The Missouri Comets only held the lead one time all day today in their game against the Rochester Lancers, but it was at the one time that counted, the very end as the Comets pulled out an 11-9 win over the Lancers.
The game was a departure from the usual match ups between the the two teams. Usually when the Comets and Lancers play it's a high scoring affair, but today it was anything but. The first quarter between the two teams was a tight affair. Probably in part due to the travel both teams had to endure. The Comets going from Rochester to Baltimore by bus due to the weather and then flying home. The Lancers having to get out of Rochester, being delayed, having their Friday game with St. Louis moved to Saturday and then having to drive across state to KC.
The second quarter did see both teams get on the board. Just past the half way point, Doug Miller got the Lancers on the board first as he finished off a wall pass from Bato. Later in the half the Lancers added to their lead as Elliot Fauske fired from 3 point range, the shot hit Robert Palmer and the deflection carried it past Danny Waltman and into the net for a three point goal that made it 5-0. With under two minutes left in the quarter the Comets got on the board. On the power play the Comets passed the ball around the three point arc, Lucas Rodriguez played the ball to Vahid Assadpour who lined up his shot and fired into the far corner. The Lancers came back though and were able to take the lead to four before the break. With under a minute left, Gary Boughton finished off a pass to the back post with a simple tap in past Waltman.
The Comets struck back quickly in the third quarter. Inside the first two minutes the Comets pulled the game even. First Leo Gibson played a cross into the box where Bryan Perez beat his man to the ball and headed it into the goal. Shortly after John Sosa played a ball in to Alex Megson in the corner he got a shot off that made it into the net from a tight angle to tie the game at 7-7. The Lancers retook the lead just past the half way point on the power play. As a power play for a Stefan Stokic blue card was close to expiring, Jake Schindler fired a shot that hit the wall, the ball fell to Bato who volleyed the ball on net. Waltman got a hand on it but couldn't keep the ball out.
Then things got interesting as the Comets tried to find a leveler again. Edgar Bartolomeu and Gibson were both fighting for the ball. As the ball got loose and started going the opposite way down field, Gibson tried to get away from Bartolomeu but the Lancer defender hung onto him. Gibson ended up swinging his elbow back and appearing to make connection with Bartolomeu's face (replays on the broadcast never gave a clear look, but from the best angle you see Gibson swing and appear to make contact). Bison was given an elbowing blue card and a red for violent conduct that will see him miss next week's game against Syracuse. The Comets killed off the penalty and with under two minutes left the Comets leveled the game again. Coady Andrews cut inside his defender and fired a ball into the far corner to tie the game at 9-9.
The fourth quarter the Comets had a number of opportunities to take the lead but some good goalkeeping by Gavin McInerny kept the game level and sent the game to overtime.
Just 43 seconds into overtime the Comets won a free kick at the top of the arc. Sosa stepped up and after a time out, looked right, pulling the defense that way before sliding the ball to the left where Assadpour had set up at the post. The Comets captain turned the ball in giving the Comets the 11-9 win.
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