Thanks to the coronavirus, this NBA season may be a disjointed mess, and the NBA offseason may be as well. There’s no telling how much information teams will have to work with in regards to the prospects (their medicals, their workouts, their interviews, etc.) In a sense, it’s going to make an already-dicy draft class even riskier than ever.
That said, there are some things that we know about the new crop, so I thought I’d break them down for those NBA fans who don’t follow the NCAA and have run out of
Tiger King episodes already.
Today, we’re going to start with the player listed at the top of the charts (on most sites.)
SG ANTHONY EDWARDS, GEORGIA his resume After a successful stint as an
E.R. doctor, Anthony Edwards turned his attention to basketball full time. Best known as an explosive scorer, the guard became a five-star recruit that was ranked top 5 by all major sites. The Atlanta product decided to stay local, and attend Georgia for college. At the time, it was seen as a major coup for coach Tom Crean and a redefining moment for the Bulldogs program.
As we all know, snagging "one and done" superstars is a great way to stay relevant in college basketball. If you can load up with 2-3 of them at once, you can be a true title contender. However, as we've seen many times recently, landing ONE superstar recruit doesn't necessarily lead to glory. Solo stars like Ben Simmons and Dennis Smith Jr. didn't have loads of team success (and saw their coaches get fired soon after). Future # 1 pick Markelle Fultz's Washington team went 9-22 in his lone season there.
Some of those same problems plagued Anthony Edwards at Georgia. As a one-man band, he could rack up good raw stats (19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds per game), but struggled with his efficiency. He shot only 40.2% from the field, and only 29.4% from three (on 7+ attempts per game.) His playmaking also left something to be desired (2.8 assists, 2.7 turnovers.) Coach Tom Crean will survive, but this 16-16 team wasn't a year to remember after all.
Despite those mixed results, Edwards is still ranked as the # 1 overall prospect on ESPN. Other sites have him a little lower (with tankathon's # 6 slot the lowest), but he's generally considered a heavy favorite for a top 3 pick along with PG LaMelo Ball and C James Wiseman.
his game When you watch Anthony Edwards play, the first thing that comes to mind is his explosion and power for the position. He's listed anywhere from 6'3" to 6'5" (so we'll settle on 6'4") but he has a long 6'9" wingspan. More than that, he's a sturdy 225 pounds. He’s going to be a handful to match up with, even in the NBA.
Offensively, Edwards utilizes his athleticism well, pressing the issue and (at times) forcing his will. The 19.1 PPG may not jump off the page, but Edwards has all the tools to be a big-time scorer. He can get buckets anywhere on the court. And while his 29.4% three-point percentage may jump out as an immediate red flag, his actual shooting form looks fine. His FT% (77.2%) also indicates as much. He's also clearly not shy about
taking shots either, illustrating his confidence in that part of his game. With better teammates and better shot selection, he should be an average to above-average three-point shooter (maybe 36%.)
Defensively, Edwards should be better than he’s shown so far. He’s a natural SG, but his size and length should enable him to guard some 1s and 3s as well. However, the effort and attitude isn’t always there on that end at this stage.
his comps Because Anthony Edwards played for Tom Crean, there's a natural tendency to compare him to other shooting guards that Crean has coached -- including Dwyane Wade and Victor Oladipo. Presuming any prospect will be as good as Dwyane Wade is setting yourself up for disappointment, but as far as best case scenario, that's not ridiculous at all. Like Wade, Edwards is a long-armed power guard with All-Star potential. I'd even say that he's farther ahead than Wade was offensively at this stage of their careers (Wade stayed two years at Marquette.) In order for Edwards to unlock that upside, he'll need to continue to hammer his way to the line. He averaged 5.3 free throw attempts per game -- which is "good" but not "great." Wade himself improved from 4.8 FTA to 7.5 FTA in his second year in college, and I'd encourage Edwards to make that a point of emphasis as well.
In terms of "worst case scenario," a few come to mind as well. If Edwards doesn't get to the line much in the NBA, then his scoring efficiency will become very dependent on his shot making, which is no sure thing right now. I've heard some people here on reddit throw out a Dion Waiters comparison, and that's not a ridiculous suggestion either when considering Edwards' floor. If he doesn't improve his efficiency and he doesn't improve his defensive intensity, then perhaps a life as a mediocre empty-calorie scorer is in the cards for him.
