Binghamton Comes Up In Strong Fashion Winning 3-1 Over Amerks

The Senators made it an easy night for Andrew Hammond as the rookie netminder made 16 saves and earned his ninth win of the season, 3-1 over Rochester. Matt Hackett kept the Amerks in the contest as the Sens were the dominate team winning their fourth straight over Rochester and ninth out of the last ten overall against them. Binghamton extended their lead in the East to three as Syracuse wins down in W-B/Scranton tonight by a score of 4-2.

GAME RECAP

Senators go on an early power play as Colin Jacobs trips up Ludwig Karlsson. Hackett comes up with several big saves as Stephane Da Costa‘s shot is somehow stopped and Andre Petersson‘s shot from the rebound is also denied by Hackett. Binghamton is buzzing and controlling the tempo with fluid passing and strong skating.

Hackett stops a breakaway attempt as Mike Hoffman tries the five hole. Good puck movement by the Sens with Matt Puempel taking a slapper but Hackett is their with the blocker save. Hammond gets tested by Jacobs coming down the ice with Hoffman right behind him and makes the pad save. Later Hackett another key stop by Da Costa near the slot with Matt doing a good job keeping the high rolling Senators off the score sheet. They would dominate the period but we are scoreless. Shots for the first 11-4 Bingo.

Phil Varone gets Rochester on the board in the second period with his seventh of the season as his wrister beats Hammond glove side. Andrew merely flinched on the shot as it seemed to freeze the rookie net minder. Mark Borowiecki has a nice slide save to interrupt a 2-1 break by the Amerks. Then Boro with a big hit on Brandon MacLean but he appears cut near the mouth as Drew Bagnall wanted a piece of Mark as he skates off to the dressing room writing down his number in the process. Boro soon returns and takes his spot in the sin bin replacing Puempel.

Borowiecki’s penalty expires and he looks up Bagnall’s number as the two Captains have some unfinished business to attend and fight with Mark landing a big right that knocks down Bagnall. That seems to fire up the Senators the rest of the period and it’s all Binghamton playing in Rochester’s zone applying some heavy pressure.

Buddy Robinson finally bursts Hackett’s bubble as he picks up the loose puck off the rebound to tie up the game at one. That’s Robinson’s seventh of the season as the big winger made sure burying the puck into the empty net. All Sens as this game resembles pond hockey with puck possession by the B-Sens and zilch for the Amerks.

Near the end of the second Puempel scores his eleventh with a seemingly soft shot that rings in off of Hackett’s pad and into the net for the go ahead goal with 1.4 seconds left in the middle frame. Sens up 2-1 as Binghamton continues to excel in play as shots end up 11-6 B-Sens.

Senators go up the extra man on the power play to start the third as Jacobs hauls down Daniel New behind the net but don’t prevail. Sens playing good fore-checking as the two teams playing up and down hockey. Hammond has a big save on a shorthanded attempt by Colton Gillies and hangs onto the puck. Soon after Hoffman fights off the puck and comes down on Hackett on a breakaway but Hackett stands big shutting the door.

On the seventh power play of the night for the Sens Petersson scores his tenth of the season attempting a cross ice pass that hits two Amerk players and gets re-directed into the net by Hackett as he had no chance on the fluke goal. 3-1 game as Hackett is pulled for the extra attacker but the Senators hold on and win the contest. Shots are not even close as Binghamton out-shoots the Amerks 34-17 for their fourth straight victory over Rochester.

NOTES & OBSERVATIONS

• Amerks announcers praised the Sens style of game all night long. “Cycling, fast skating, everyone knows their role” were some of the things that stuck out for me in their broadcast. Nice to enjoy a visitors perspective of what’s going on in the game instead of playing the homer role like in Syracuse and Hershey.
• Andrew was good minimizing his rebounds as he looked more confident than in his Saturday night’s performance. Freddy Claesson continues his steady work and keeping it simple with same very sound positional play. The new line of  Prince, Wacey Hamilton and Robinson gelled well as Luke juggled up the third and fourth lines.
• Senators had seven power play opportunities and only cashing in on one with Petersson’s goal in the third.
• Rochester severely shorthanded as players are either hurt or up on re call as Hackett kept the game close for the Amerks. Senators kept surpassing the game and getting chances by keeping the puck in the Amerks zone for the majority of the game.
• Amerks remain winless against their opponents in the East Division.

3 STARS OF THE GAME

• #1 Robinson (1g)
• #2 Prince (1a)
• #3 Varone (1g)

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HIGHLIGHTS

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