COMETS RUN WIN STREAK TO FIVE, CLIP WAVE 6-5

MILWAUKEE, WI. –  The Comets (5-0) ran their 2021-22 opening win streak to five games following a 6-5 win at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena on New Years Eve in front of 4,247 fans. For the second consecutive game, the Comets overcame a multi-goal deficit to pick up the win.

The first half was a tale of swapping quarters with the Wave dominating the first 15 minutes. Andre Hayne recorded his first two goals of the season back-to-back to open scoring. The first was assisted by Ian Bennett, one of his three assists in the game. Marcio Leite was credited with the helper on the second goal, and the Wave were up 2-0 with 4:19 to play in the opening frame.

With just under three minutes to go in the first, John Sosa was shown a blue card for kicking setting up the Wave on their first power play of the game. It didn’t take long for Luan Oliveira to make the Comets pay with a power play goal, assisted by Bennett, and the Wave led 3-0 headed to the second quarter.

Kyle McLagan, who finished with two goals on the day, scored his first with 12:06 to play in the half. He was in the center of the box and sent home his own rebound, beating Milwaukee keeper Augie Rey for his second goal of the season. A couple of minutes later, three perfect passes, with the third finding Mike Da Silva by the right post, cut the Wave lead to 3-2 with just over 10 minutes to go in the first half.

The final goal of the half was a tremendous effort by Rian Marques. He battled three Wave defenders, and Rey to pick up the unassisted goal to tie the game 3-3 at the break.

The Wave went back in front in with the first goal of the second half. Bennett used his third assist of the game to feed Stuart Grable for his first goal of the season, making it a 4-3 Milwaukee lead.

Hayne, with a pair of goals for the Wave, added a pair of penalties as he was shown a blue and yellow card midway through the third quarter. Hayne’s blue card led to the first of two Lucas Sousa goals in the game to tie matters at 4-4.

McLagan notched his second goal of the game on a shot from a tough angle on the right side to give the Comets their first lead of the game, 5-4 heading to the final quarter.

Kansas City keeper Nicoalu Neto, who had 17 saves in the win, was shown a blue card for tripping with less than a minute to go in the third quarter. Bennett used the remainder of the power play time to start the fourth quarter to score a goal, and it was 5-5 with 14:37 to go in the game.

Sousa completed his brace, assisted by Ray Lee, by beating Rey at the near post to give Kansas City the winning goal. The Comets defense stood tall the rest of the way vs the Wave 6^th attacker for the win.

SCORING SUMMARY

1^st – MKE Hayne (Bennett) 2:44; MKE Hayne (Leite)10:41; MKE Oliveira (Bennett) 13:39 PP. Penalties – KC Sosa blue card (kicking) 12:06.

2^nd – KC McLagan 2:54; KC Da Silva (4:58); KC Marques 8:08. Penalties – MKE Bradley blue card (dangerous play) 10:34.

3^rd – MKE Grable (Bennett) 5:09; KC Sousa 9:48 PP; KC McLagan (Thetsane) 12:30. Penalties – KC Da Silva yellow card (severe unsportsmanlike manner) 5:43; MKE Hayne blue card (charging) 8:23; MKE Hayne yellow card (severe unsportsmanlike manner) 8:23; KC Neto blue card (tripping) 14:05.

4^th – MKE Bennett (Bradley) 0:23 PP; KC Sousa (Lee) 3:58. Penalties – KC Lee yellow card (delay of game) 5:01; KC Sousa blue card (tripping) 11:00; MKE Oliveira blue card (tripping) 13:50.

Shots – Comets 4-7-12-6  29, Wave 13-4-5-5  27

Attendance – 4,247