UTICA – The Brodeur family has a unique milestone: Goalie wins with Utica’s American Hockey League team in two centuries.

Jeremy Brodeur completed a unique, feel-good moment Saturday with the Utica Comets in earning his first AHL win with a solid performance and the team rebounded from a lackluster outing about 24 hours before on the road.

The 28-year-old, who is in his eighth pro season, stopped the final 25 shots he faced and the Comets turned in another strong effort on home ice to claim a needed bounce back win over Toronto Marlies with a 4-1 result in downtown Utica.

“It was really refreshing to see us play a full 60 (minutes),” said Brodeur, who made his third appearance with Utica over the last two seasons and his seventh overall AHL appearance since 2021. “It is a credit to all the guys. Any win is a great win. It is good that it was my first one.”

The Comets finished the week with two wins in three games following a tough 5-1 setback to Rochester on Friday.

Combined with Wednesday’s win, the Comets have back-to-back home victories for the first time since March 2024. Utica is now 3-9-1-2 at home this season with the nine points tied for 29th out of 32 AHL teams.

The Comets (9-18-2-2 overall, 22 points) continue a quest to put together consistent outings to try to get closer to other teams in the seven-team North Division. Utica remains 18 points out of an eventual North playoff spot as the midpoint of the 72-game season nears. 

On Saturday, Comets interim coach Ryan Parent praised the team’s play. There has been a message of “consistency” for the team, he said.

“I just felt as a team, we put it all together,” Parent said. “It is a well-deserved win for these guys.”

It was the fifth loss in six games for fourth-place Toronto (18-10-2-3).

Brodeur is, of course, the son of Martin Brodeur. The Hall of Fame goalie played 32 games during the 1992-93 season with the Utica Devils, then New Jersey’s affiliate before going on to impressive NHL career.

On Saturday, the Comets’ sported their black “horned U” throwback alternate jerseys – an homage to those Utica Devils – providing at least a piece of a connection to the elder Brodeur and Utica’s long and storied hockey history.

And while there has been at least one instance of the son of a former Utica Devils player (Brendan Woods and Bob Woods) appearing with the Comets since 2013, the Brodeur connection is certainly the most noteworthy.

Brodeur joins 10 other goalies who earned their first win in their first start with the Comets. The list includes Jacob Markstrom, Mike DiPietro and Nico Daws.

Brodeur got the start Saturday in effort to give Isaac Poulter a rest after starting six consecutive games. Daws has been out since Dec. 27 with a lower-body injury, but is expected to return soon.

In the spot start, Brodeur finished with 27 saves after Toronto scored on its second shot just 3:07 into the game. Brodeur was solid the rest of the way, though, with several key stops against a Marlies team that was averaging just over three goals per game. The Comets also did a good job clogging up the middle of the zone and blocked shots in the process.

“He’s an extremely competitive goalie, person and kid,” Parent said. “He doesn’t let a lot of stuff bother him. I wasn’t worried about the pressure. He’s played games for us before. I know how he handles it. He knew well in advance that he was going to be in (Saturday). He was able to prepare for it. I thought he had a really strong game. Some of the second chances, he was there and competing.”

Brodeur, who said he didn’t have any family in attendance Saturday, noted he found about the middle of the week he’d be playing Saturday.

“I play my best hockey when I’m not thinking and having fun,” said Brodeur, who has a career 3.13 goals-against average over 144 ECHL games since 2017. “I had a lot of fun out there. I was just doing my thing. My mind was shut off. I was just doing what I know how to do. I was just using my skillset the best I know how to do.”

He got support from Nolan Foote, who returned from a one-game injury absence Friday, who finished with two third-period goals – the first happening four-on-four and the second a shorthanded empty-netter with about three minutes remaining – and also assisted on the Comets’ tying goal. There were at least two or three other instances where he made standout plays to set-up quality scoring chances.

“He just adds a lot. Even the chances he got the goals and you look back at how they were created, he was involved in the plays to start with whether it is forecheck, wall battles, D zone,” Parent said. “It leads to opportunities on the offensive side. He’s a good example of that right now.”

Filip Engaras had the tying goal from in close after a turnover late in the first period.

Brian Halonen scored the go-ahead goal on a scramble with 1:10 remaining in the second. It was his team-best 13th of the season.