B-Sens Weekly

Published on April 8, 2014 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Binghamton Senators News Release


LAST WEEK...

Friday, April 4: Binghamton 3, Rochester 4

Shots: Binghamton 40, Rochester 25

PP: Binghamton 1 for 5, Rochester 1 for 4

Despite outshooting the Rochester Americans 40-25, Binghamton fell 4-3 in regulation following Kevin Porter's game-winning goal with 10:19 remaining. Andrey Makarov stopped 37 shots to earn his second victory this season for the Amerks while Andrew Hammond picked up his 16th loss of the year allowing four goals on 25 shots faced.

Rochester jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead with Nick Crawford and Dan Catenacci netting goals 1:14 apart, the first coming 10:45 into the frame.

Shane Prince cut the score to 2-1 with just over four minutes remaining in the period when he chipped home a loose puck past Makarov.

Rochester carried the 2-1 lead into the first intermission with Hammond stopping seven of the nine shots faced while Makarov turned aside seven of eight Binghamton chances.

Derek Grant evened the score at two goals apiece 6:10 into the second period off an assist from Prince.

Less than two minutes later, Phil Varone retook the lead for the Amerks on his 15th goal of the year.

Derek Grant notched his second marker of the evening with just over 10 minutes remaining off a great cross-ice feed from Ryan Dzingel, who was making his American Hockey League debut.

Porter broke the 3-3 tie 9:41 into the final period to give the Americans the 4-3 win.

Derek Grant led the B-Sens with two goals while Prince recorded a goal and a helper. Crawford and Varone finished with a goal and an assist to lead the Amerks to their second win in the final of eight games this season against the B-Sens.

Saturday, April 5: Norfolk 6, Binghamton 3

Shots: Norfolk 41, Binghamton 25

PP: Norfolk 0 for 2, Binghamton 1 for 6

Binghamton fell 6-3 on home ice to the Norfolk Admirals despite tying the game at 3-3 just before the end of the second period. The Admirals rallied off three straight goals less than six minutes apart to take the victory and push the B-Sens to second place behind Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the East Division. Emerson Etem completed a hat trick performance with less than one minute remaining to lead Norfolk offensively.

Norfolk jumped out to a 2-0 lead behind a pair of first period goals from Etem, the first coming at 13:01 of the frame.

Binghamton cut the lead to 2-1 one minute into the second when Derek Grant tipped home a wrist shot from Chris Wideman for his 11th marker of the year.

Just over one minute later, Antoine Langaniere returned Norfolk's lead to two goals when he sent an unassisted shot towards a screened Nathan Lawson and found the back of the net.

Binghamton managed to tie the game at 3-3 before the end of the period. Patrick Mullen scored his first goal in a B-Sens uniform at the 4:52 mark before Wideman tallied his eighth goal of the season with just 15 seconds remaining in the period.

Both teams traded scoring chances in the final period of regulation before Norfolk scored three unanswered goals after the midway point for the win.

Wideman and Mullen both finished with a goal and an assist to lead Binghamton. Lawson finished with 35 saves on 40 shots faced while Brad Thiessen made 22 saves en route to his fourth victory this season.

Sunday, April 6: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 2, Binghamton 6

Shots: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 31, Binghamton 27

PP: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 1 for 6, Binghamton 2 for 4

The Binghamton Senators returned to the top of the East Division with a 6-2 rout of the visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Binghamton rode a five-goal first period and a solid defensive effort after to beat the Penguins for the fourth time in six games this season. Matt Puempel notched two goals while defensemen Patrick Mullen and Alex Grant both chipped in three helpers to lead the B-Sens.

Binghamton opened the scoring 3:49 into the first period when Puempel scored his first goal off a great feed from Mullen.

Just over a minute later, David Dziurzynski added his 10th marker of the year to push the score to 2-0 before Wacey Hamilton beat Penguins' netminder Eric Hartzell at the 7:56 spot of the period to make it a three goal B-Sens advantage.

Spencer Machacek cut the lead to 3-1 on a power-play goal just before the midway point of the frame, but Binghamton managed to chip in two more goals before intermission to take a 5-1 lead into the locker room.

The B-Sens and Penguins traded goals through the second period with the first coming just under five minutes in when Puempel completed a beautiful give-and-go with Cole Schneider to make it 6-1.

Machacek added a second goal at the 8:24 mark of the period, but Binghamton's defense clamped down for the remainder of the contest.

Neither team scored in the final 20 minutes of play to give the B-Sens the 6-2 win.

