THE COMETS COMETH

AFTER A 20-YEAR ABSENCE, the American League is returning to New York’s Mohawk Valley region for 2013-14. More than 200 members of the media and fans were in attendance in mid-June when the Vancouver Canucks officially announced the relocation of its AHL affiliate to Utica, N.Y., population 62,000, after purchasing the Peoria Rivermen from the St. Louis Blues in April. The Canucks signed a six-year agreement with Mohawk Valley Garden, an ownership group led by former NHL goalie Robert Esche and hockey executive Frank DuRoss to move the team to Utica, bringing AHL hockey back to the town for the first time since 1992-93, the last season of the Utica Devils. The team’s new nickname comes from the Clinton Comets who played nine miles to Utica’s south between 1949 and 1973. “We…

OPENING FACEOFF

CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Goalie Roberto ___’s cap hit was untradeable 4 Hyperextend ligaments 9 One whose duty it is to present the Cup 10 Took a series 4-0 11 Eric, Jordan or Marc ___ 12 Staying power 13 Edmonton’s ___ Petry 15 Take part in a game 18 Against the rules 21 Where the Lightning play 23 Goalies have a blocker hand and ___ hand 24 Injure badly 25 Widen 26 Red Deer’s Western League team DOWN 1 Most recent 2 Johnny ___ is with Chicago 3 Ryan ___, pictured, is a Duck 5 Pre-game meal choice 6 The Flyers have had great success when they play God Bless ___ 7 ___ Horton just signed with Columbus 8 One of Bobby Hull’s former teams 14 Colorado’s Stefan ___ 15 ___ Bergeron is with the Bruins 16 Just one ticket (not a pair) 17 They share the Staples Center with the Kings 19 Color worn by the Wild 20 Get…

WINNING IS EVERYTHING

ONE WEEK EARLIER, DANIEL Alfredsson admitted he couldn’t have envisioned himself making such a career-altering choice. “As we got closer to free agency, thoughts started creeping in that it’s been 18 years and I haven’t won the Stanley Cup,” he said. “That’s my dream.” Such is the lure of the Detroit Red Wings. As good as things were getting for the Senators, the 40-year-old Alfredsson, captain of that team since 1999, couldn’t envision it getting good enough before his playing days were done. That’s why he made the shocking, and what he termed his most difficult career decision, to leave Ottawa, his home since coming to the NHL in 1995, to sign a one-year deal with the Wings ($5.5-million cap hit) for what he hopes will be a Stanley Cup run…