Utica, visiting the ACC for a matinee encounter, entered the game looking like a team far removed from the pushover Comets group that Toronto beat in a pair of games to start the season. Having bolstered their roster, Vancouver’s affiliate won four straight in the buildup to this game, including a decisive victory in Rochester on Friday night.
First Period
There was a pair of firsts in the respective nets of these two teams in this game: Michael Garteig made his AHL debut between the pipes for Utica, while veteran Jeff Glass made his first appearance in Toronto’s net.