B-Sens Bounce Back 4-1 Win In Norfolk
By Jeff Ulmer
The Senators battled back after last night’s penalty filled meltdown to recover and play an overall solid performance to beat Norfolk 4-1 behind Sens net minder Nathan Lawson‘s 23 saves. Coach Luke Richardson mixed up the lines and the 1st line of Mike Hoffman, Mika Zibanejad and Andre Petersson was the best on the ice all night. Binghamton contolled the game right from the first puck drop and continued on playing disciplined hockey. The effort was apparent and the B-Sens were rewarded with the 2 points in a historically tough Scope Arena.
GAME RE-CAP
-1st period
Good solid period. Sens come out flying and took control right from the get go. Excellent fore checking. Matt Puempel had his best period of the season as there was more jump in his play. Sens score the first goal of the game at 7:59 as Puempel carried the puck across the blue line and got tied up, passed to a wide open Darren Kramer in the slot and the enforcer blasted it home for the 1-0 lead. Norfolk’s John Gibson had no chance as Kramer buried it from about 35 feet out. Hoffman and Zibanejad gelled well as there was better flow in the game. B-Sens out shoot Norfolk 10-5 and no penalties were called this time around.
-2nd period
Sens continued their solid play right into the 2nd. The start of the period saw a club tying record goal just 11 seconds into the period by Petersson. Andre had an open net shot from a pass from Hoffman beside the net drawing Gibson out. Norfolk was held shot less until the 8:44 mark for their first of the period which drew jeers from the home crowd of 5029. During a break out play, Hoffman coughed up the puck where Rickard Rakell picked it up and laid a nice backhander past Lawson at 1:58 for their first and only goal of the game. That was Rakell’s 3rd of the season. Sens up 2-1 and lead in shots 23-11.
-3rd period
Sens and Ads battle it out as this is the best period of the game by Norfolk. B-Sens had defensive lapses at times but Lawson bailed out the team with some good saves. Hoffman would turn over the puck twice in the period with one being a bad pass to Zibanejad and the Ads Peter Holland picking it off while taking a shot on net only to have Lawson making the kick save. As the period wore on, the Sens would find the net as David Dziurzynski passed to an open Derek Grant and score his 2nd of the season with a nice wrister to beat Gibson glove side to take a 3-1 lead at 15:25. Later with the game on the line, Dizzy was in the box for slashing as Jim O’Brien found the puck mid ice and took it in to score his first of the season with an empty net shorthanded tally at .56.4 to make it the final 4-1 win. Shots in favor of Bingo 30-24.
NOTES
– B-Sens powerplay was much better. They were 0-4 for the game but puck control was there. As long as we get the effort then Sens fans should eventually see the results.
– Puempel had a strong game, kid is going to be good as the season progresses.
– Hoffman had 3 defensive turnovers with one resulting into a goal. That’s the only knock I have on Mike’s game, he at times makes ill-advised passes and I remember him doing it previous season’s as well.
– Grant looks almost NHL ready. Consistently good and playing with loads of confidence.
– That would be only Binghamton’s 13 victory in 44 tries at the Scope.
3 STARS OF THE GAME
#1 Petersson
#2 Rakell
#3 Zibanejad
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HIGHLIGHTS
Will edit in if/when available
Next Game: Friday Night in Syracuse