Charlotte, NC — – The Utica Comets opened a two-game series against the Charlotte Checkers on Saturday afternoon at Bojangles Coliseum, delivering an impressive third-period comeback to secure a 3-1 victory. Forward Brian Halonen led the charge with a pair of clutch goals, turning a 1-0 deficit into a road win for the Comets.
Charlotte opened the scoring midway through the first period when Tobias Bjornfot converted a crisp setup from Sandis Vilmanis, beating Comets goaltender Isaac Poulter with a sharp shot. Despite generating several chances late in the period, Utica entered the intermission trailing 1-0.
The second period featured intense physical play, with Jonathan Gruden and Samuel Laberge setting the tone for Utica with several heavy hits. Tempers flared late in the frame, culminating in a brief scrum before the horn sounded. Neither team found the back of the net in the period.
Utica seized momentum in the third, sparked by Halonen’s individual brilliance. The winger tied the game at 1-1 with a blistering wrist shot from the right side that found the top corner. With just under two minutes remaining, Halonen struck again, receiving a stretch pass from Nathan Legare and burying a shot into the opposite corner to give Utica a 2-1 lead. Ryan Schmelzer added an empty-net goal to seal the win.
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