The Utica Comets blew a 5-2 lead in a span of 46 seconds over the last minute and a half of regulation, then Brett Connolly scored at 2:36 of overtime as the Syracuse Crunch pinned a devastating, 6-5 loss on them Saturday at the Onondaga War Memorial.
The collapse seriously injured but did not end the Comets’ desperate hopes to make the American Hockey League playoffs. They are four points out of playoff position with seven games to play, including at 3 p.m. Sunday in Toronto.
Alex Friesen scored two goals for the Comets, and Cal Reilly and Patrick Kennedy scored the others. Alex Biega had two assists, and Welsh, Friesen, O’Reilly and Kellan Lain an dYann Sauve also had assists. Joacim Eriksson made 25 saves for the Comets.
The Comets, who played without defenseman Frankie Corrado after he was recalled to Vancouver late Friday, also have road games at Lake Erie Thursday and Friday and at Adirondack Sunday before finishing the regular season at home against Rochester April 16, Toronto April 18, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton April 19.
PenneyVanderbilt 