Pageau Leads Binghamton Past Syracuse 4-2

Jean-Gabriel Pageau had 4 assists and Nathan Lawson made 37 saves for his 5th win as the Senators end Syracuse’s five game winning streak to crush the Crunch 4-2 at the Broome County Arena. Sens would also halt their two game skid as it was a night of pucks ringing off posts, an incredible stick save, and fiesty plays but in the end the Sens would capitalize on their chances the most and take the third game out of four meetings between the two division rivals.

GAME RE-CAP

• 1st period
  

Sens and Crunch both get early chances. Mike Hoffman clamoring down the left side rips it past Cedrick Desjardins for his 5th goal of the season and a 1-0 lead. The puck scurried in under Desjardins’s pads and had eyes for the net. On the powerplay Syracuse Cedric Paquette fed an open Evan Rankin in the slot to knot the game at 1 apiece. Wacey Hamilton did a poor job in covering Rankin as he beat Lawson cleanly. Sens pressing, good puck movement and Lawson coming up with some nice saves of his own. Back and forth action. Hoffman having a strong game so far. Corey Cowick took a dumb penalty by shooting the puck at Desjardins after the whistle. Yes, it was harmless but Syracuse players crowd and grab Cowick as he gets a 2 min penalty followed by a 10 minute misconduct. Shots are 15-11 Crunch.

• 2nd period

Sens pressure early and has been effective on the pp but Desjardins coming up with some nice saves as Sens can’t capitalize on the rebounds given up by him. Sens would soon cough up the puck in their own end only to have Lawson bailing them out. Lawson with the save of the year making an incredible stick save to save a goal by Nikita Nesterov open net shot from the left of the net.  Ludwig Karlsson skates off the ice and doesn’t return for the rest of the game. Hoffman with a meaty post shot that beat the Crunch goaltender. Shane Prince would score after pouncing on the rebound past Desjardins. Near the end of the period, Puempel scores after a nifty feed from Pageau behind the net to make it a 3-1 for his third of the season. Shots are 18-9 Bingo.

• 3rd period

Sens start the period by playing physical and taking the body out. In a break in the action, Crunch toughie Luke Witkowski starts chirping to the B-Sens bench and Michael Sdao takes it personal and nudges him to lead to a quick fight with Sdao taking him out. That would be the last for Michael as he receives 17 total minutes, 10 of it for the instigating minor as Bingo is now down a defenseman for the rest of the way. On the ensuing pp for Syracuse Joey Mormina hits the post from a blast at the blueline but Sens would eventually kill it. Then Cole Schneider picks up his own rebound to score to make it a 4-1 contest. All Sens as Pageau would skate it only to be denied by Desjardins as Syracuse is playing flat. Lawson gives up a juicy rebound that Nikita Kucherov pounced on and scores for his 11th of the season to cut the lead by two. Syracuse calls a timeout and pulls their goalie at 1:26 and send out the big guns for the 6-5 advantage but fail to score as the Sens hunker down to stop the Crunch. Crunch outshoots the Sens 39-37 for the game.

NOTES

– Lawson’s stick save was a thing of beauty in stopping Nesterov in the second. Even B-Sens radio guru Grady Whittenburg thought it was in as he called it a goal only to credit Lawson afterwards.

– Seems at times Syracuse’s tank was running low as they come off an emotional come from behind win over Rochester Friday night. They’re still a very dangerous team to deal with. Glad we won’t be seeing them for a while. Defensman Matt Taormina was scratched and listed day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

– Both Lawson and Desjardins made some good saves, however both can also thank the post on several occasions.

– D-man Chris Wideman has developed a wicked slapper that’s deadly accurate and the team is shooting more than ever to create chances. Buddy Robinson also displayed his powerful shot at times tonight as he really gets that big body of his into it.

– Puempel had another strong game. Pageau has assisted on all 5 Senator goals since being sent down last Thursday.

3 STARS OF THE GAME

• #1 Pageau (4a)
• #2 Lawson (37 saves)
• #3 Hoffman (1g 1a)

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HIGHLIGHTS

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 Friday Night @ Rochester Americans