Kansas City Comets frustrated after controversial defeat to rival Milwaukee Wave
It took a lengthy overtime period for the Kansas City Comets to fall to the Milwaukee Wave for the first time in nearly two years, with a controversial finish adding to Kansas City’s frustration.
The Comets’ first loss of the season came on Saturday after they conceded a last-gasp equalizer, falling 6-5 at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Saturday’s defeat was particularly tough for a Comets team that led for 59 minutes, 13 seconds of regulation — about 98.7% of the game. Leading by as many as three goals in the first half and two in the second half, the Comets could not hold off Milwaukee’s comeback effort.
As the Comets led 5-4 in the dying seconds, Milwaukee’s Ricardo Carvalho pounced on a deflection inside the box to tie it at 5-5 with just eight seconds remaining. Carvalho stepped up again at the far post toward the end of the overtime period to score the game-winner.
After scoring 39 seconds into the game and carrying a 4-1 lead into the second quarter, momentum shifted away from the Comets. Kansas City suffered injury blows to midfielder Michael Lenis and captain Nacho Flores, while a pair of two-minute penalties in the second quarter made things even tougher.
It took more than 35 minutes from the fourth goal in the first quarter until the Comets added a fifth score in the fourth. Comets coach Stefan Stokic wasn’t upset with his team’s overall performance but reflected on the squad’s mindset in allowing the Wave to stay close.
“The one thing that I felt like we didn’t do so great was we gave away so many easy goals,” Stokic said Saturday night. “I feel like we kind of did it to ourselves, to be honest with you. We should have been a lot better on managing the game and finishing the game off.”
The Comets were outshot 30-6 in the final three quarters of regulation after firing 11 shots in the first frame. Comets forward Rian Marques led the game with two goals and two assists, while Zach Reget’s two first-quarter goals got the Comets off to a fast start.
“I don’t think we played our best game,” Stokic added. “We still have a lot of things we need to work on moving forward.”
A controversial defeat
Losing in the fashion the Comets did on Saturday — seconds away from an important rivalry victory — was a tough pill to swallow.
To compound that frustration, the Comets also objected to a fourth-quarter ruling that erased a goal that would have given Kansas City a three-score advantage.
The Wave protested Lesia Thetsane’s goal from distance with more than eight minutes remaining. Before the goal, an official mistakenly pulled out his blue card while Milwaukee had possession. That prompted Milwaukee’s goalkeeper to move toward the bench so Milwaukee could insert a sixth attacker.
During the play, the referee realized his mistake and put the card back in his pocket while the Comets gained possession and scored. Had the blue card been enforced, play would have stopped to enforce the penalty.
The officials decided upon review to overturn the original ruling and disallow the goal. Kansas City’s claim was Milwaukee’s decision to attempt a premature power play with their sixth attacker — without an official ruling of the penalty — ran the risk of that penalty not standing.
The game marked the Comets’ first loss to the Wave in 678 days.
Up next for the Comets
The Comets return home next weekend when they welcome Panamanian World Cup veteran Blas Perez and the Dallas Sidekicks to Cable Dahmer Arena. For tickets, head to kccomets.com/tickets.
The Comets will also get another shot at the Wave later this season. Kansas City will host Milwaukee on January 5 before concluding the season series on March 2 in Milwaukee.