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Ben Birnell

@benbirnell.bsky.social

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

231 Followers  |  131 Following  |  815 Posts  |  Joined: 19.09.2023  |  1.7278

Latest posts by benbirnell.bsky.social on Bluesky


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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 — 👍 2101    🔁 483    💬 54    📌 32

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
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Bangarang

12.02.2026 15:18 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Devils say Marc McLaughlin on waivers with intent to assign him to Utica.

Means he’s heathy after injury in preseason.

Would help Utica at center should/if he clear by Thursday deadline

11.02.2026 19:23 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

It is a distraction.

But it is up there as one of the most deeply unserious and dumbest things I’ve ever heard

11.02.2026 03:46 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Ben Berard.

Oh my.
#ahlallstar

11.02.2026 02:56 — 👍 3    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 2
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a woman is sitting at a desk with her arms outstretched in front of a map on the wall . ALT: a woman is sitting at a desk with her arms outstretched in front of a map on the wall .

They re-made the Rob Lowe classic Youngblood?

11.02.2026 02:24 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Video games, ya know?

11.02.2026 00:47 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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a man with a beard is making a funny face and pointing at something . ALT: a man with a beard is making a funny face and pointing at something .

The Black Keys are playing a venue less than a half hour from where I reside.

10.02.2026 16:22 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Commercials also terrible.

09.02.2026 04:38 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Collinsworth has been F-level poor at commentary for a Super Bowl

09.02.2026 03:17 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Who knew Bad Bunny would score the first touchdown of the game?

09.02.2026 01:51 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

I want a Canadian Destroyer from Benito the half.
#superbowl

09.02.2026 00:48 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Utica Comets go into the AHL All-Star break with a 4-goal regulation loss to ROC on Saturday.

With that, Comets are 18 pts out of 5th place. 29 games to go.

Comets are 13-22-5-3 overall.

After AS break, Comets play ROC 2x on 2/14 and 2/15.

Comets are 3-5-0-0 vs. ROC this season

08.02.2026 02:33 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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One day we’ll figure out how she ended up on a graphic shared by the Buffalo Bills to their thousands and thousands of admirers.

But for now: Reannyn Weiler is unfortunately not part of the USA Luge roster for these Olympics in Italy.

07.02.2026 13:13 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

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