Binghamton Senators Earn Their Seventh Straight Slicing Syracuse 6-5 In OT

A B-Sens win is becoming a common thing as of late as they are finding ways of rolling over opponents. This time it’s the Syracuse Crunch as Chris Wideman‘s slap shot on the power play in the extra period stands as the game winner 6-5. Mike Hoffman chipped in four assists as the Senators would score five power play goals to lead the way. Syracuse hung in there as Andrew Hammond had a rough night in goal shaking off some rust. Binghamton has padded their East Division lead to three over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 4-2 losers tonight to Manchester in PA.

Syracuse Crunch in action against the Senators. Photo courtesy of Alicia Strauch.

GAME RECAP

Sens get on the board first as Da Costa’s turnaround shot beats Cedrick Desjardins for the early 1-0 lead. Senators continue to play well and have the edge but that quickly turns in favor of the Crunch when Brett Connolly shoves the puck and Hammond into the goal as Danny New failed to clear his man out of the crease. Over a minute later Geoff Walker slapper finds the net as Hammond was screened by Tyler Eckford in front. Bam bam just like that the Crunch take over the game leading 2-1.

Syracuse continues the momentum away from the Senators as Hammond looks real rusty out there tonight. Corey Cowick looks to finally put one in as there is a massive pile up in front of Desjardins as the ref signals a goal but the net was dislodged from its posts after video review. Mike Sdao looked to get shoved into the left post and off  it’s settings in house replays would show. Cowick just can’t catch a break this season.

Binghamton starts the second on a power play with Luke Witkowski receiving the interference call, however Joey Mormina shoots at the loose puck in the high slot and into the open net as Hammond was tied up with Evan Rankin. That goal is Mormina’s first of the season as the ‘Cuse fans are in celebration, 3-1 Syracuse. Shortly after, Jim O’Brien would have none of that and needles a perfectly placed shot by Desjardins’s stick side on the power play to cut the lead by one.

Two minutes later with the Senators on yet another power play Shane Prince fakes passing off the puck and elects to shoot instead faking out Desjardins himself for an easy tally to knot the game up at three. That would end Desjardins’s night and as he gets the yank in favor of Kristers Gudlevskis, last night’s winner in Toronto.

Mark Borowiecki has a couple of really rough shifts as he takes one off the ankle by Dana Tyrell and limps off the ice. Boro being Boro returns as he doesn’t miss a shift but then is on the receiving end of Cedric Paquette‘s check along the boards as the Captain is yet down again and slow to get up. Paquette’s night is also over as he gets the five minute boarding major which comes attached an automatic game misconduct.

The five minute power play ensues for the Senators that would result in two goals being scored to start the third. Wideman gets his fourth of the season a minute in shooting in on Gudlevskis from a nice feed by Cole Schneider from the goal line. 34 seconds later Da Costa scores the biscuit goal to make it a 5-3 Sens lead. The play would evolve around Stephane’s crafty stick work through the defense and in by Gudlevskis.

Then for a second consecutive night things get dicey as Connolly showcases why he belongs in the NHL with some real sweet stick work by the defense as he undresses Boro and barrels in on Hammond and scores to make it a 5-4 contest. Just a pretty play by Connolly. Later,Hammond gets in a pickle with traffic in front and Andrew is down on the ice but Sens clear it for the whistle as Luke calls a timeout for a tired team on the ice, including Andrew. No further damage occurs.

Mormina ties up the game with his second of the game by a simple dump on net that somehow gets by Hammond. The phantom goal fools everyone as replays don’t capture how the puck crosses the blue line from different angles. I know Andrew had no idea as it obviously had eyes for back of the cage but regardless, this game is tied up 5-5.

Then things get interesting at the end of the third as Rankin crashes into Hammond and gets the two minute goaltender interference to close out period as it’s the seventh power play of the night for Binghamton and it’ll carry into the overtime we are about to start.

The Crunch play shorthanded as the Sens would wind up getting the winning goal off of Wideman’s blast past a dejected  Gudlevskis for the game winner as the Senators race off the ice and into the jubilation of the locker room and to the home crowd’s cheers.

NOTES & OBSERVATIONS

• Borowiecki continues to demonstrate his toughness with delivering some solid checks tonight and getting banged up as well in the process. He’s also cut down on his penalty’s as of late. Good character guy showing why he’s wearing the ‘C’ on his shoulder.
• Not Hammond’s best night as he looked lacking confidence that endured all night long. Shaking some playing rust is one thing but he didn’t rise to the occasion when he should have.
• Five power play goals has to be close/set to a Senator record as I will look it up and edit in. Boys showed grit coming back form two goals down, then giving up a two goal lead, only to find a way in overtime to nail it down. Let’s see how this progresses into Sunday afternoon’s contest in Wilkes-Barre. Should be a beauty.

3 STARS OF THE GAME

• #1 Wideman (2g 1a)
• #2 Da Costa (2g)
• #3 Hoffman (4a)

—————

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME

Sunday Afternoon vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins