TORONTO — It was a game of wasted opportunities in the eyes of Toronto Marlies head coach Steve Spott.
The Marlies connected on just one of nine power-play chances on Sunday as they fell to the visiting Utica Comets 2-1 in American Hockey League action.
“The story line tonight is definitely the power play,” said Spott. “I think that with the personnel we have out there, our expectation is obviously higher and their expectation has to be higher. Not enough pucks to the net, and you know what? They’re going to take away T.J. Brennan like most teams will so other players have to have the puck on their stick and they have to create something.”
The Marlies (28-17-4) also had two separate 5-on-3 power-play opportunities totalling nearly three minutes, but had just three shots and failed to score.
Utica (20-23-7) went 1 for 3 with the man advantage in the win.
Pascal Pelletier scored the game-winner with 34 seconds remaining, re-directing an Alex Biega shot past Toronto goaltender Drew MacIntyre for his 10th of the season.
“It was miscommunication,” said MacIntyre. “The forwards and defence weren’t on the same page and (Pelletier) was all alone in the slot to make a nice deflection. It’s frustrating. We had every single opportunity to win that game…They were more desperate than us, for sure.”
Jeremy Welsh opened the scoring in the first period for the Comets, who beat Toronto for the first time in three meetings this season.
Brandon Kozun tied it for the Marlies (28-17-4) in the second.
Joe Cannata made 25 saves for his sixth win of the season while MacIntyre stopped 26 shots in the loss.
Utica opened the scoring at 18:06 of the first period as Welsh picked up his first of the season, on a power play, putting home the rebound off a Colin Stuart shot.
Toronto tied it 1-1, on a power play, at 6:54 of the second when Kozun tipped a T.J. Brennan shot past Cannata for his 14th of the campaign.
Spott gave the Comets credit for responding after playing Saturday night in Rochester, travelling to Toronto overnight and squeezing out a win.
MacIntyre, however, wasn’t so quick to give Utica the same praise.
“That’s my least favourite excuse,” MacInytre said. “This is the AHL and it all evens out. I hate when people say ‘oh they were tired’. Who cares?”
The Marlies continue their 10-game home stand Monday when the Texas Stars visit.
Note: The Marlies recalled goaltender Christopher Gibson from the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL on Sunday. According to Spott, Gibson’s recall is to help him rehab a lower-back injury.
