IceCaps – Comets: A Numbers Game (Apr. 9, 2017)

Here are some comments and observations from the St. John’s IceCaps vs Utica Comets at the Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, New York.

 1 A quick look at tonight’s line combos and D pairings along with injuries and scratches:

Hudon – Terry – Scherbak                                                                           Redmond – Brouillette

Matteau – de la Rose – Friberg                                                                   Parisi –  Lernout

Veilleux – Audette – Farnham                                                                     Lowe – Didier

Broll – Petti – Camara

Starting Goalie: Lindgren
Backup Goalie: Fucale

Scratches: Hanley, Billingsley, MacMillan, Carr, Eisenschmid, Asselin, Johnston, Danis and Gregoire.

Injuries: 

IceCaps in Montreal: McCarron.

IceCaps in Brampton: Thrower, Crisp and Gagnon.

Notes:  

• Charlie Lindgren was sent to St. John’s on Apr. 9.
• Brett Lernout was sent to St. john’s on Apr. 9.

2 The IceCaps power play went 0 for 6 tonight to bring their season total to 53 for 283 for a 18.7% success rate.  Note: The IceCaps entered the game with the 10th ranked PP in the league with a 19.1% success rate and have given up 6 shorthanded goals.

3 St. John’s penalty kill went 4 for 4 tonight to bring their season total to 246 for 306 for a 80.4% success rate. Note: The Icecaps entered the game with the 25th ranked PK in the league with a 80.1% success and have scored 9 shorthanded goals.

4 The IceCaps out shot the Comets 26-25. Audette led the IceCaps with 4 shots while Valk led the Comet with 4 shots. (1st period 8-6 IceCaps, 2nd period 13-5 Comets, 3rd period 13-6 IceCaps)

5 This was the 8th of 8 meetings between the two teams with St. John’s holding a 6-2-0-0 record scoring 23 while giving up 18.

6 The IceCaps season record now stands at 35-29-8-2 scoring 209 while giving up 214. Their road record is 19-15-3-1 scoring 104 while giving up 101 while their home record now stands at 16-14-5-1 scoring 105 while giving up 113.

7 In the last 10 games the IceCaps have a record of 4-4-1-1 scoring 28 while giving up 28. The IceCaps are currently in 5th place in the division .048 pct behind division leader Toronto and are 10th in the conference .174 behind conference leader Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Note: Winning percentage now determines the standings in the AHL instead of points due to the unbalanced schedule being played by the western teams.

8 After tonight’s game their record now stands at 35-29-8-2 scoring 209 while giving up 214. Last year their record was 31-32-8-3 scoring 203 and giving up 238.

9 Quick points:

• a) Lindgren gave up 0 goals on 25 shots for a SV% of 1.000 picking up his 5th shutout of the season.
• b) Lindgren has a record of 3-1-1-0 over his last 5 starts giving up 10 goals on 145 shots for a SV% of .931.
• c) Parisi, Farnham, de la Rose, Petti, Broll and Camara were all held off the shot clock tonight.
• d) The Line of Hudon, Terry and Scherbak combine for 1 assist, 6 shots and a +3 rating.
• e) St. John’s has outscored their opponents 6 to 0 over the last 2 games.
• f) The IceCaps had 6 players with 0 shots, 3 with just 1 shot, 5 with 2 shots, 3 with 3 shots and 1 with 4 shots.
• g) Lernout playing in his 1st game back picked up 0 points, 3 shots and an even rating.
• h) Camara had 4 of the 12 minutes in penalties picked up tonight by the Icecaps.
• i) The Line of Friberg, de la Rose and Matteau combine for 0 points, 5 shots and an even rating.
• j) Didier picked up a goal breaking a 12 game goalless streak.

10 A look at the 3 stars of the game:

• 1st Star: Charlie Lindgren of St. John’s who stopped 25 of 25 shots for the shutout.
• 2nd Star: Zach Redmond of St. John’s with 1 shot and an even rating.
• 3rd Star: Thatcher Demko of Utica who stopped 25 of 26.
• Player of the Game: Josiah Didier with 1 goal, 2 shots and a +1 rating.

11 My 3 stars of the game would have been:

• 1st Star: Charlie Lindgren of St. John’s who stopped 25 of 25 shots for the shutout.
• 2nd Star: Thatcher Demko of Utica who stopped 25 of 26.
• 3rd Star: Josiah Didier of St. John’s with 1 goal, 2 shots and a +1 rating.
• Player of the Game:Chris Terry of St. John’s with 3 shots and a +1 rating.

12  Charlie Lindgren makes 25 saves picking up the shutout to lead the IceCaps to a 1-0 victory over the Utica Comets in front of 3870 fans at the Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, New York.

The first period would be scoreless with the IceCaps outshooting the Comets 8-6.

Josiah Didier gets his 2nd of the year from Nikita Scherbak at 17:35 of the second period to put the IceCaps up 1-0.

The third period would be scoreless with the IceCaps outshooting the comets 13-6.

Charlie Lindgren would stop 24 of 24 shots to pick up the win while Thatcher Demko would stop 22 of 27 in a losing cause. Final Score: 1-0 IceCaps.

Next game for the IceCaps Friday, Apr. 14 at the Mile One Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland where they take on the Toronto Marlies.