Defensive Breakdowns Key In Binghamton Senators Loss

For the third consecutive game, the Binghamton Senators get into a shooting match as both teams combined for 89 shots in which the Syracuse Crunch came up top with the 4-2 victory. Cole Schneider and Matt Puempel each scored their first of the season but some defensive breakdown’s and costly turnover’s spelled doom for the Senators in the end.

B-SENS LINES

Forwards – Puempel-Pageau-Robinson, Prince-Camper-Schneider, Kramer-D Grant-Dziurzynski, Guptill-McCormick-Thompson

Defense – Claesson-Mullen, Johnson-A Grant, Sdao-Wideman..Hammond in goal.

Out – Brad Mills, upper body. Ryan Dzingel, Daniel New healthy scratches.

GAME RECAP

Senators get off to a good start in the opening frame and pepper Kristers Gudlevskis often and score 3:90 into the game. Schneider was in perfect position parked in front as he tracks the rebound tapping the puck into the empty cage off a shot from Shane Prince. Chris Wideman gets the secondary assist and it’s 1-0 game. Fredrik Claesson gets called for holding to give the Crunch their first power play but Hammond is there to shut down the attack. Claesson returns to the ice and takes a shot to the back of the leg that stings the defenseman and after the whistle is blown he’s helped off to the dressing room for some treatment.

A pair of fights break out with the first one featuring Darren Kramer and Matthew Corrente with Kramer with the decision with some lefts landing to the head of Corrente. Soon after, Max McCormick tussles with Jean-Philippe Cote as the two are jockeying one another as McCormick wrestles Cote to the ice. Claesson returns to the ice and seems fine.

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Syracuse opens up the second with two quick goals 25 seconds apart. Jonathan Marchessault is credited with the first as a swarm of players were surrounding Hammond and the puck bounces in off a Senator or two to even up the game. The second goal saw Joel Vermin receiving a nice pass from Mike Blunden and in the slot he skates left and shoots right past a screened Hammond for a 2-1 Crunch lead. Luke Witkowski goes after Garrett Thompson after a whistle blows and tries to throw some punches but doesn’t connect. Mike Sdao takes exception on the play and wants a piece of Witkowski as he’s escorted to the box, and receives a 10-minute misconduct for his efforts.

As the dust settles, Witkowski receives an additional penalty for continuing altercation putting Binghamton on its first power play and Aaron Johnson makes quick work of it as his slapper from the point is redirected into the back of the net by Puempel for his first of the season. Tanner Richard and David Dziurzynski drop the gloves with Dizzy landing some rights as he overpowers the smaller Richard. Gudlevskis flashes the leather making several key saves keeping the game tied at two a piece to end the period.

Back and forth action taken place early in the third, but Syracuse pulls ahead after a bad turnover by Derek Grant in the Senators zone, as his centering pass is taken away by Vermin who finds Blunden streaking towards the net down the lane and gets it past Hammond for a 3-2 Crunch lead. 70 seconds later Corrente’s one timer from the blue line has Hammond beat with a Crunch player left standing right in front of him unattended to with a defensive breakdown between Johnson and Alex Grant on the play. A flurry of shots by the Senators towards the end of the period with Hammond pulled turns up blank as Syracuse celebrates their 4-2 victory.

NOTES & OBSERVATIONS

• I feel like this is last season again with the same results as the defense just doesn’t put it all together at times and fail to give any support for Hammond.
• Really bad play on Derek when he just gave it up in his own zone and he knew afterwards with his body language suggesting he’s got to be better then that.
• Five fights tonight with the that first period fight is the second against the Crunch for young Max. He fought Mike Angelidis in a preseason contest as he didn’t really throw any punches in this one but gets credited for the take down.
• Top prospect Jonathan Drouin had two assists on seven shots as he continues his two-week conditioning stint for the Crunch.
• Binghamton fans could be heard over the broadcast notably after the Senators second goal but end up disappointed for the night with an hour ride home for most.
• Sens have given up 125 shots in three games for an average of 41.66 per game, which is way too much.
• Dzingel sat with Schneider back in and had that pretty goal in the first while earning an assist on the second.

PLAYER’S  SPOTLIGHT CARD

UP NEXT

Binghamton travels to ‘The Rock’ for an unusual early season appearance as the Senators take on St. John’s IceCaps for the first of two back to back game’s featuring the first on Tuesday night.