If I had to bet on a
most likely outcome, the truth would be somewhere in between. Utah SG Donovan Mitchell immediately comes to mind for me. Like Edwards, Mitchell is a little undersized (in terms of height) but has good length and a powerful frame. He thrives best as a multi-level scorer, although his efficiency will also hinge on how often he's getting to the line. Right now, in Year 3, Mitchell averaged 24-4-4 for the Jazz, and that seems like a realistic expectation for Edwards down the road as well.
how he fits on every team (
listed by current lottery order) (1) GOLDEN STATE.
chances of # 1 pick: 14%, chances of a top 4 pick: 52% Based on some rumors, Anthony Edwards is the top player on the Warriors' board, although you could wonder about the immediate fit. Presumably, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson will be locked into the backcourt, and Andrew Wiggins (flaws and all) will still be further ahead than a 19-year-old rookie. There's some chance that the Warriors may decide to go SUPER small and play all four together with Draymond Green, but it's more likely that they'd bring Edwards off the bench to begin his career. That would serve as a nice boost for their shaky depth, but may not be the best use of an asset like this.
I'm more bullish on Edwards' fit on Golden State from a long-term perspective. Steph Curry is 32 now, so by the time that Edwards hits his prime, Curry will likely be 35+ and best used as a complementary scorer anyway. Edwards would inherit the kingdom, so to speak. And if you're worried about his habits and playing style, then you're unlikely to find a better home to develop him than a top-flight organization like Golden State.
overall fit: 3 (out of 5).
(2) CLEVELAND.
chances of # 1 pick: 14%, chances of a top 4 pick: 52% Last year, the Cleveland Cavaliers surprised many by taking a scoring guard like Darius Garland only one year after taking a scoring guard in Collin Sexton. Presumably, Anthony Edwards could fit with either one of the two because of his size/length, but it'd be hard to imagine all THREE playing together. To add even more murkiness to the equation, the Cavs also have an explosive young scoredevelopmental project at SG in Kevin Porter Jr.
If the Cavs do get a chance to draft Anthony Edwards, they'd likely go ahead and hand him the keys to the kingdom (and throw the other babies out with the bath water) if need be. He can be the type of signature star that they've lacked since LeBron James. That said, it's one of the clunkiest fits on the board.
overall fit: 1.5 (out of 5).
(3) MINNESOTA.
chances of # 1 pick: 14%, chances of a top 4 pick: 52% Karl-Anthony Towns and GM Gersson Rosas finally landed their man in D'Angelo Russell, another high-volume scoring guard that theoretically would clash with Anthony Edwards. However, I actually think Russell and Edwards could play in the same backcourt. They're both long (Russell has a 6'10" wingspan, Edwards 6'9"), and project as decent shooters from range. Aside from some back and forth battles for the basketball, they should play well together.
The bigger domino effect of Edwards landing in Minnesota may be the fate of mid-season acquisition Malik Beasley. Beasley has some similarities to Edwards, with an underrated scoring touch. You could play Beasley as a 6th man scorer, but he's a free agent right now and may have higher aspirations than that. That hanging question will dock us a half point in this score.
overall fit: 3 (out of 5.) (4) ATLANTA.
chances of # 1 pick: 12.5%, chances of a top 4 pick: 48% The Atlanta Hawks already have their signature star in tow in Trae Young. They've (wisely) endeavored to build the supporting cast in a way that covers for him on defense, selecting D'Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish in the draft, and trading for Clint Capela in midseason. On the surface, Anthony Edwards doesn't fit int that mold. He has the tools to be a good defender, but like a lot of young scorers, doesn't always lock in (advanced stats list him as a modest +0.8 in defensive box plus/minus.)
All that said, the fit still isn't bad. If the Hawks want to make the playoffs, they need to improve their defense. But if they want to win
championships down the road, then grabbing another potential All-Star to pair with Trae Young is a good recipe too. Young's ability to spread the court would also help Edwards as he attacks inside. Offensively, they'd be a bad-ass duo.
overall fit: 4 (out of 5.) (5) DETROIT.
chances of # 1 pick: 10.5%, chances of a top 4 pick: 42% The strength of this year's draft is the point guard position, and that works out well for the Detroit Pistons. They could use a young guard who can develop behind Derrick Rose for a season or two, and ultimately take the reins of the offense and become the star of the franchise down the road.
That said, the Pistons could also use a star small forward. Or a star shooting guard. Basically: any star at all. Certainly, Anthony Edwards has star potential. That makes him a good organizational fit, even if the roster fit isn't cookie cutter (SG Luke Kennard is pretty good; let the Pistons know that.)
overall fit: 3.5 (out of 5.) (6) NEW YORK.
chances of # 1 pick: 9%, chances of a top 4 pick: 37% Like the Detroit Pistons, the New York Knicks aren't going to get too picky with their needs. Sure, they'd like a superstar PG, but any superstar would add a much-needed jolt of electricity to the building.
Would Anthony Edwards be the best type of superstar to provide that? Eh. Kinda-sorta. There's definitely some overlap here with R.J. Barrett in terms of a young wing with All-Star potential but some inefficiency issues to iron out. In an ideal world, they could be a superstar duo (LeBron James + Dwyane Wade worked out okay), but there's too much murkiness and projection involved there to give you confidence in that fit.
overall fit: 2.5 (out of 5). (7) CHICAGO.
chances of # 1 pick: 7.5%, chances of a top 4 pick: 32% Wait, an athletic scorer with defensive lapses? Would Chicago Bulls fans be seeing double here when Anthony Edwards shows up to play alongside Zach LaVine?
Again, as with Minnesota, I don't think it's a
total duplication to pair the two together, because Edwards and LaVine both have size and the ability to shoot it. You could play the two together and put the pressure on defenses. That said, it's not a perfect marriage by any means, unless the Bulls can change their culture and get their kids to lock in on both ends.
overall fit: 2 (out of 5.) (8) CHARLOTTE.
chances of # 1 pick: 6%, chances of a top 4 pick: 26% The Charlotte Hornets' top two scorers this year were both guards -- Terry Rozier and Devonte' Graham -- but neither one of them are good enough or efficient enough to make you change from a "best player available" approach to the draft.
More than anything -- and dare I say, more than any other NBA team -- the Charlotte Hornets need a SUPERSTAR. With all due respect to Kemba Walker, they haven't had one since their expansion. I don't know if Anthony Edwards will necessary be that superstar, but he'll have every opportunity here on a team that would feature him heavily. And while the Hornets get a lot of flak for their organization, their coaching staff isn't half bad at all. Candidly, I hope they win the lottery, because they deserve some good karma for not egregiously tanking despite their obvious rebuild here.
overall fit: 4.5 (out of 5.)
(9) WASHINGTON.
chances of # 1 pick: 4.5%, chances of a top 4 pick: 20% Conversely, the Washington Wizards don't need a superstar to slap on the marquee as much as other lottery teams like Charlotte. They have Bradley Beal, and John Wall returning next year. Moreover, both of those stars are guards who thrive with the ball in their hands. Anthony Edwards would represent quite a bit of duplication here.
To repeat, the Wizards (and every team) should take Edwards if he's the clear best player available, but it's just not the best marriage for both parties in this particular case. Edwards could be a great 6th man for them or perhaps play as a small SF, but it's not the ideal remedy for what ails them. More than anything, the Wizards need frontcourt help, and defensive help, and Edwards' talents lie elsewhere.
overall fit: 1 (out of 5.) (10) PHOENIX.
chances of # 1 pick: 3%, chances of a top 4 pick: 14% At a certain point, years and years of lottery picks are going to give the Phoenix Suns so much talent that the scales will tip over and turn them into a winner. Probably. Maybe.
Anthony Edwards would help with that, even if there's some natural duplication here with scoring guard Devin Booker that will dock them a point or two in our metrics. That said, Booker has the ability to play PG if need be, and is one of the better spacers in the league. If coach Monty Williams can get Booker and Anthony Edwards to be a two-headed monster on the perimeter and unleash Deandre Ayton's potential as well, this could be a sleeping giant.
overall fit: 3 (out of 5.) (11) SAN ANTONIO.
chances of # 1 pick: 2%, chances of a top 4 pick: 9% It feels awfully strange to say, but the San Antonio Spurs are actually one of those teams like Charlotte (
gasp) that needs a future star to build their team around. DeMar DeRozan is 30 (and a potential free agent), LaMarcus Aldridge is 34. The young kids like Dejounte Murray and Jakob Poeltl are solid, but limited. Anthony Edwards would immediately come in and become the centerpiece of a rebuild. (Lonnie Walker IV may bristle at that, but our eyes will have wandered past him in this scenario.)
What works best in this hypothetical is the fit from a developmental standpoint. Edwards has star potential, but isn't a sure thing. There's no organization better at maximizing talent than the San Antonio Spurs, from a shooting perspective to a basketball IQ perspective to a long-term load management perspective.
overall fit: 4.5 (out of 5.) (12) SACRAMENTO.
chances of # 1 pick: 1%, chances of a top 4 pick: 6% Do the Sacramento Kings have a big need at SG? I don't know.