Hammond stopped 29 of 31 shots faced to earn his 23rd victory of the year while Hartzell managed 21 saves in the losing effort.

Record: 41-23-1-5 (88 points)

Standings:

1. Binghamton: 70gp 41-23-1-5 (88pts.)

2. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton: 71gp 40-23-3-5 (88pts.)

3. Hershey: 70gp 37-25-4-4 (82pts.)

4. Norfolk: 70gp 36-25-2-7 (81pts.)

5. Syracuse: 70gp 29-30-4-7 (69 pts.)

Binghamton took two of the six total points up for grabs this past weekend to stay tied atop the East Division with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The B-Sens still hold the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference as they remain percentage points ahead of the Penguins with a game in hand. Hershey leapfrogs Norfolk for third in the division and the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Syracuse remains in last place and is officially eliminated from playoff contention.

THIS WEEK...

Friday, April 11 vs. Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)-7:05p.m.

The B-Sens host the Bears Friday night before a showdown at the Giant Center on Sunday afternoon. Hershey is currently trailing Binghamton by six points in the standings while they fight with Norfolk for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Hershey is led offensively by centers Kris Newbury (17 goals+29 assists46points) and Jeff Taffe (19+2645).

David Leggio has compiled a 22-17-3 record with a 2.62 goals-against average and a 0.914 save percentage over 43 appearances in net for the Bears this season. Backup Philipp Grubauer has played in 24 games going 12-11-1 with a 2.67 goals-against average and a 0.913 save percentage.

Saturday, April 12 @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)-7:05p.m.

Binghamton travels to Wilkes-Barre on Saturday night for a game with huge playoff implications. This will be the seventh of eight total meetings between the teams this year as the B-Sens have won four of the first six games.

Tom Kostopoulos leads all Penguins' skaters with 45 points (21+24) over 68 games played.

Goaltender Jeff Deslauriers has played in 40 games this season going 20-15-3 with a 2.58 goals-against average and a 0.895 save percentage. Peter Mannino has played strong as of late, appearing in 13 of the last 15 games for the Penguins. Over 16 games this season Mannino is 10-3-1 with a 1.37 goals-against average and a 0.941 save percentage.

Sunday, April 13 @ Hershey Bears (Washington Captials)-5:00p.m.

Promotions:

Friday night will be Zoo Night here at the B-Sens when the Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park will be in attendance with various animals for the fan's enjoyment. There will also be a special ceremonial puck drop from an American Alligator with staff members of the Zoo.

Fans can receive special $15 tickets with $2 going back to benefit the Zoo at Ross Park by calling (607)722-7367 or by visiting the zoo's website at www.rossparkzoo.com.

The Zoomobile will have exhibits set up along the concourse starting at 6:00p.m. when the gates open. Fans can expect to see a fennec fox and a double yellow-headed Amazon parrot among other exotic species. The first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a special $1.00 off coupon for admission to the park.

Tickets to the B-Sens game on Friday will also grant fans access to the Windsor Teachers versus Binghamton Police hockey game taking place at 4:15p.m. Special tickets are available through the Windsor Teacher's hockey team with all proceeds being donated to the family of Johnson City Police Officer David Smith, who was tragically killed in the line of duty on April 1, 2014. For more information on these special tickets call the Windsor High School at (607) 655-8250. The doors will open at 4:00p.m.

Friday is also an AAA Member discount night where fans who present their AAA card at the time of purchase can receive $4.00 off their tickets (limit two tickets per card). Fans can also take advantage of the Friday-2-Pack where for $32 fans can receive two tickets in sections 6-10, two hotdogs and two sodas for just $32.

SENS SNIPPETS...

Defenseman Patrick Mullen recorded three assists in Binghamton's 6-2 over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this past Sunday. The 27-year-old now has nine points (1 goal, 8 assists) in 14 games with the B-Sens since being acquired in a trade between Ottawa and Vancouver.

Center Derek Grant scored twice in the B-Sens Friday night loss to Rochester before scoring Binghamton's first goal in Saturday night's 6-2 loss to Norfolk. It was the first time this season Grant has recorded goals in back-to-back contests.

Forward Ryan Dzingel, who signed an amateur try out with Binghamton on April 2, recorded an assist in his professional debut Friday against Rochester. The 22-year-old Wheaton, Ill., native finished his first weekend of AHL action with two assists.

Forward Garrett Thompson, who signed an ATO with the B-Sens on April 2 following a four-year collegiate career with Ferris State University, scored his first professional goal in Binghamton's 6-2 romp of the Penguins Sunday evening.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 8, 2014


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