Binghamton Senators Mirroring Ottawa’s Struggles Of Late

As the Binghamton Senators roll towards a playoff season of their own, they have has similar struggles to those of their parent club to find wins.

Bingo has clinched a playoff spot and likely a top-4 seed in the AHL’s Eastern Conference, but have dropped their last three contests. After losing their last game the previous weekend, the Senators had 4 days to prepare for back to back road games in Norfolk against the Admirals.

Saturday’s game saw Norfolk get up in the first period on Steven Whitney’s first AHL goal, and then  doubled the lead in the second on Patrick Maroon’s 22nd of the season.  Both goals came on the power play and were both set up by Ottawa native and  OHL 2nd leading scorer Charles Sarault.  Binghamton got one back in the third period, with Cole Schneider’s 14th goal of the season, but in the end the Senators couldn’t get the equalizer.

Back in the same arena Sunday, with Buddy Robinson making his Binghamton debut after signing on a couple of weeks ago after his NCAA season ended.  However, the game ended with pretty much the same result.   Norfolk scored once in each period on Marc Cheverie to skate away with a 3-0 win and the two game mini-series sweep.  Harry Zolnierczyk, yes the same one who nailed Mike Lundin earlier in the season, scored early in the first, with Maroon adding his second in as many days in the second period and veteran Rod Pelley capped it off in the final frame.

So with one goal in 2 games, the B-Sens are struggling to find the back of the net as well.  They have lost 4 of their last 5 games, scoring more than 2 goals just once in that span (the game they won).

The B-Sens have 6 games remaining in the regular season to get their collective act together and go in on a roll.  The question is not IF they will make the playoffs, it is how deep can they go?  Even with the loss of so many players due to call-ups, they have shown that they are capable of a long run, and if Ottawa can get some players back, the trickle-down of players like Mike Hoffman and Eric Gryba would help them in the playoff run.

The final stretch begins with a home and home against Albany this Friday and Saturday, followed by a visit to Adirondack to face the Phantoms.