They may not know. The team found some success toward the end of the year by starting Bogdan Bogdanovic and bringing Buddy Hield off the bench, but that may not be a sustainable scenario. Bogdanovic is a restricted free agent, and may cost upwards of $15M a season. Adding
another wing to the mix would be an expensive proposition; the team would either need to bring either Hield, Boggy, or Anthony Edwards off the bench for a while.
At the end of the day, talent wins out, so you wouldn't complain to add even more to this young core; still, it doesn't appear to be the best fit on our board.
overall fit: 2.5 (out of 5).
(13) NEW ORLEANS.
chances of # 1 pick: 1%, chances of a top 4 pick: 6% Young talent definitely isn't a problem in New Orleans. Along with Zion Williamson, they also have Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram (a restricted free agent that they're intent on re-signing.)
The current presence of Jrue Holiday and J.J. Redick may not leave a lot of minutes available in the backcourt right now, but the true upside of this team isn't going to be in 2020 or 2021. If the Pelicans can develop a starting lineup of Lonzo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and Jaxson Hayes, they could have the making of a true title contender in 3-4 years time. Zion + Edwards would be an especially wicked brand of bully ball on poor opposition.
overall fit: 4 (out of 5).
(14) PORTLAND.
chances of # 1 pick: 0.5%, chances of a top 4 pick: 2% Like Golden State, the Portland Trail Blazers already have two stars in their backcourt with Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. As mentioned with the Warriors blurb, Anthony Edwards' best fit with the Blazers may be in the long term. As Lillard and McCollum age, Edwards can take on more of the mantle as the star of the team.
But still, that's not an ideal marriage for all parties involved. What makes this even less seamless than the Warriors situation is that the Blazers
already have a promising young combo guard in Anfernee Simons. If the Blazers move up into the top 3 and take Edwards, I would expect a trade (of either Simons or McCollum) to follow.
fit: 1 (out of 5.) Good afternoon Canucks Nation, it's time for another catch-up with the Farm!
Full disclosure, I am incredibly hungover. Last night I met up with a cousin of mine, whom I had not seen in over four years!
Like the genius I am, I didn't eat anything prior to meeting up, and then I went on to have seven or eight High Life IPA's thanks to my good friends at the Brewhall in Vancouver!
So yeah,
expect run-on sentences, grammatical inconsistencies, and spelling errors? you bet! Last night the Utica Comets eked out a 2-1 regulation victory over the Checkers, even after doing their usual second-period collapse where they got outshot 12-to-5.
Fortunately, stalwart rookie netminder, Michael Di Pietro, put up an impressive 33-save performance, posting a 0.971 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against average.
Tonight, it looks like Cull will be giving Mikey a bit of a break, as Jake Kielly looks to get his first AHL start of the season.
One of the more notable things to note from the Comets win last night was Justin Bailey getting crushed along the end-boards by Cavan Fitzgerald.
Last night's Game highlights, including the hit on Bailey, and Lind stepping up to "fight" Fitzgerald..
Although this is far from the same team that won the Calder Cup last season, the Checkers are a much tougher team than their record would indicate. Comets coming away with four points off this double-header weekend will do wonders for their playoff push.
The Comets record in the second game of back-to-backs remains at seven wins, nine losses, and one shootout loss.
Slightly under a 0.500 points-earned-percentage
THE STARTING LINEUP | LW | C | RW |
| Baertschi (#47) | Camper (#19) | Boucher (#24) |
| Bailey (#95) | Hamilton (#36) | Lind (#13) |
| LeBlanc (#3) | Stevens (#16) | Perron (#27) |
| Stevenson (#26) | Graovac (#44) | Jasek (#9) |
| LD | RD |
| Sautner (#6) | Rafferty (#25) |
| Petgrave (#22) | Chatfield (#5) |
| Teves (#4) | Eliot (#52) |
| INJURY REPORT | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Dylan Blujus | David Pope (concussion) | Vinny Arseneau (done for the season) | Jonah Gadjovich (ill) | Carter Bancks (lower body) | Olli Juolevi (hip soreness) |
| Healthy Scratches | -- | -- |
| Guillaume Brisebois (technically) | Nikolay Goldobin (vet) | Seamus Malone |
Goldobin gets the veteran-scratch for a third consecutive game. Have to feel for the guy, but hard to ignore how ineffectual he has been at 5-on-5.
With Blujus out with injury, Sautner slides back in with Rafferty as the team's top pair. He took a dirty hit in the first period from last night's action and is feeling the effects today. That opens the door, again, for Josh Teves and Mitch Eliot to come into the lineup to try and impress the bench boss for more ice-time.
1st period
[Comets in White] - FYI: I didn't realize the sound was shut off on my capture device until midway through the second period, so apologies for the lack of audio.
- Charlotte is wearing some unfortunate jerseys, meant as throwbacks to the Miracle-On-Ice USA Team. Charlotte isn't the first thing I think of when I see that abbreviation
- Kielly tested early off a one-timer from Stephen Lorentz
- Three icings in the opening 57 seconds ...could be a long night
- Mitch Eliot with a wrister off an o-zone draw for the Comets first of the night
- Lukas Jasek (#9) with a takeaway and some nifty puck protection to find space for a shot towards the net. Jasek peels back to the blue line to catch a clearing attempt and floats a shot into the glove of Charlotte netminder, Keith Kinkaid
- Quick puck movement for the first-line, as Sven Baertschi (#47) sends a rink wide pass to Carter Camper (#19) at center-ice, who then springs Reid Boucher (#24) into the Checkers zone for a breakaway. Kinkaid makes the save
- Justin Bailey (#95) skates end to end, then lays a dangerous hit on Joey Keane, sending him crashing head-first into the boards. Comets to the PK
- 1st peeker: Stevens, Boucher, Chatfield, Sautner
- John Stevens wins the d-zone draw and then generates a two-man rush alongside Boucher, killing precious seconds off the penalty
- Charlotte with several shot-attempts on the powerplay, but all end up going wide of the net or over the head of Kielly
- Kielly goes post-to-post to make a massive one-timer save on Stelio Mattheos. Tyler Graovac (#44) shows Kielly some love for the stop
- Bailey leaves the box, and the game resumes at 5-on-5
- Jake Kielly, the difference-maker for the Comets early, as he makes another huge stop. This time, Kielly makes a point-blank stop on Alexis D'Aoust, who picks up a missed shot-attempt and backhands a shot from the crease of Kielly's net
- Sven Baertschi (#47) takes a tumble into the Checkers endboards, skates gingerly back to the bench. Hopefully nothing major
- Brogan Rafferty (#25) engaging in a physical battle with Stelio Mattheos around the Comets goal-line after Mattheos nearly makes head-contact with his check on Rafferty
- Justin Bailey (#95) blocks a pass, forcing the puck into the Checkers zone, and Kole Lind (#13) nearly capitalizes on the opportunity with a wraparound goal
- Matt Petgrave (#22) with a giveaway under pressure, then Jake Bean dekes to get around the check of Sven Baertschi (#47) to wire a shot on Kielly
- Comets gain the Checkers zone, and a forechecking Boucher (#24) pokes the puck loose, allowing Baertschi (#47) to steal for a turning slapper on Kinkaid
- LOL, Kielly embracing a longstanding Comets tradition by blocking a shot with the mask
- The forechecking pressure of John Stevens (#16) allows Stefan LeBlanc (#3) to come up with the loose puck. LeBlanc goes cross-ice to Brogan Rafferty (#25), who attempts to set-up Francis Perron (#27) with the tip-in from the slot
- Lukas Jasek takes a high-sticking penalty off an offensive-zone draw and the Comets are back to the penalty-kill
- Brogan Rafferty sent out as the 2nd PK d-pairing *eyes emoji*
- GOAL - CHARLOTTE - 1-0 Checkers: The Checkers capitalize on the powerplay, as a heavily screened Kielly can do nothing to stop a gorgeous tip from Charlotte's, Ryan Bourque, off a shot from Joey Keane. That's two games in a row where the Comets gave up the opening goal against the Checkers.
- Also, loving Big Pimpin as the goal song
- Justin Bailey (#95) pokes the puck up-ice for a breakaway off a d-zone draw. Bailey cruises down the left-wing before slamming on the breaks to get around a Checkers defender. Bailey sends a pass over to Kole Lind (#13), who joined him on the rush, but Lind can't get a good enough touch on the puck to get it on goal
- Ryan Bourque takes a high-sticking penalty, and the Comets close out the remaining 1:40 of the first with a powerplay
- 1st peeper: Baertschi, Bailey, Graovac, Boucher, Rafferty
- Comets sub-out Graovac for Perron, who promptly sets up Bailey (#95) for a quick shot through traffic on Kinkaid
- 2nd peeper: Lind, Jasek, Petgrave, Perron, Camper
- 1st peeper comes back out for the final o-zone draw in the final five seconds of the period
The score at the end of the 1st period: 1-0 Checkers
Not sure I like Graovac on the first powerplay unit, the guy simply doesn't have the legs to chase down pucks along the wall.
Overall, it was a bit of a hot-and-cold period of play from the Comets. To start, the team was giving up some high-danger scoring opportunities, but by periods-end, they managed to reel the Checkers back.
Both teams are doing well at holding each other to the outside perimeter for shots.
Have to feel for Kielly, a bit, on that opening-goal as there was literally nothing he could do to stop that one. Penalty-killers have to do better at clearing space around Kielly's net, so he has clear sight-lines on the puck.
The dreaded enemy of the Comets, the second-period, could mean a comeback opportunity, or a full collapse. Fingers crossed its the former. Points are critical these days as two teams behind them in the standings, the Binghamton Devils and Laval Rocket, are both on decent win streaks to put them in contention for playoff spots. The Comets already got two points off this conference-foe, but another point or two could be all the difference between getting in or falling out.
2nd Period
- Comets early powerplay ends without much going for it
- Slow goings through the opening four minutes
- Jalen Chatfield (#5) whips a shot through traffic to Tyler Graovac (#44), whos redirect-attempt goes wide off Kinkaid's leg
- Comets controlling the Checkers in their zone quite well; looking like a powerplay opportunity for the Comets
- Just realized I've been recording everything with the sound off ...awesome
- Kole Lind (#13) rips a shot on Kinkaid, and Justin Bailey (#95) follows up on the rebound for a chance of his own
- GOAL - CHARLOTTE - 2-0 Checkers: The Checkers quickly spoil the Comets second-period pressure by scoring their second of the night. Clark Bishop finds himself alone on the Comets right-circle, and he rifles a shot towards the crease of Kielly's net. Mark Cooper crashes the crease to get a last-second redirect of the puck under Kielly's pads.
- Clark Bishop beats Kielly glove side but rings his shot off of he goalpost
- Mitch Eliot (#52) knocks Steven Lorentz down at the Comets blue line, then Justin Bailey (#95) draws a slashing penalty against Max McCormick to put the Comets on the powerplay
- 1st peeper: Bailey, Graovac, Camper, Boucher, Rafferty
- very interesting to see Baertschi not out for the 1st unit... I wonder what that's about?
- Tyler Graovac (#44) registers a shot on the powerplay, and a Charlotte fan shows off his dedicated boo'ing
- Carter Camper (#19) sets up Justin Bailey (#95) for the redirect in the crease, but Kinkaid makes a huge save to keep the puck out
- GOAL - UTICA - 2-1 Checkers: Reid Boucher (#24) scores again! His 33rd of the season! Every point that Boucher scores is breaking franchise records, he's now one point away from tying Alex Grenier for career-points with the Comets. At his current pace, that seems like an inevitability for him to both match and surpass that total.
- Before the faceoff, Sven Baertschi heads down the tunnel with the athletic trainor....oh god
- Alexa, please play Let the Bodies hit the Floor
- Game-pace slowing down considerably in the final ten minutes of play as both teams electing to play dump-and-chase
- Brogan Rafferty (#25) attempts to clear the puck from behind the Comets goal line, but the Checkers intercept it. Steven Lorentz gets set up with a golden one-timer opportunity, but Kielly makes the save
The score at the end of the 2nd period: 2-1 Checkers
So tilting, realizing I didn't have sound captured through the first twenty minutes of play.
Despite how dull the period was, the Comets did well to generate shots on goal, as they held the Checkers to just five total. One of those being a goal, but, HEY! Can't save 'em all!
Concerning that, Baertschi went down the tunnel with the athletic trainer seemingly unprovoked. Fingers crossed that this isn't concussion-related.
Kole Lind and Justin Bailey have had really impressive games so far, but have been unable to capitalize on any of the multiple scoring chances they've created.
3rd period
- Baertschi not on the bench to start the third :(
- Lind subs in on the Comets first-line alongside Camper and Boucher
- Reid Boucher gets stood up at center-ice while trying to transition, but Lind recovers the puck for the zone-entry. Checkers eventually ice the puck
- Puck takes an odd-bounce off the stanchion, and Charlotte's Jacob Pritchard gets a dangerous opportunity from it. Fortunately, he whiffs his shot high over the net
- Comets off to their third penalty-kill of the night after Dyson Stevenson gets called for tripping
- Kielly with the save on Oliwer Kaski's one-timer from the left circle
- 2nd peeker: Boucher, Bailey, Rafferty, LeBlanc
- LeBlanc still getting played as a forward but sent out on the penalty kill as a d-man
- Lukas Jasek (#9) steps up on Roland McKeown to force a turnover. Lind and Jasek forecheck
- Off the ensuing play from Jasek, Jalen Chatfield (#5) jumps to glove down a Checkers clearance attempt. Chatfield quickly moves down the right wing before handing off to Carter Camper (#19) at the bottom of the circle. Camper sets up Lukas Jasek (#9) for the one-timer on goal, but Kinkaid makes the huge stop
- Kinkaid loses his stick!
- Comets pressuring hard while Kinkaid is without his stick, culminating in Mitch Eliot (#52) rocketing a shot off of Kinkaid's mask and out of play
- Fantastic pressure displayed by the Comets off of that effort from Jasek to force the turnover
- John Stevens (#16) with an outlet feed to Stefan LeBlanc (#3), who weaves into the Checkers zone for a shot on goal
- Kole Lind (#13) displaying some solid puck-protection inside the Checkers zone that allows the Comets to set Jalen Chatfield (#5) up for a shot-attempt
- Lind getting some long looks out here -- displaying great puck control in the offensive zone to allow the Comets to set up a cycle
- Brogan Rafferty (#25) with a blatant giveaway inside the d-zone that results in a dangerous scoring chance for the Checkers Boston Leier
- Leier, ironically, was Kielly's teammate through the majority of this season down in Kalamazoo
- Weird string of events, as Kole Lind (#13) takes a high-stick off a whiffed dump-in attempt from Charlotte. Lind gathers himself and joins the Comets for a rush into the offensive zone where he then draws an incredibly weak slashing penalty against Steven Lorentz
- 1st peeper: Bailey, Graovac, Camper, Rafferty, Boucher
- GOAL - UTICA - 2-2 Tie: Wow, what a quick response! Who else but Reid Boucher (#24) to rifle a one-timer past Kinkaid for his 34th goal of the year! Fantastic drop-pass from Tyler Graovac (#44) to set up Boucher for the game-tying goal.
- Physical board battles in the Comets zone followed by Lind and Camper trying to set-up one-timers in the Checkers end
- Appears to be a noticeable momentum shift for the Comets who are moving the puck up-ice considerably better than the Checkers
- Matt Petgrave (#22) goes end-to-end to create some shot-attempts for the Comets, including one of his own
- Josh Teves floats a shot into the breadbasket of Kinkaid, and Kole Lind gets in a bit of Lindstigating as the Comets are really turning it on late here in Charlotte
- First-line moving the puck efficiently. Reid Boucher (#24) draws in a defenceman before handing off to Kole Lind (#13), who attempts a shot on goal, but it's a muffin.
- Comets late surge pays off, as this one heads to overtime!
The score at the end of the 3rd period: 2-2 Tie
Fantastic battle from the Comets to even things up at two apiece
I originally had a point in my second-period musings that said the Comets shouldn't bank on getting another powerplay to try and even things up. But sure enough, that's exactly what it took, and Reid Boucher, once again, proves the COmets hero.
Loved the compete level from Kole Lind that entire third period. It genuinely felt like he was on the ice for 90% of the time — an impressive game from him to turn this game on its head for Utica.
Overtime
- Rafferty, Jasek, Graovac the first trio for Utica
- Not sure I'd pick the guy with one-eye, a guy coming off IR, and another guy coming off IR as my first trio to roll out in OT
- 2 minutes into OT and the Checkers have held the puck for the entire time
- Justin Bailey caught out on an incredibly long shift after going end to end to out-race an icing. Jake Kielly gloves down the puck at the side of the net, mercifully allowing Bailey to change
- 1:30 left and Kole Lind finally out for OT
- GOAL - UTICA - 3-2 Comets: Brogan Rafferty (#25) goes full god-mode as he dangles around two Checkers defencemen before drop-passing to Kole Lind (#13) for the game-winner! I audibly yelled, "what the fuck" at Raff's absolutely disgusting display of dangles to weave the puck through the feet of the Checkers' defencemen. Stoked to see Lind, finally, wind up on the scoresheet as he had nothing to show for an incredible game-played up until that point.
Final Score: 3-2 Utica Comets
Scoresheet
| Period | Team | Goalscorer | Primary assist | helper | type |
| 1st | CHA | Ryan Bourque | Joey Keane | Gustav Forsling | PPG |
| 2nd | CHA | Mark Cooper | Clark Bishop | Jacob Pritchard | 5v5 |
| 2nd | UTI | Reid Boucher | Brogan Rafferty | Carter Camper | PPG |
| 3rd | UTI | Reid Boucher | Tyler Graovac | Carter Camper | PPG |
| OT | UTI | Kole Lind | Brogan Rafferty | -- | 3v3 |
Takeaways
- Lmao, Rafferty got the first star of the evening, but after having as many giveaways as he did, I don't know if I'd be willing to give him that much. That overtime play was certainly something though.
- Fantastic comeback win from the Comets to earn a crucial four-points on the road. Comets finish their night getting outshot 27-to-26, but the resilience they showed in the final twenty minutes of play was really quite something. Despite their best efforts at 5-on-5, the bounces just were not going their way. Checkers' fans can't even argue that the Comets were gifted a powerplay to even things up, as there was a blatant non-call on Lind mere seconds before Steven Lorentz' slashing penalty
- I said it a few times tonight, but Kole Lind had himself a statement game. The stat-lines won't do justice to the kind of work that Lind was putting along the end-boards that resulted in numerous scoring opportunities for the Comets. Linds OT winner was his 14th of the season, which now has him sixth on the team, with 0.54 primary-points-per-game. Reid Boucher sits first with an astonishing 1.10 primary-points-per-game.
- Carter Camper recorded two assists tonight, which has him leading all centermen with 32 assists on the year. Should Carter Bancks return, the team is going to have to sit one more veteran. Earlier this season, I chided Trent Cull for his decision to scratch Camper in favour of having both Carter Bancks and Wacey Hamilton on the starting lineup. Please write your local MP, should Camper get taken out of the lineup, because he has been integral to the Comets goal-scoring this season.
- Lukas Jasek looked ok in his first game back since injury/illness. He started strong, but later in the game, he looked slow, which makes me wonder if he's entirely over whatever it was that had him sidelined?
- Poor Sven Baertschi, I genuinely hope him leaving the game has nothing to do with head-trauma. He looked solid in the opening goings of the first period, but after that shakeup along the endboards, he became less noticeable.
- Brogan Rafferty had a game that fully encompassed why it is tough to project how he fits in an NHL lineup. He has tremendous skating and puck handling through traffic, with the offensive flair of a power-forward and the passing skills of an NHL defensemen. Unfortunately, he also has some of the worst egregious giveaways among Comets defensemen. Everyone is understandably excited at this management group finding another NCAA free-agent d-man, who's tearing up the AHL. Those same people have pencilled Rafferty into next-years starting Canucks lineup. However, can you imagine what Travis Green would do after seeing a tape-to-tape giveaway in the D-zone like the one Raff had tonight? Food for thought
- Jake Kielly, too, had a really impressive showing for the Comets! 25 saves on 27 shots for a 0.926 save percentage and a 1.88 goals-against-average. Not bad at all for someone making their first AHL start! Kielly truly did set the tone for the Comets after he made those huge stops early to prevent Charlotte from generating a lead. I'm sure Trent Cull and co. are relieved to see they have a backup who may be more reliable than they had expected.
Comets Three Stars
- Kole Lind
- Reid Boucher
- Jake Kielly
HM: Carter Camper
The Comets Trajectory? The Comets win tonight moves them into second place, as they edge the Rochester Americans on regulation-wins. The Comets will look to maintain that place in the standings when they return home this upcoming Wednesday, as they take on division-rival, the Syracuse Crunch.
As always, if you want to read up on this Comets Harvest or the 2018-19 Farmies editions, you can find them all at my Comets Harvest Blog here submitted by The college basketball national title is on the line tonight in the 2019 NCAA Championship Game between Virginia and Texas Tech. Find out how to wager on this March Madness final by reading this ... Final Four Betting Opportunities. The following are popular Final Four betting options. Remember, these are the last 3 college basketball games of the season. We explain props, fading the public and common straight bets below. 1. Final Four Prop Bets. Carefully handicap each Final Four team. Sift through all prop bets for the best opportunities. Final Four 2019: Updated odds to win NCAA Tournament, opening lines for Saturday's March Madness games UVA is the betting favorite followed by the top seeded team remaining on the opposite side of ... LINE ML FPI; Florida Atlantic Owls. 1-0 (0-1-0)-2.5-130: 73.2%: Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles. 1-3 (1-3-0) 57.0 +110: 26.8%: NCAAF News. Defending champion LSU Tigers drop out of AP poll for ... NCAA Football Odds, Betting Lines & Scores offered by top Sportsbooks. Live Vegas Lines from Sportsbooks including Bovada Sports, Mybookie and much more Vegas Sports Lines provide live daily NCAA Football Odds located below, those lines are constantly updated throughout the day all best Football Odds & Betting Lines for College Football.
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