COMETS LOOK TO REMAIN PERFECT AT HOME THURSDAY VS FLASH

INDEPENDENCE, MO. - For just the second time ever, the Kansas City Comets (3-2-1) will face the Monterrey Flash (2-1-0).

Thursday’s contest will be Monterrey’s first-ever visit to Cable Dahmer Arena, coming 2,895 days after the Comets’ only previous meeting with the Flash at Arena Monterrey in Mexico.

That meeting in January 2015 ended in an 8-7 win for the Comets in overtime as they improved to 15-0 in their historic undefeated 20-0 regular season campaign of 2014-15.

“That is one of those games that we continue to talk about,” said Ramone Palmer, who scored the game-tying goal with 17 seconds remaining to send the contest to overtime. “It was one of the most intense games we’ve played since we’ve been in this league. The atmosphere in Monterrey was ridiculous.”

After Palmer got the game to overtime level at 7-7, the Comets faced a nightmare situation when they had to defend a powerplay. Playing a man down, the Comets flipped the field with a free kick inside the attacking half and took the victory when Robert Palmer scored the sudden-death goal on a pass from Andre Braithwaite 1:06 into overtime.

“Winning in overtime with a man-down situation, it was just incredible. That memory is going to live on for a long time,” Ramone Palmer added.

Nearly eight years later, a lot has changed for both organizations. In 2015, the Comets were known as the Missouri Comets. The team is now known as the Kansas City Comets and is led by a cast of younger players with 2014-15 MASL MVP Leo Gibson directing as player/coach.

Monterrey won the Ron Newman Cup in 2014-15 before going on hiatus for a couple of seasons. The Flash eventually returned, making two more Ron Newman Cup appearances before going on another hiatus during the pandemic.

Back in the MASL this season, Monterrey still has five players that featured in the 8-7 overtime loss nearly eight years ago. In the 2015 matchup, Erick Tovar scored four goals and Edgar Flores had two assists while Diego Reynoso made 11 saves.

This season, Flores is among a trio tied for Monterrey’s team leader in goals with three, alongside Brayan Aguilar and Daniel Villela, while Tovar has two goals and an assist. Reynoso is also back and has a 2-1 record with 48 saves against 60 shots.

After opening the season with a 2-1 loss to the Mesquite Outlaws, Monterrey has won back-to-back road games against the Tacoma Stars and Chihuahua Savage. The win over the Savage came in overtime with an 8-7 decision on December 16.

After three games, the Flash sit third in the Western Conference. Thursday’s meeting will conclude a four-game road trip to open the season for Monterrey.

“Whenever you play against Monterrey it's always going to be an intense matchup,” Palmer said. “It's going to be exciting to have them come here to our home field. With the group we have, we are capable of putting on a show like the last time we were there.”

The Comets sit second in the Eastern Conference, trailing the conference-leading Florida Tropics by a point. John Sosa and Lucas Sousa are both among the league leaders, combining for 23 points from 10 goals and 13 assists.

Undefeated on home turf, the Comets have made the most of their home-field advantage in front of the largest crowds in the league.

Following the meeting with Monterrey, the Comets head down I-70 for a matchup with the St. Louis Ambush at The Family Arena.

Tickets are still available for Thursday’s contest at www.kccomets.com/tickets.