Utica Comets Enjoy Rare Home Win Over Listless B-Sens

Grady Whittenburg, voice of the Binghamton Senators, perhaps summarized Utica’s night best by stating “The stars are in alignment for the Comets”. How very true Grady, as those Comets win their second, yes second win at home in 12 tries this season and seventh win overall by a score of 5-2. The rare home victory was played against a team struggling to find their own ‘W’ as Binghamton suffers their sixth straight defeat. Cap that with the Penguins win over Hershey tonight and the Senators fall to second place in the East.

RECAP

Senators and Comets set to play as both teams have a feeling out first few minutes but it’s the Sens keeping the play for the better half of the period in Utica’s territory. But it’s the Comets getting on the board first by Colin Stuart‘s rebound past Andrew Hammond from a shot by Pascal Pelletier along the boards. Hammond made the initial save but the puck was there for the taking as Stuart was alone in front.

Sens would even things up on the power play as Stephane Da Costa‘s blast from his favorite spot was redirected off of Derek Grant and into the net past Joacim Eriksson. Scary moment when Chris Wideman‘s shot hit Mark Borowiecki as he went down in a heap of pain. The Captain quickly then got up and skated off the ice holding his wrist.

Second period under way as Boro is back and back big time as he scores his first goal of the season on a slapper just in from the blue line that beats Eriksson. Mark was given the puck by Corey Cowick and he made no doubt about it. However, the lead is short-lived when Cal O’Reilly ties it just 25 seconds later as he was untouched in the slot shooting in on Hammond from a nice pass from Nicklas Jensen.

Hammond then stops Pelletier’s breakaway attempt as the Sens defense is absent. Right on cue Comets take the lead as Darren Archibald scores  lifting it over Hammond’s shoulder for a power play goal. 3-2 Comets after two.

Third period begins with Utica scoring early, Stuart’s second of the game beating Hammond cleanly with a soft wrister to give the Comets a 4-2 lead. That goal winds up dictating the way the game would wind up as the Senators pack it in and coast the rest of the way. Hammond is left to dry as the Sens shut it down for the night. Stuart winds up with the hat trick beating Hammond glove side on a 3-2 break late in the period for a 5-2 Comets lead.

NOTES

• I’m seeing too many players not worrying about the team game and instead playing for themselves. The fire is not there and there is no passion on the ice. That’s what happens when you have a string of losses as nothing goes right. Was the effort there tonight? Yes, in the first period but the deflating point came with O’Reilly’s tieing goal in the second period right after Borowiecki gave the Senators the lead. It happens, as the team is in a funk.
• Sens out shoot the Comets 44-33 for the contest but the first period was 19-8 Sens.
• Not going to get any easier as Saturday’s game is in Hershey, and the Bears know how to beat the Sens winning the last three out of four meetings. Binghamton has a young team but now is the time to end this streak against a confident Hershey club.

3 STARS OF THE GAME

• #1 Stuart (3g)
• #2 Archibald (1g 1a)
• #3 Eriksson (42 saves)

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HIGHLIGHTS

N/A

NEXT GAME

Saturday Night vs. Hershey Bears