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The Kansas City Comets eased their way past the Rochester Lancers as they handed the Lancers their 11th loss of the year by the final score of 12-4.
The Comets returned to decent health ahead the match with just Lucas Rodriguez and Kiel Williams out.
Rochester opened the scoring with a powerplay goal from Gary Boughton, but Leo Gibson quickly answered with two of his own for the Comets. Diego Mayanga equalized for the Lancers with a nice run to beat Neto, but Ignacio Flores quickly restored Kansas City’s advantage with a goal off a restart. Leo Gibson’s first quarter hat trick was completed after Matt Lewis won the ball and dished it off to his head coach, who tapped it into an open net.
It's a 1st qtr hattie for Leo Gibson as the @KCComets take a 4-2 lead#KCvROC pic.twitter.com/LJ90cM8uv9
— MASL (@MASLarena) January 26, 2020
Gibson snagged his fourth of the half after Adam James’ shot was deflected back to Gibson, who made no mistake from the top of the box. Gibson received credit for his fifth after firing a ball off the board, which rebounded off a Lancer defender and in to make it 6-2 Comets at halftime.
Kevin Ellis scored just 18 seconds into the third period to make it 7-2 after a bad giveaway from the visitors. The Lancers scored their third of the afternoon through Jeremy Ortiz on the quick counterattack. Gibson was credited his sixth of the night after sending a volley off the boards, only to be redirected in off a Lancer defender.
The @RLancers working the counterattack to perfection. Jeremy Ortiz gets the visitors on the board in the 2nd half#KCvROC pic.twitter.com/atMVxONepI
— MASL (@MASLarena) January 26, 2020
Rochester opened the scoring 13 seconds into the final quarter with a goal from Rafa Godoi. Robert Palmer and Mirko Sandivari both scored to make it 10-4. Hector Solorio recorded his first MASL point with an assist on Ray Saari’s goal that made it 11-4. Saari got another tap-in after Robert Kelly drove the ball into him.
The Comets improve their home record to 5-1 and a 6-6 overall record while the Lancers drop their second of the weekend, which makes their record at 0-11.
This margin of victory is no surprise, especially since the Lancers were coming off a 15-3 loss from Saturday night against the Milwaukee Wave, but the Comets still went out there and took care of business. After being the provider in recent games, Gibson returned to the scoring side with a big, and a bit lucky, performance.
The Comets have a little time off before their return to action on Thursday, February 6th, when they host the Harrisburg Heat in what will be another big contest at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena.