B-Sens Hands Pens Their First Loss Of The Season 4-3 in S.O.

Binghamton played strong at times and had some lady luck on their side, including killing a crucial 5 on 3 in the 3rd as they battled Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to a 4-3 SO win at the Broome County Arena. The previous unbeaten Pens had their first loss of the season handed to them and it never felt better to the fans who witnessed last season’s collapse in the playoffs to the same Pens team. It again wasn’t pretty, as they give up a another game with a 2 goal lead in the 3rd, but the special teams would come through and play a major role in tonight’s contest scoring 2 power play goals and killing off two 5 on 3’s including that timely one late in the game.

GAME RE-CAP

• 1st Period
  

Sens and Pens play a tight opening minutes game as the two teams get acquainted with one another for the first time this season. Bingo gets on the board first with a pp goal by Stephane Da Costa‘s favorite spot, a one timer slapper from the top of the left circle at 13:44 that Pens goalie Jeff Deslauriers never saw. The Sens prove they’re number 1 in the league on the pp as they come right back with yet another goal with the man advantage by a beauty of a shot by Matt Puempel from a Cody Ceci pass at 14:02 to take a 2-0 lead as Pens are playing on the back of their heels and Deslauriers hasn’t been very sharp. Shots are 8-7 Sens.

• 2nd Period
  

Pens get rolling as they start to play more soundly as Tom Kuhnhackl would get the Pens 1st goal of the night on the pp at 1:50 with Michael Sdao in the box for roughing. A pretty set play with blueliner Brendan Mikkelson feeding Brian Gibbons down low to Kuhnhackl in the slot for a quick right upper corner wrister 10 feet out that Nathan Lawson had no chance on. Cole Schneider stole a pass at center ice to come down the ice one on one with Deslauriers to beat him 5 hole with a backhander for his 2nd shorthanded goal in as many games to lead the Sens 3-1 at 15:24. Senators would catch a break as it looked liked the Pens would score right after only to have it waived off by the referee after consulting with one of the linesman. Contact with Lawson was the call. Shots are 12-5 Pens in the period.

• 3rd Period
  

Senators are flat for the most part and the Pens take advantage and gain momentum by scoring on an ill-advised puck mishandling play behind the net by Lawson as Dominik Uher created pressure putting Nathan out of position and as a result Nick Zolnierczyk scores in an open net at 1:53. Lawson looks shaky as the B-Sens were real lucky as Penguins created chance after chance and just couldn’t connect. They finally come through at 5:45 as Adam Payerl‘s shot from the crease trickled in off of Lawson to tie things up at 3 a piece. Pens have a 5 on 3 advantage, but the Senators come through and kill it with the game on the line. Outstanding job by David Dziurzynski, Mark Borowiecki and Frederik Claesson to get the job done to the crowd’s delight. Lawson  comes up big later with the Pens shorthanded and a streaking Gibbons coming down on a breakaway only to have Nate make the kick save. Sens were out shot 15-7.

• OverTime

Pens carried the 3rd period momentum to the overtime as the Sens found themselves playing sloppy by too many giveaways. Shots for the game are in favor of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 36-22.

•  ShootOut

Penguins send Kuhnhackl, Paul Thompson, Nick Drazenovic and Andrew Ebbett and Lawson making the saves on all four.

Senators send Da Costa (scores), Schneider, Mike Hoffman and Puempel (scores).

NOTES

– Pens are a strong team and even though it took them a while to get their legs going as they had an ample amount of chances to win the game. Lawson was solid for the most part but had a sloppy 3rd. He looked good in the shootout though.

– In the 2nd, Sdao apparently leveled out pest Bobby Farnham with a cross check near center ice only to be called for a 5 minute major that carries an automatic game misconduct to end Sdao’s night. Luke Richardson would go on to say Sdao’s penalty was nonsense as Farnham did what he normal does in taking a dive. That left the Senators with 5 defensemen for the rest of the game.

– Boro received his league leading 10th minor penalty in the 1st. However, he had some great blocks on that 5-3 pp for the Pens.

– Small crowd tonight as high school football playoffs normally rule around this time of year.

3 STARS OF THE GAME

• #1 Da Costa (1g 1 so g)
• #2 Schneider (1g)
• #3 Kuhnhackl (1g)

—————

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME

Saturday Night @ Home vs. Adirondack Phantoms