Senators Hand The Crunch Their Fifth Loss In A Row

The Senators win their first played Thanksgiving Eve game ever as they beat an injury riddled Syracuse Crunch team to their fifth loss in a row by a score of 5-1 at the Arena. Nathan Lawson played one period stopping all 12 shots before taking a puck into his neck area. He was then relieved by Andrew Hammond to start the second, as Andrew stopped 20 of 21 shots he faced in two periods of work before earning his fifth win in a row. Binghamton is now in sole possession of first place in the East by two points as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton also lost in Adirondack.

RECAP

First period begins and the Sens start out in control as Andre Petersson gets an early chance. Cole Schneider then gets hooked on a breakaway and is awarded the rare penalty shot but can’t convert as he tries to sneak it in under Riku Helenius‘s five hole. Shane Prince with a swift cross ice dish to Jim O’Brien but Helenius comes up with a beauty of a save. Lawson takes one in the neck area from a shot by Nikita Nesterov that was deflected and goes down. B-Sens trainer gives the once over and Lawson continues the period.

Defensman Mike Sdao would get the good guys in white on the scoreboard first as his throw in attempt hits Dmitry Korobov and gets deflected in. Sens would then go on a power play and possess the puck mostly in the Syracuse zone but can’t put one in. Prince recives a bad interference call at he end of the period for the Crunch’s only power play of the night. Crunch lead 12-11 in shots.

Into the second with the Senators leading 1-0 and the rookie back up Hammond would come in and relive Lawson as a precautionary measure. Crunch on the power play but Bingo continues to attack as they would get several shorthanded chances. Schneider and Fred Claesson get a break but are too bunched up as Claesson gets go a weak shot off in close.

Then a scary moment unfolds as Nesterov takes a blast off of Sdao’s stick to the head and goes down in a heap of pain. Blood is settled onto the ice as he is helped off by both team’s trainer’s into the B-Sens medical room. Just an awful play to watch as it was an unfortunate situation for Nesterov to be in.

Binghamton would regain the lead with Petersson’s sniper from the circle off of O’Brien’s pass between the legs of Artem Sergeev that beats Helenius for a 2-1 game. Shortly after, JOB would get a goal disallowed as Buddy Robinson would dislodge the net on the play before the disc crossed the goal line. Syracuse would cut the lead by one with Korobov’s shot from the blue line redirected in front by Geoff Walker for his first tally of the year.

Prince gets his fifth of the season as he scoots in along the boards and takes a shot that gets another redirect by Korobov and Helenius makes the initial save but the puck rolls up his shoulder and over into the net for a 3-1 Sens lead. The Crunch goaltender appears quite upset at himself as he didn’t have any luck on the play. Shots are in favor of  the Sens 12-9.

Play resumes in the third as both teams would get some early looks however Bingo would strike first and go up 4-1. Robinson’s up the middle pass to David Dziurzynski as he skates in zeroing on Helenius and shoots looking for his first marker of the season but again the puck rolls around the netminder’s body as Helenius crouches on his knees. In arrives Schneider’s stick and he gets the tap in on the loose puck for his sixth goal of the season.

Binghamton earns the crowd with a biscuit goal as Petersson would pounce on a rebound after some nifty puck work between Prince and O’Brien to wrap things up with a 5-1 lead. Syracuse goes through the motions the rest of the way out as the fans cheer their approval for the Senators ninth win out of their last ten outings. Shots in the period 14-12 Sens and the game 37-33 Bingo.

NOTES

• Newly elected B-Sens Captain Mike Hoffman was held scoreless as it was the Prince-O’Brien-Petersson show. Real solid effort as the team’s best line with excellent puck control and fluid passing’s as they cut through the Crunch defense with ease all night. As a result, all three are a clean sweep of the Stars of the Game awards.
• Syracuse looks like a shell of a team that once was rolling earlier this season. With all the call ups and injuries they are scratching for answers, and wins. Unknown what Nesterov’s  status is and will update when I know.
• Sens scored four unanswered goals as that appears the theme lately when the club is winning. They open up the floodgates and keep pouring the pressure on and the pucks keep finding the back of the net. Lawson watched the rest of the game in a hoody with pads on so not sure the extent of his injury but doesn’t appear too serious.
• Forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau was scratched as he suffered a lower body injury last weekend and is listed day-to-day.
• Happy Thanksgiving everyone and enjoy!

3 STARS OF THE GAME

• #1 Prince (1g 2a)
• #2 Petersson (2g)
• #3 O’Brien (2a)

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HIGHLIGHTS

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Friday Night vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton