted goaltending prospect Thatcher Demko — an AHL All-Star last season with Utica -- is going to get an opportunity to show what he can do in the NHL in the near future, the Canucks said. Pyatt – who has played 445 NHL games -- will report to Utica after clearing waivers earlier in the day, the Canucks said. The veteran forward -- who also plays a penalty kill role -- has two assists in 37 games with Ottawa this season. Ottawa, meanwhile, said Archibald has been assigned to Belleville, which is a North Division rival of the Comets. The AHL teams meet Jan. 19 in Utica. Vancouver General Manager Jim Benning said McKenna will serve as backup for the Canucks on Wednesday in Ottawa and Thursday in Montreal. Then, Demko will be called up the Canucks, Benning told media. McKenna will need to clear waivers in order to be assigned to the Comets. “It’s time to bring him up and see where he’s at facing NHL competition,” Benning said of Demko, who made his NHL debut last season and is 7-5-1 this season with Utica following a prolonged injury absence. McKenna would help provide some veteran presence for the Comets, who are without Richard Bachman for the rest of the season. Benning confirmed that Bachman suffered a torn Achilles tendon muscle in his left leg. Archibald, who had spent time with the Canucks this season, has 11 goals and five assists in 23 games this season. With help from his rugged style, Archibald had been a popular player with Comets fans and had been an all-situations player for the team. The 35-year-old McKenna has split this season between Ottawa and Belleville. In 10 NHL appearances this season, McKenna is 1-4-1 with a 3.96 goals-against average and an .897 save percentage. He has also appeared in six games with Belleville, going 3-3-0 with a 2.72 GAA and a .914 save percentage. McKenna is the winningest U.S.-born goaltender in AHL history with 226 career victories and has a record of 226-175-39 with a 2.70 GAA, a .913 save percentage and 27 shutouts in 467 games. He’s played for AHL teams Belleville, Texas, Syracuse, Springfield, Portland, Peoria, Binghamton, Lowell/Albany, Norfolk, Milwaukee and Omaha. The 28-year-old Nilsson, who backed Sweden to gold at the world hockey championship last spring, had a 3-8-1 record, 3.09 GAA and 0.895 save percentage in 12 games with Canucks this season.

COMETS SIGN CRAIG WYSZOMIRSKI TO PTO Jan 2, 2019 Utica, N.Y. – Utica Comets General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that the club has signed defenseman Craig Wyszormirski to a professional tryout contract. Wyszormirski, 26, has appeared in 20 games with the Manchester Monarchs this season, recording seven points (2-5-7). The Mahwah, NJ native has suited up in 135 career ECHL games, tallying 35 points (8-26-34). The defenseman has also appeared in 10 career AHL games.

By Ben Birnell Posted at 7:22 PM Updated at 10:17 PM UTICA – The Comets wanted the fans to hear the much-anticipated news first Saturday. The news: The Comets will remain in the Mohawk Valley as members of the American Hockey League. During the midway point of the first period of Saturday’s game, the team announced a six-year extension agreement with the parent Vancouver Canucks to continue as affiliates. “I think it is something (both sides) knew was eventually going to happen,” Comets President Rob Esche said during Saturday’s first intermission. “It is important to know that it is such a big decision for a team like Vancouver to believe in us the way that they do. It is simply because they have a lot of people on the West Coast that care about the prospects.” The news was met with thunderous applause from the more than 3,000 Comets fans in attendance after broadcaster Joe Roberts made the announcement and popped a bottle of confetti. It is a similar deal to the six-year agreement that the sides signed in 2013 to bring professional hockey back to Utica. After two years, there is an option to continue the affiliation. The original deal was set to expire after this season. “We’ve cherished it for six years and I know we’re going to continue do that,” Esche said. “I’ve said it all along that it is not a right, it is a privilege to be in the AHL.” Esche — who is also president of Mohawk Valley Garden Inc., the group which oversees the Comets — said in the months leading up to the announcement he was confident that an extension would be reached with Vancouver, which owns the AHL franchise. Esche said conversations with AHL President Dave Andrews in recent months — including when he made a visit to Utica in October — were all positive. The extension ensures Vancouver’s top prospects will continue to develop their skills in Utica through at least the 2020-21 season. We are very pleased to continue our partnership with Utica,” said Vancouver General Manager Jim Benning in a news release. “The Comets share our organization’s level of commitment and philosophy in player development, providing a strong environment for growth. We believe the culture in Utica, combined with the great fan support and atmosphere at games, will continue to be beneficial for the players in our system.” Since the start of the affiliation in 2013, 21 players have appeared in games with both the Comets and the Canucks. The Comets have 15 total Calder Cup playoff wins in six seasons, including a trip to the finals in 2015. Utica has qualified for the postseason in three of its five previous seasons affiliated with the Canucks. Entering Saturday, Utica had a regular-season record of 204-152-37-17. The sides have regularly talked about the benefits of the affiliation, despite the considerable distance between Utica and Vancouver. In recent years, other West Coast-based teams have relocated their AHL affiliates closer in proximity and there had been much discussion surrounding the partnership. The Comets have been popular in the Mohawk Valley since hitting the ice in fall 2013 — far more than when Utica had an AHL team in the early 1990s. For example, the Comets broke the AHL record of 121 announced consecutive sold-out regular-season games in October. Entering Saturday, the Comets had sold out 132 consecutive regular-season games. “At the end of the day, the fans are really the ones that got this extension done,” Esche said. “Every single one of the talks always revolved around the atmosphere in Utica. It is tough to duplicate that ... anywhere in any sport.”

Joe Roberts, voice of the Comets made the surprise announcement of the extension during a break in the 1st period. The fans went nuts. Team gave the fans a salute. Comets 2/8 PP, Amerks 2/5 PP. Wacey Hamilton, a fan favorite, was back in the lineup after missing most of the season with a concussion. Another test coming up Wednesday when Crunch visit Utica. Amerks loss puts Crunch on top of division.

Worst defeat in franchise history. 33 vs 41 shots against, Kulbakov 8 GA and Demko 2 GA. Crunch 3 SH. Tomorrow vs #1 Division Rochester.