Binghamton Senators Weekly

March 28, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Binghamton Senators News Release


LAST WEEK: The Senators took three of a possible four points away from a two-game series with the Norfolk Admirals in Virginia last weekend. The Sens have 88 points in the standings and are only one point behind Philadelphia for first place in the East Division.

SATURDAY, MARCH 26TH @ NORFOLK (6-2 W): The Senators took a 5-0 lead early in the second period and never looked back in cruising to a 6-2 victory against the Admirals. CHRIS KELLY started the scoring with his fourth short-handed goal of the season at 2:40 of the opening period. Sens defenseman ANDY HEDLUND picked up an assist on KELLY'S goal and was a season best +5 in the game. Later in the same period DENIS HAMEL and JASON SPEZZA broke a franchise record by scoring only nine seconds apart. HAMEL'S goal at 16:58 of the first period was his team-leading seventh game-winning goal. At 17:07 of the same period JASON SPEZZA scored an unassisted goal giving him three points (1g, 2a) in the first period. PAT KAVANAGH and Norfolk's RENE BOURQUE each scored in both the second and third periods. RAY EMERY stopped 38 of 40 shots in the victory. ADAM MUNRO blocked 3 of the 7 shots he faced before giving way to MICHAEL LEIGHTON after the first period. LEIGHTON stopped 9 of 11 shots. Binghamton was 0 for 5 with the power play. Norfolk was 2 for 8.

SUNDAY, MARCH 27TH @ NORFOLK (2-3 SOL): The Senators twice took one-goal leads but the Admirals were able to force overtime and eventually a shootout where the Admirals won 3-2. PAT KAVANAGH opened the scoring with his third goal in two games at 16:04 of the second period. Early in the third MATT ELLISON tied the game with his 11th goal of the season. Binghamton took the lead again when JAN PLATIL scored his first goal of the season short-handed at 6:46 of the final period. It was PLATIL'S first goal since March 3, 2004 in Wilkes-Barre. Once again the Admirals tied the game when MARTY WILFORD scored less than four minutes later. The game would remain scoreless and go to a shootout where MATT ELLISON put the puck past RAY EMERY for the win in the fifth round. RAY EMERY stopped a season high 39 of 41 shots in the game while ADAM MUNRO made 31 saves on 33 shots. Neither team scored a power-play goal with Binghamton failing to convert in three chances and Norfolk going scoreless in six opportunities.

THIS WEEK: The Sens will play their eighth straight game against an East Division opponent when Philadelphia visits on Wednesday. Binghamton will host Worcester on Friday and Manitoba on Saturday before hitting the road for an afternoon game against Bridgeport on Sunday.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30TH vs. PHILADELPHIA (7:05 p.m.): Binghamton will play Philadelphia at home for a second consecutive game on Wednesday night. The Phantoms have won five of their last six games with the only setback coming on March 19th when they were defeated 4-3 in overtime by the Senators. The Sens are 3-1-0-1 against the Phantoms this season and have won the last three meetings between the teams. On March 19th the Senators fell behind 2-0 after first period goals by JON SIM and TONY VOCE. But the Sens got the next three before the Phantoms forced overtime. In the extra period DENIS HAMEL scored with a little more than a minute remaining to give Binghamton the win. HAMEL leads all Binghamton skaters in scoring with five points (4g, 1a) in five games against Philadelphia. Phantoms center PATRICK SHARP also has five points (4g, 1a). RAY EMERY has made three starts in net and has a 2-1-1 record with a 2.18 goals-against average. ANTERO NIITTYMAKI has a 1-1-1 record with a 2.17 goals-against average in three starts for Philadelphia.

FRIDAY, APRIL 1ST vs. WORCESTER (7:05 p.m.): The only other meeting between the teams this season came on New Year's Day with the IceCats winning 3-2. Binghamton was playing their fifth game in seven days when they visited Worcester but JOSH LANGFELD gave the Sens an early lead at 9:16 of the first period. DENIS HAMEL had two points (1g, 1a) in the game before Worcester scored with less than six minutes remaining for the victory. RAY EMERY stopped 23 of 26 shots in the loss while JASON BACASHIHUA stopped 14 of Binghamton's season low 16 shots. The IceCats are battling for the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division and currently are two points behind the Providence Bruins for fourth place in the division.

