Binghamton Senators Pre-Game Edition: @ St. John’s IceCaps

The Binghamton Senators make their first trip to Canada’s oldest city at St. John’s this season as they take on the IceCaps for the first of back to back games in Newfoundland this weekend. The Senators look to break their two game losing streak at the expense of the IceCaps but that won’t come easy as they have won four straight contests. Nathan Lawson (15-6-0 2.68) will get the start as he is healthy and ready to go. Michael Hutchinson (10-4-1 2.40) will most likely get the call for St. John’s.

(33-17-1-3) 70 pts

/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter#sthash.eiDTkNPD.dpuf(8-4-0-0) 16 pts

First in East Division

VS.

(32-19-1-3) 68 pts

Second in Atlantic Division

Projected Lineup

Puempel-Da Costa-Stone

Prince-Pageau-Petersson

Schneider-Grant-Robinson

Cowick-O’Brien-Dziurzynski

Sdao-Claesson

Rutkowski-New

Blood-Wideman

Hammond / Lawson

 Scratches

Injured Reserve: Defenseman Mark Borowiecki, lower body.

Healthy: Forwards Darren Kramer and Wacey Hamilton, Defenseman Tyler Eckford.

Notes

St. John’s, fresh off hosting the AHL All Star Classic at Mile One Centre, will lose their team in 2016 as their parent, the Winnipeg Jets, is planning to move to Thunder Bay, Ont. to be closer to home as distance has been an issue. According to CEO Danny Williams, if a team doesn’t step up to the plate in relocating to Newfoundland, he’s prepared to purchase a team so the fans will have something to cheer for. My kind of guy.

Binghamton has nine players in double-digit goals as they continue to lead the league averaging 3.76 goals per game. With leading scorer Mike Hoffman up with Ottawa, that leaves the lead to Matt Puempel and his 20 goals as the rookie has a very quick shot that unloads with some power. Andre Petersson is having himself a very good season staying healthy and putting up numbers with 17 goals and 23 assists in 45 games.  He is in his final year of his contract and looks to play out the season in Binghamton as he hasn’t seen any action with Ottawa as of yet.

Andrew Hammond will serve as back up as Lawson will be getting his first start since Feb. 8th when he took himself out of that game after the first period with his team leading 3-1 over Hamilton, which the Sens would eventually lose  5-4 in overtime. Lawson has been battling a long flu that has plague the veteran goalie for almost two months and will be looking for win number 16 on the season.

Speaking of Hammond, good to see the rookie netminder playing in his first NHL game albeit in a mop up duty for Robin Lehner and the Ottawa Senators in their 6-1 loss to Detroit on Thursday. Andrew played 34:31 minutes stopping all 11 shots he saw. Good to see him get those minutes as to give himself a boost of confidence from the organization.

Players To Watch For

St. John’s: Forwards Kael Mouillierat (16g 30a 53gms) and Andrew Gordon (18g 22a 55gms), Defenseman Brenden Kichton (10g 32a 55gms).

Binghamton: Forwards Puempel (20g 11a 52gms), Mark Stone (13g 15a 25gms) and Defenseman Chris Wideman (7g 32a 52gms).

Season Results

Senators lost in a shootout 4-3 on Nov. 30th. After these two games the IceCaps return to Binghamton on March 28th to cap the four game series.

Playoff Picture 

• Current Percentage of Binghamton reaching the playoffs: 98.7%

• Overall position (out of 100%) : 7th in the league

• Won or loss after last game +/-:  –0.7 (L to Toronto).

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Article Pic

Cover photo courtesy of Alicia Strauch.