Comets select Ambush for opening round of playoffs

The Kansas City Comets have selected to face the St. Louis Ambush in the opening round of the 2021 Ron Newman Cup Playoffs.

In an announcement on Facebook Live, Comets managing partner Brian Budzinski announced that the second-seeded Ontario Fury picked the last-place Dallas Sidekicks. Budzinski also said that head coach Leo Gibson let his team decide who they will select at Monday’s practice- the Tacoma Stars, San Diego Sockers, or St. Louis Ambush.

After the team vote ended in a tie between the Stars and Ambush, Gibson gave the deciding vote to Budzinski, who chose St. Louis.

The first game will be at Cable Dahmer Arena on Friday, March 26 before game two and the possible mini-game will be in St. Louis on Sunday, March 28.

The winner of the Comets-Ambush duel will advance to the semifinals, where they will face either the winner of Fury-Sidekicks or Sockers-Tacoma matchups. The first seeded Florida Tropics will decide their semifinal matchup. No matter the results of the opening round, Cable Dahmer Arena will host the semifinals.

Budzinski explained his decision came down to the players being able to have their friends and family in attendance in Kansas City and St. Louis. He hopes to have around 500 Comets fans make the trip to St. Louis.

Uncomfortable Matchup

This will be the Ambush’s first-ever playoff appearance. After seven seasons of failing to get in, they enter their first postseason as the fourth seed and with a 1-1 record against the Comets this season.

The Comets will have to win at least one of the possible two games in St. Louis, a place where they have lost their last four visits by two goals or less.

Kansas City will also be looking to win their first playoff series since defeating the Milwaukee Wave in two games in the Conference Finals of the 2016 Ron Newman Cup Playoffs. Leo Gibson, John Sosa, and Ramone Palmer are the only players that were with the Comets in 2016 and are with them now.