Clinton Comets

Updated on Dec 26, 2023

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Colors Red, White, and Blue 1949–1973 Clinton Comets Color Red, White, and Blue		1927–1948 Clinton Hockey Club Date founded 1927

City Clinton, New York (1927–1973),Utica, New York (1973–1977) League NYSAHL (1949–1949/50),NYOHL (1950/51 – 1953/54),EHL (1954/55 – 1972/73),NAHL (1973/74 – 1976/77),ACHL Home arena Sage Rink (?? – 1949),Clinton Arena (1949–1973),Utica Memorial Auditorium (1973–1977) Location Clinton, New York, United States Arenas Hamilton College, Clinton Arena, Utica Memorial Auditorium

Clinton comets

The Clinton Comets were an American ice hockey team in Clinton, New York.

Founded in 1927–28 as the Clinton Hockey Club and nicknamed the Comets in 1949, the team played primarily at the Clinton Arena from 1949 until 1973. The team was originally started by Ed Stanley who acted as manager to build a team from local high school students and helped to provide finances for the team to buy equipment and take road trips. He quickly was able to build a very successful team which in the 1933–1934 season played in the National Amateur Championship at Madison Square Garden against the Hershey Bears. Stanley, along with Albert I. Prettyman who brought college hockey to nearby Hamilton College went on to be the only two people from the same town or city on the 1940 Olympic hockey committee. The 1940 Winter Olympics were scheduled for Sapporo, Japan but were canceled because of the start of World War II, as well as the hopes of Comets players Wilfred Goering and Art Scoones who were trying out for the Olympic team.

Clinton Comets Top 10 CNY Sports Stories EVER The Clinton Comets

From 1954 until 1973, the Comets participated in the Eastern Hockey League, dominating for ten of their nineteen seasons. Most notably, under head coach Pat Kelly, the Comets posted a 315–208–64 (wins-losses-ties) record over eight seasons. During that period, in the 1967–68 season, the Comets produced an awe-inspiring 57–5–10 record. The Comets won the EHL playoffs in 1958–59, 1963–64, 1967–68, 1968–69 and 1969–70.

Later, when the team began playing games in the Utica Memorial Auditorium, it changed its name to the Mohawk Valley Comets and played in the North American Hockey League.

Clinton Comets Eastern Hockey League Team Photos

Clinton comets jersey reveal

Notable alumni

Notable alumni of the Clinton Comets include:

Ed Giacomin, who went on to become an all-star goaltender with the New York Rangers.

Benny Woit, former player for the Detroit Red Wings.

Pete Babando, former player for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins and Chicago Black Hawks.

Pat Kelly, went on to later become head coach of the Colorado Rockies, was the founder and first league commissioner of the East Coast Hockey League. He also had the ECHL's championship trophy named after him, the Kelly Cup.

Len Speck, who played on the team from 1961–1971