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Ben Birnell

@benbirnell

Daily Sentinel sports guy, covering Utica/Rome athletes/teams, including Utica Comets • Maria's husband • Emma's godfather • MN native • Ellery Award recipient https://linktr.ee/benbirnell?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=03724112-973c-4b9c-9cca

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Latest posts by Ben Birnell @benbirnell

Hamilton College men’s hockey team is set to face Neumann on Saturday in the first round of the NCAA D3 tournament.

7 pm game in Clinton

09.03.2026 01:54 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Utica U men’s hockey squad, which won its conference title on Saturday, will play Williams on Saturday, March 14 in the first round of the NCAA D3 tournament.

7 pm Game in Utica

09.03.2026 01:54 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

It was 1-1. Then it definitely wasn’t.
Utica Comets made a push, got within 2, but fall 7-3 on Saturday at Belleville.

Another missed opportunity. 4-game win streak ends.
Now 3 back of 6th.

Utica is 20-26-5-4 overall

08.03.2026 02:38 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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a man is laying on the ground in a wrestling ring with a fox logo in the background ALT: a man is laying on the ground in a wrestling ring with a fox logo in the background

The Utica Comets have won 4 consecutive for the 1st time in 25-26 season.

Scored 19 goals during this streak.

Comets are 6-1-0-1 in last 8. 13-9-1-2 in last 25.

1 point back of 6th place Belleville, which is on sked again Saturday.
Now 7 pts out of 5th.

They were 19 pts out of 5th in mid-Feb.

07.03.2026 02:54 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Confirmed via NJD PR: Lenni Hämeenaho was made eligible to play for Comets rest of AHL season.
A paper transaction, which is common at deadline.

He could join at any time or not at all.

No other NJD players were made eligible, per spokesperson.

Everyone on Comets roster at 3 pm Friday is eligible

06.03.2026 21:27 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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'A lot of confidence' for Nico Daws, Utica Comets in extending win streak Nico Daws turned in another standout appearance in totaling 27 saves and the Comets’ special teams provided the scoring as Utica claimed a 4-1 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in a rare Tuesday aff...

Believe it or not, Nico Daws said this 2025-26 Utica Comets squad is one of his "favorite groups of guys that I’ve ever played with.”

The results are starting to follow for a surging Comets squad, which is 5-1-0-1 in the last seven games

www.romesentinel.com/sports/utica...

04.03.2026 04:59 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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'One small step' as Utica Notre Dame girls again reach Section III basketball title game; New Hartford falls Ella Trinkaus totaled a season-most 39 points and top-seeded Utica Notre Dame created separation in the second quarter to score an eventual 73-44 win over No. 4 seed Jamesville-DeWitt on Monday at Ver...

From Monday: Notre Dame girls hoopers continue undefeated run as Ella Trinkaus continues to do Ella Trinkaus things (season-most 39 points in this instance)

www.romesentinel.com/sports/utica...

03.03.2026 22:11 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

I'm unclear when Seamus Casey departed Utica after the injury, only that he isn't in CNY.

Ryan Parent did say Seamus Casey "is not rehabbing here."
Depending on your world view, that could be positive-ish? given he said the word "rehabbing."

01.03.2026 02:37 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

And, ICYMI, a Seamus Casey update:

You'll recall he hasn't played with Utics since Jan. 25, 2026.

R. Parent "doesn't know the exact timetable" for return to play.
"He will be out for a significant amount of time. ... I can't imagine seeing him any time soon."

01.03.2026 02:37 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

As recently as 10 days ago, the Utica Comets were 19 points out of 5th place in North.

With Saturday’s 5-1 win @ Belleville, Utica is now 11 back of 5th place.
They’re 5 back of 6th place Belleville.

Just saying, there’s progress.

Comets are 18-25-5-4 overall. 20 games to play

01.03.2026 02:35 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

My wife had a realization a few years ago:

“Wait. Is a lot of the stuff you say … just movie quotes?!”

Oh no I have been discovered.

28.02.2026 21:30 👍 7 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Back in Utica-Rome area, former Utica Devils player Bob Woods relishes curling opportunity Bob Woods, the former Utica Devils player, 2012 ECHL Hall of Fame inductee and longtime hockey coach, is back in the Mohawk Valley. He met his wife, Mary Sue Vance Woods, when was he playing in Utica...

Chatted with Bob Woods, the former Utica Devils player/longtime @TheAHL and @NHL coach/@ECHL Hall of Famer.

On returning to the Utica area (he met his wife here back in the day), getting into curling (he’s in 4 leagues) and not being done with hockey.

www.romesentinel.com/sports/bob-w...

28.02.2026 17:36 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Say his name and he appears …

Joe Hendry on the list of performers for NXT stop in April in Utica

24.02.2026 05:26 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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@sarahkelly.bsky.social

“Hey! i know her!”

23.02.2026 21:50 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

It is also Ryan Schmelzer’s 109th assist with the Comets.
That surpasses Alex Grenier for most assists with the Utica Comets.

22.02.2026 22:44 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Ryan Schmelzer to the top.

With credited assist on Mike Hardman’s third period goal Sunday, Ryan Schmelzer has 176 points with the Utica Comets.

He’s No. 1 on the Comets career points list.

22.02.2026 22:43 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

Once Olympics are over, Málek and Cholowski possibly return to Utica.

Guess we’ll see.

Comets have 3-in-3 this weekend with games Saturday and Sunday at home

18.02.2026 15:54 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

As expected, after not appearing in any games with Utica Comets since return from AHL all-star break, both Lenni Hämeenaho and Colton White have been recalled.

Also recalled was Dennis Cholowski.
And goalie Jakub Málek, which NJD describes “as a Practice Goaltender per NHL Olympic regulations.”

18.02.2026 15:50 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

Comets fall 2-1 on the road Tuesday in Bridgeport.
Utica have dropped 4 of the last 6, which further won’t help the team’s hope of trying to get back into thick of the North with 26 gsmes to go.

Comets are 14-24-5-3 overall.

18.02.2026 02:25 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Days since I read the comments: 0.

Don't read the comments.
cc: @d3hkybiggsy.bsky.social

17.02.2026 01:32 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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csi miami GIF csi miami GIF

How did the pancakes win the baseball tournament?
...
...
...

They had the best batter.

16.02.2026 18:40 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

A giant loss: Robert Duvall is gone. An extraordinary artist who was fluent in every dialect of film acting, from ice-cold underplayer (The Godfather) to expert naturalist (Tender Mercies, The Apostle) to balls-to-the-wall maniac (Apocalypse Now). One of our all-timers. Plunge into that filmography.

16.02.2026 18:09 👍 2097 🔁 482 💬 54 📌 31

ol elon broke his app again

16.02.2026 18:25 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Utica’s victory Sunday is also Nico Daws’ 50th career AHL win.

He’s the second goalie to reach 50 wins with the Utica Comets Hockey Club.
First in the #NJDevils  era

16.02.2026 00:26 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

They’re all basically “must win” games at this point for the Comets.

Team put up a season-best 41 shots and 7 goals on Sunday to earn split with ROC

Multi point games for 7 Comets.

1-2-3 for McLaughlin and Halonen.
0-3-3 for J. Gruden.

Comets are 14-23-5-3 overall as they reach 45-game mark.

15.02.2026 23:34 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 1
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Also snapped this last night at ND

14.02.2026 16:58 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Dropped a Shelly Pennefather reference in that story because hoops legends deserve to be acknowledged 😀

14.02.2026 16:58 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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Utica Notre Dame girls basketball caps 20-0 regular season: 'We're so fortunate' With help from an early third-quarter run Friday, Notre Dame created separation against Tri-Valley League opponent New Hartford to pull away for a 70-48 victory at Walsh Gym. The win pushes the Jugg...

From the hardwood:

No. 1-ranked Utica Notre Dame caps 20-0 regular season.
The last time that’s believed to have happened is 1982-83.

www.romesentinel.com/sports/utica...

14.02.2026 16:42 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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After injury, Austin Strand looks to help boost Utica Comets Austin Strand had one of his longer layoffs during his eight pro seasons after a broken bone sidelined him for about a month with the Utica Comets. The injury allowed him to get to know one of his Com...

Chatted with Austin Strand bc I hadn't really.

On that injury that kept him out, forming perhaps an unlikely bond with another teammate and playing in Utica.

Enjoyed this chat with the veteran D-man.

www.romesentinel.com/sports/austi...

14.02.2026 16:40 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Utica Comets aim to continue 'trending upwards' in return from AHL All-Star break After returning from the short AHL All-Star break, the Utica Comets own a 13-22-5-3 overall record. The team is 18 points behind fifth-place Rochester. Fifth is the eventual cutoff the playoffs in the...

Break’s over: Utica Comets look for improvement, especially offensively; McLaughlin ready; Hämeenaho, White and Casey notes

www.romesentinel.com/sports/utica...

13.02.2026 15:45 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0