SATURDAY, APRIL 2ND vs. MANITOBA (7:05 p.m.): Manitoba also begins the week with 88 points and holds second place in the North Divison. The Moose had won four straight games before St. John's beat them 7-2 on Saturday night. Binghamton is the last stop of a brief three-game road trip that also has stops in Hamilton and Syracuse. Binghamton and Manitoba have met three previous times this season with the Moose holding a 2-1-0-0 advantage in the series. JASON SPEZZA leads all players in the series with four points (0g, 4a) in three games. Defenseman TOMAS MOJZIS and forwards RYAN KESLER, PETER SARNO and JASON KING all have one goal and two assists in three games. Both teams have had power-play success with Binghamton connecting 3 of 12 chances (25.0%) and Manitoba scoring on 5 of 18 opportunities (27.8%).

SUNDAY, APRIL 3RD @ BRIDGEPORT (4:05 p.m.): The Sens have a 2-2-0-2 record against the Sound Tigers this season. ANTOINE VERMETTE leads all scorers with seven points (3g, 4a) in six games. ROB COLLINS has five points (1g, 4) in six games to pace the Sound Tigers. RAY EMERY has played in five games and has a 2-2-1 record with a 2.75 goals-against average. DIETER KOCHAN has a 3-1-0 record with a 2.45 goals-against average for Bridgeport. Both teams have gone to overtime in five of their last nine games. Bridgeport has won four of those contests including a 4-3 shootout victory against Binghamton in the last meeting between the teams on March 16. The Sound Tigers have won 24 games at home this season – more than any other team in the East Division.

SENS SNIPPETS: The Sens have gone to overtime in four of their last five games winning once and losing three times in a shootout. Binghamton went to overtime for the 23rd time this season on Sunday in Norfolk and lost in a shootout dropping their record to 9-5-9 in games that go beyond regulation. The American Hockey League record for overtime games in a single season is 26 set by three teams including the Portland Pirates last season...JASON SPEZZA is only one point shy of reaching 100 points this season. He has 99 points (27g, 72a) with 10 regular season games remaining. His current 10-game scoring streak (2g, 16a) ties a career AHL high. Should SPEZZA reach the 100 point plateau he would be the first Binghamton AHL player to reach the mark since PETER FERRARO had 101 points during the 1995-96 season for the Binghamton Rangers...Norfolk's RENE BOURQUE had four points (2g, 2a) in two games against Binghamton last weekend and now trails BRANDON BOCHENSKI by one point for the rookie scoring lead. BOCHENSKI has 57 points (27g, 30a) in 65 games. BOURQUE has 56 points but has played in 69 games...DENIS HAMEL is one point shy of 300 in his AHL career. This season he has set a new career high for points with 69 (33g, 36a).

SENS IN THE COMMUNITY: No community appearances scheduled.

PRACTICE & GAME SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 28TH (SUBJECT TO CHANGE):

Monday, March 28 Off Day

Tuesday, March 29 10 a.m. Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena

Wednesday, March 30 10 a.m. (Pre-game skate) Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena

7:05 p.m. Philadelphia @ Binghamton

Thursday, March 31 10 a.m. Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena

Friday, April 1 10 a.m. (Pre-game skate) Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena

7:05 p.m. Worcester @ Binghamton

Saturday, April 2 10 a.m. (Pre-game skate) Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena

7:05 p.m. Manitoba @ Binghamton

Sunday, April 3 4:05 p.m. Arena at Harbor Yard

Binghamton @ Bridgeport

SENS LEADERS: POINTS: JASON SPEZZA – 99 GOALS: DENIS HAMEL – 33

ASSISTS: JASON SPEZZA – 72 PPG: DENIS HAMEL – 15

GWG: DENIS HAMEL - 7

SHG: CHRIS KELLY – 4 PIM: BRIAN McGRATTAN – 468

WINS: RAY EMERY – 21 GAA: BILLY THOMPSON – 2.39

B-SENS ON THE AIR: All Binghamton Senators games are broadcast live on 680-WINR, a Clear Channel station. Fans can also access the broadcasts online at www.binghamtonsenators.com. Tune in 30 minutes prior to faceoff for Countdown to Faceoff with the voice of the Binghamton Senators, Grady Whittenburg.

GET YOUR TICKETS: Tickets remain on sale for each of the B-Sens remaining regular season home games. Tickets are $15 for the sides and $14 for the ends. Fans can purchase tickets at the following locations: Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena box office (Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.), Binghamton Senators executive office, third floor of the arena (Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on game days until the end of the second period.), www.ticketmaster.com or by calling (607) 722-SENS.



American Hockey League Stories from March 28, 2005


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