COMETS CLINCH #3 SEED WITH 13-4 WIN OVER SIDEKICKS

by Pete Richmire

INDEPENDENCE, MO. – The Kansas City Comets (7-5) met the Dallas Sidekicks (1-9) for the fourth time this season and completed a season series sweep of the visitors from Texas by a 13-4 final. It was the second straight meeting between the teams which ended by that score. With the win, the Comets have clinched the number three seed for the 2021 Ron Newman Cup Playoffs and will select their first-round opponent following the Ontario Fury’s choice.

The first 15 minutes of play was not indicative as to how this game would end as the Sidekicks took a 2-0 lead into the second quarter following goals by Julio Varela and Felipe De Sousa. De Sousa would continue for a hat trick in this evening’s game, giving him three of those three-goal performances against Kansas City this season.

The Sidekicks went on the power play just over two minutes into the second frame and that appeared to be the wake-up call for the Comets. After killing the penalty, Kansas City rattled off six consecutive goals in the second quarter. Ray Lee got scoring started for the Comets and it was the first of his five points on the night. This one may have been the easiest as he tapped the ball past the goal line from only about a foot out. Robert Kelly netted the first of his two goals by fending off a Dallas defender on a one-on-one break and then getting past Dallas keeper Juan Gamboa to tie the game 2-2 with 9:23 to go in the half.

Just over a minute later, while on the power play, John Sosa sent a pass to Dominic Francis who was waiting at the far post to knock in a power play goal and give Kansas City a lead they would not relinquish.

The Comets next goal was started by a long outlet pass from Comets starting keeper Lou Misner and Matt Lewis turned it into a 4-2 lead for the Comets with 4:05 left in the second. To put an exclamation point on the quarter, Mike DaSilva and Lee scored goals just 17 seconds apart and the Comets enjoyed a 6-2 lead at the break.

Leo Gibson was responsible for the next two Kansas City goals, with a De Sousa goal in the middle, starting off with a power play goal with 11:11 to go in the third. After Gibson’s second goal, the Comets held an 8-3 lead halfway through the quarter. Following over five minutes without a goal by either team, Nick McDonald, with a player waiting on the far post, sent the ball through Gamboa’s legs for the final goal of the third quarter.

The Comets posted their third power play of the game on a Sosa to Sousa connection to get Kansas City to the ten-goal mark for the third straight time against Dallas. The Sidekicks answered with De Sousa’s third of the game and that was the last Dallas goal.

After Francis notched his second of the game, Rian Marques and Kelly scored in the final five minutes, Kelly with one second on the clock, to end the game by the 13-4 score. In all, nine different Kansas City players scored at least one goal in the win.

The 2021 Ron Newman Cup Playoffs get underway in two weeks. The Comets do not yet know who their opponent will be, but you may want to get your tickets as early as you can by calling (888) 9-COMETS.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st – DAL Varela 4:38; DAL De Sousa 14:59. Penalties – DAL Bench yellow card (bench misconduct) 7:08; DAL Hernandez blue card (tripping).

2nd – KC Lee (James) 5:20; KC Kelly (DaSilva) 5:37; KC Francis (Sosa) PP 6:57; KC Lewis (Misner) 9:55; KC DaSilva (Sousa); KC Lee (Francis) 12:40. Penalties – KC Kelly blue card (charging) 2:05; DAL Joya blue card (tripping) 5:58.

3rd – KC Gibson (Lee) PP 3:49; DAL De Sousa (Varela) 7:00; KC Gibson (Lee) 7:12; KC McDonald 12:50. Penalties – DAL De Sousa blue card (kicking) 3:32; DAL Rodriguez blue card (tripping) 7:26; DAL Bozas yellow card (dissent) 10:04.

4th – KC Sousa (Sosa) PP 2:46; DAL De Sousa 4:47; KC Francis (Gibson) 8:12; KC Marques (Lee) 10:29; KC Kelly (DaSilva) 14:59. Penalties – DAL Ortiz blue card (holding) 0:55.

Shots – Kansas City 12-13-15-12 (52); Dallas 5-3-3-5 (16)