COMETS FALTER LATE, LOSE 8-7 IN MONTERREY

by Pete Richmire

MONTERREY, MX. – The Comets (7-3-1) led for a majority of the game but the Monterrey Flash (10-0-0) used six second half goals to overtake Kansas City and win 8-7 Tuesday night at Arena Borregos. For the Comets, it was their third consecutive defeat heading into their next game on Friday in Chihuahua to finish their swing through Mexico.

Monterrey opened the scoring with 7:33 left in the first quarter on a shot from the right wing by Luis Ayala that got past Comets starting keeper Phillip Ejimadu for a 1-0 Flash lead.

Kansas City’s first marker came when Chad Vandegriffe had the ball just inside box on the right side and slid a pass out to the penalty kick spot to Leo Acosta who buried a shot to even the game at 1-1 with 2:51 left in the opening frame.

The Comets took a one-goal lead just 34 seconds later as Ray Lee unleashed a shot from way outside on the right side that deflected off the end boards and struck the back of Flash keeper Christian Hernandez and went in near-post for the final goal of the first quarter.

A giveaway in the neutral zone by the Flash led to Kansas City’s first of three goals in the second quarter. Acosta pounced on the loose ball and turned it into a 3-1 lead for the Comets with 11:50 to go until halftime.

Zach Reget notched the Comets’ fourth straight goal when Hernandez came off his line to pressure Reget in the corner. With the goal wide open, Reget left-footed a shot to the near post to put Kansas City up 4-1 with 8:49 on the clock.

Monterrey snapped the Comets’ run on a goal by Edgar Gonzalez from about 15 feet out on the left side at the media time out. Kansas City led 4-2 at that point.

Whatever halftime adjustments the Flash made worked to perfection as they scored the only three goals of the third quarter and set up what was to be a wild finish with the teams headed to the final 15 minutes of play tied at 5-5.

Nacho Flores connected with Reget on a walla-scora to put the Comets back up by one with 6:16 left to play in the game.

The lead lasted less than two minutes and the game was even again on a Flash goal by Alexis Espinosa as the game moved to less than five minutes on the clock. At this point in the contest, as the time grew short, the physicality increased and with 2:52 to go, Chad Vandegriffe drew his second blue card of the game, and the Flash added a power play goal to take their first lead of the game since the first quarter at 7-6 with 2:00 remaining.

Seven seconds later the Flash added an empty net goal to make it an 8-6 score with 1:53 on the clock.

Kansas City converted on a power play opportunity of their own with 36 seconds left to draw the Comets back within one at 8-7. The Comets applied pressure with their sixth attacker and both teams ramped up the intensity but Monterrey stood up to the Kansas City pressure and secured their second win in three days over the Comets.

The Comets continue their trip through Mexico with a stop in Chihuahua on Friday with an 8 pm CST kick off against the Savage. Their next home action comes on Friday, February 9 when the Tacoma Stars make their only trip to Cable Dahmer Arena this season. Get your tickets today at www.kccomets.com before they sell out.

SCORING SUMMARY

1^st – MON Ayala (Ruiz) 7:27; KC Acosta (Vandegriffe) 12:09; KC Lee (unassisted) 12:43. Penalties – None.

2^nd – KC Acosta (unassisted) 3:10; KC Reget (unassisted) 6:11; MON Gonzalez (unassisted) 7:25; KC Marques (unassisted) 11:37. Penalties – MON Gonzalez (bc- holding) 13:06; KC RoPalmer (bc- pushing) 13:06.

3^rd – MON Castillo (unassisted) 2:56; MON Crespo (unassisted) 5:01; MON Zuart (unassisted) 9:57. Penalties – KC Vandegriffe (bc- handling) 13:47.

4^th – KC Reget (unassisted) 8:44; MON Espinosa (Ayala) 10:29; MON Cortés (González) 13:00; MON Cortés (unassisted) 13:07 en; KC Flores (unassisted) 14:24 pp six attackers. Penalties – KC (yc- bench misconduct) 7:39; KC Vandegriffe (bc- holding) 12:08; MON Castillo (bc- boarding) 13:47; MON Espinosa (bc- two-footed tackle) 14:58.

Power Play – Comets 1/3, Monterrey 1/3

Penalty Minutes – Comets 6, Monterrey 6

Fouls – Comets 20, Monterrey 15

Shots – Comets 25, Monterrey 41