Amherst Comets: Welcome

The Amherst Comets Hockey team gained points in division play over the weekend racking up two wins.  On Friday, January 22, the Comets faced off against the Normandy Invaders, with each team scoring three goals in regulation play.  The game went into sudden death overtime with #22 Connor Morris scoring an unassisted goal to win the game.  Amherst goals scored by #6 Jaron Smith (#8 Ryan Orseno, #5 Steve Stropko), #12 Kyle Bilancini (#36 Drew Ashton, #17 Shamus Sorrell), and #9 Shawn Hunt ( #36 Drew Ashton, #12 Kyle Bilancini).

Sunday the Comets took on the Bulldogs of Olmsted Falls at Brooklyn Recreation Center.  The Bulldogs were fresh off a win over the Brecksville Bees, the Southwestern Conference Tournament champions, but fell to the Comets who tallied 4 goals over Olmsted Falls 2. 

Scoring for the Comets were #12 Kyle Bilancini (#28 Shelby Neidert), #36 Drew Ashton (#6 Jaron Smith), #6 Jaron Smith (unassisted), and #25 Paul Miller (#17 Shamus Sorrell, #22 Connor Morris).

The Comets will host Holy Name on Friday, January 29, at 7:30 p.m. at Lakefront Lines Arena.  Upcoming games include a non-league rematch with the Panthers of Elyria Catholic on Wednesday, February 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Elyria’s North Park Rink.

The Amherst Comets played in the Championship game of the Southwestern Conference Hockey tournament on Monday, January 18, at the North Olmsted Recreation Center.  Amherst lost a hard fought battle to the  Brecksville Bees, who added a third straight conference championship to their credit with a 5-4 win over the Comets. 

“We’ve made it into four championship games this season”, commented Steve Morris, Comet head coach who led the team to the first ever championship in the Lorain County Hockey Tournament.  “Making it to the SWC Championship game shows we can play these teams and be competitive even in upper division match ups.”

The Comets opened up the tournament on Saturday matched against the Shoremen of Avon Lake.  Amherst led off scoring late in the first period with a goal by senior Kyle Bilancini from an assist by Drew Ashton and Josh Bobkovich.  The Comets came back and scored twice in the third period with goals by Jaron Smith (Ashton) and Shamus Sorrell (Sean Hunt) with goalie Adam Ross allowing just one goal late in the third for a final score of 3-1.  The Comets out shot Avon lake 34-11.

Saturday, January 16, the bracket had the Comets against Brecksville, a physical game where the majority of play was fought for control of the puck between the blue lines.  Amherst finally got on the board with just under two minutes to play in the first period with Ashton tipping in a backhanded goal with assist from Hunt and defenseman Shelby Neidert.   The second period was scoreless as Amherst successfully fought off the Bees shorthanded for four minutes during penalty kills, the Comets drawing two minutes each for interference and hooking. 

Amherst extended their lead over the Bees 2-0 with an early third period goal by freshman Kevin Burgett off a pass from Paul Miller.  Penalties plagued the Bees as they sent two players to the box for tripping and cross checking.  A coincidental tripping penalty on Bilancini left the Comets with a one man advantage.  But the Bees drew another penalty, this time charged with slashing for a late hit on Comet goalie Eli Branscum.  The Comets were quick to score with Shamus Sorrell finding the net off a quick pass from Smith and Connor Morris to shut out the Bees 3-0.  Amherst out shot the Bees in the third period 17-4.

Sunday’s game had the Comets facing off against host team the North Olmsted Eagles.  When the Eagles team captain came out and scored an unassisted goal less than one minute into the game, it was a sign the Comets were going to have to pick up the pace.  The confrontation escalated and minutes later Burgett skates a breakaway and is blindsided  against the boards and play is stopped as he’s escorted off the ice by the team medic.  The volley for puck control is hard hitting between the blue lines but Amherst manages to score at 8:45 to play in the first when Bilancini takes a pass from Ashton and skates up, hands off to Hunt who scores.  Branscum makes a great stop when the Eagles try and score off a slap shot and again when he stops a chest high shot. 

Both teams defensemen kept the shot count to a minimum with Branscum racking up five saves in the second period compared to just three for the Eagles.  At the start of three the score was Amherst over North Olmsted  2-1.  With less than 30 seconds to play Hunt found the net again and scored an unassisted goal to bring the Comets to a 3-1 win over North Olmsted. 

Brecksville beat North Olmsted later that day to make it into the bracket for Monday’s championship game where a capacity crowd filled the stands to watch the clash of contenders.  The Comets held back the Bees until a quick cross net pass dropped in a goal and put Brecksville on the board.  Amherst answered back minutes later when Neidert flipped a pass to Morris who tied up the score. 

Ashton throws his body into the Bee on the board allowing Bilancini and Hunt to cycle round the puck.  Bobkovich drops a defenseman at the blue line.  Now Stropko is at the net but Smith can’t get loose from the corner with the puck.  Ryan Orseno sends the puck overhead but the Bees fight back.  Miller has the puck and shoots, a glove is on the ice and through the pile up it’s hard to see the crease.  But the ref’s whistle signals success and Miller racks up goal two with assist from Morris and Bobkovick.  The Bees answer back again with a quick goal and the score is tied at the end of the first.

Penalties plagued the Comets during the second period and Amherst played short handed for the majority of the period.  Hunt scores off a pass from Bilancini late in the period but the Bees retaliated with two quick goals pulling ahead for the first time 4-3. Brecksville adds another goal with a perfect back hand pass that find it’s mark.  But this time it’s Amherst who answers back as Bobkovich drills in an unassisted shot from the blue line that pings the bar at the back of the net to bring the Comets back to within one goal.  The final shots on goal matched up 18 for each team but it was Brecksville who took home the tournament trophy topping the Comets 5-4.

“We played hard and showed over the weekend that we have what it takes to compete ”, said Morris.  “We just didn’t stop them today.”  The Comets will have another chance against the Bees when they meet during regular league match up on Friday, February 5 at 7:30 p.m. on the Comet’s home ice, Lakefront Lines Arena, 5310 Hauserman Road in Parma.