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Whale Complete Good Weekend with 6-1 Victory

March 24, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release


Hartford, CT, March 24, 2013 - The Connecticut Whale picked up four of a possible six standings points this weekend, capping off the three-in-three at home with a 6-1 win over the Binghamton Senators. The win bumps the Whale into the sixth spot in the AHL's Eastern Conference.

The Whale offense put the foot on the gas early, and did not let up as Andrew Yogan, Christian Thomas, and Dylan McIlrath all had multi-point games. With Cam Talbot well-rested from five games off in net, and Stu Bickel on defense down from the parent club Rangers, the back end was solid for Connecticut as well.

Benn Ferriero, who has done everything but score on offense this weekend, opened scoring at 4:04 after a little bump and grind at the top of the Whale offensive zone. He collected his own rebound at the crease, earning goal number six of his year. Ryan Bourque and McIlrath assisted on the play.

Yogan then earned his first of the day with a short-side snap shot. Blueliner Blake Parlett picked up the puck in neutral ice and tapped it to Andrew Carroll. Carroll hit the blueline and dropped the puck off for Yogan, who beat Binghamton goaltender Marc Cheverie over his glove-side shoulder, earning the Whale a 2-0 advantage at 8:17.

Having already killed two penalties, the Whale went to their first power play try when Nick Palmieri took down a saucer pass and drove the crease, drawing a holding call on Fredrik Claesson. Ferriero had a look at a second goal, and Bickel played the back half of the power play, but Connecticut failed to convert.

The Whale had to kill one more penalty at the end of the period when Palmieri's stick glanced off Brett Lebda's and into his face, but neither team found power play production; the B-Sens were 0 for 3 in the first on the man-up and were outshot 13-5 in the period.

Thomas opened scoring for the second period, when Kelsey Tessier applied some neutral zone forecheck, moved into and across the high slot, and steered the puck to the inside. A rebound kicked across to Thomas, who finished for his 16th goal of the year at 7:17. "Things weren't going in for a while and it was good to break the ice there," Thomas said. "I always put pressure on myself, but to break the ice you gotta do the little things like go to the net."

Yogan then added his second of the day 33 seconds later. McIlrath dished across to Mike Vernace, Vernace fired and Yogan redirected the puck sharply to earn a 4-0 Connecticut edge. By the midway mark of the period, the Whale were outshooting the Senators 23-7. "Verny (Vernace) made a great play and put it on my tape," Yogan said, just before having a shaving cream pie shoved in his face in honor of his three-point game in the AHL.

Binghamton started to climb back with opportunities late in the second, shooting seven times unanswered on Talbot, but the Caledonia, Ontario native was equal to the task.

Thomas tallied number two on the day, and 17 on the year, with just over five and a half remaining in the second. Sam Klassen, who has been active on the offense this weekend, made a smart pinch to keep the offensive campaign alive. Thomas swept in to the circle beat Cheverie with a laser to the stick side.

Though things were looking grim for Binghamton, they got on the board at 14:26 when Stephane Da Costa passed to Mike Hoffman in the slot. Hoffman shot wide, but Da Costa collected the loose puck and wrapped it around; Talbot made the first stop but was left way out of position when the puck bounced right to Mark Stone for his 12th of the year. Andrew Carroll and Mark Borowiecki scrapped with 3:11 left, with the Senators seeking some momentum heading in to the break, trailing 5-1.

Brandon Segal potted the only goal of the third, on the first Whale shot, when Palmieri steered the puck in to the slot with Segal and Yogan crashing. The score put Segal at the 20-goal mark and was the last of the game.

Talbot appeared refreshed, making 30 of 31 stops, while Cheverie calmed down after a shaky first to stop 29 of 25 Whale shots.

Connecticut hosts the Worcester Sharks on Thursday night at 7pm, before playing a home and home next week with the Springfield Falcons.

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