KANSAS CITY COMETS GET ABOVE .500 WITH 10-8 VICTORY AT HOME

KANSAS CITY (Jan. 27, 2019) – The Kansas City Comets improved their season record above .500 for the first time this season with a 10-8 victory over the Mississauga MetroStars at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena tonight. Lucas Rodriguez and Leo Gibson led all scorers with four points (2 goals, 2 assists) each.

The Comets have the MASL’s top Power Play unit and got to show it off early in the game. Midfielders Rodriguez and Bryan Perez worked the give-and-go pass to perfection with the man advantage early in the game to score the opening goal of the night.

Through much of the night, any Comets score was usually answered quickly by the visiting MetroStars. A minute after Rodriguez’s goal, Mississauga’s Darren Chambers answered. When Gibson put the Comets up 2-1 later in the period, Mississauga’s Joshua Parades answered a minute after that.

The two teams traded goals throughout the first half with Rodriguez and Anthony Grant each tallying a score in the second quarter, followed by MetroStars goals from Damion Graham and Jarred Philips.

Mississauga broke the cycle with just over a minute left in the first half. With the Comets coming off a penalty kill, Marco Rodriguez got past the transitioning Kansas City defense and put the MetroStars up 6-5 at the end of the opening half.

Ramone Palmer, celebrating his 30th birthday, evened it up shortly after the second half opened, but once again Mississauga answered to regain the lead.

Controversy erupted late in the third period when the Comets bench thought Philips tripped defender John Sosa on the wall. The play resulted in Philips having an open path to goal where he was able to bury the ball past an onrushing Mark Saxby and open up a two-goal lead.

On the back of Perez, Kansas City stormed right back in. The team’s captain scored to end the third quarter, and then to open the fourth. MetroStars forward Mo Babouli then outmuscled everyone and went coast-to-coast to briefly put his team back in the lead 8-7 with 8:31 left to play.

The Comets put the full-press on after that though and wore down the Mississauga defense. Adam James pressured the Mississauga goalkeeper into a mistake, giving Rodriguez the ball wide open at midfield. Rodriguez passed it back to Adam James who was able to tie it up 8-8.

With 4:34 left to play Gibson, who holds nearly every modern Comets offensive record, put his team ahead for good with a one touch volley out of the air from the right side. Kiel Williams added an insurance goal later against the Mississauga sixth attacker and the Comets secured the victory. The win is Kansas City’s fifth victory in their last six outings.

The team will now get a week to rest before facing the Florida Tropics at home next Saturday at 1:00 p.m. CT. The game will be televised live on Eleven Sports, the first of a new MASL partnership this season. Tickets are available online at Ticketmaster.com and KCComets.com

MASL Match Report
Match: Kansas City Comets vs Mississauga MetroStars
Date: January 27, 2019
Venue: Silverstein Eye Centers Arena, Independence, MO
Kickoff: 4:12 p.m. CT / 5:12 p.m. ET

Scoring Summary