Max McCormick, Scotty Greenham Lead Binghamton Senators To 5-2 Win
By Jeff Ulmer
Binghamton Senators take advantage of scoring three unanswered goals in the third to best the Norfolk Admirals 5-2 in a battle for the basement series with the second being played out on Saturday. Rookie Max McCormick returns from injury scoring two goals and an assist while Scott Greenham turned aside 35 shots for his second win in as many starts. The Senators finished up with strong defense and good forechecking as they leaped up the standings to 3rd place in the East Division.
GAME RECAP
Up and down action from both teams to start, but it’s the Senators Patrick Mullen with a turnover right in front of Greenham in losing his balance and falling to the ice with the puck while feeling the pressure of Norfolk’s David Pacan. Pacan picks up the loose puck in the slot and slips one by Greenham’s stick side for his first of the season and an early 1-0 lead.
Senators get it back though as McCormick comes racing in from center ice towards the net and picks up Darren Kramer’s rebound shooting high on Igor Bobkov to tie it up with his first professional goal. Soon after with Shane Prince called for hooking to kill the power play by the Senators, Louis Leblanc accepts Charles Sarault’s pass and snaps it high on Greenham to restore the one goal lead making it 2-1.
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Prince gets a stick to the face as the Senators go on a power play to start the middle frame and with good puck movement as Bobkov gloves a bullet from Kramer. Greenham playing well stopping a barrage of shots as the Admirals amps it up with Antoine Laganiere and Leblanc in the forefront.
However, it’s the Senators that strike with suddenly some sloppy play by Norfolk when Danny New scoring his first of the season hitting the net far left side from the right circle past Bobkov to tie it up. Senators continue to turn up the heat as they control play with Bobkov making some big saves. David Dziurzynski and Nathan McIver bang bodies near center ice and looked to go before Dizzy skated away as McIver dropped his gloves, only to have to go and retrieve them.
Back and forth action returns to start the third as Greenham stops Kyle Palmieri, but on the other end Binghamton makes it count as Alex Guptill’s wrister from the top of the circle goes by Bobkov to break the tie. Chris Wideman takes a dumb penalty on the goal as he is assigned an unsportsmanlike to hand the Admirals a power play. No damage as a result from a solid penalty kill.
Senators push their lead to two by McCormick rushing into the zone from a pass by Alex Grant and wrists one high under the crossbar for his second of the night giving Binghamton a 4-2 lead. Pretty play and a beauty of a shot. Senators follow up with good defense and strong forechecking frustrating Norfolk. Cole Schneider and Dziurzynski are on the doorstep of Bobkov unattended but Schneider’s shot is high over the net. Soon after Guptill misses an open net, but with Bobkov pulled, Jean-Gabriel Pageau makes a no doubter from the far blue line and into the empty net for the 5-2 win.
NOTES & OBSERVATIONS
- McCormick with a beauty of a goal on his second. Wow. Kid played well scoring two and adding an assist for his first game back from injury that sidelined him for eight games, and earned the game’s first star.
- Mullen simply gift wrapped Norfolk’s first goal, but I got to add it appeared to be some real bad ice as players from both sides were taking a seat often.
- Danny Hobbs couldn’t pull the trigger on several occasions as he was sniffing in around the net all night.
- Andrew Hammond might be a little quicker on his skates, but he could take a page out of Greenham’s play book, as he was excellent in cutting his angles, better positional work and challenging the shooters whereas Hammond sits too deep in his net.
- Who does Luke Richardson play on Saturday? Give it to Scotty, no doubt about it.
- Norfolk has gone through five different goaltenders so far as I should back off on Hammond a bit and be lucky there’s no injuries.
PLAYER’S SPOTLIGHT CARD
Goaltender. Binghamton Senators. SCOTT GREENHAM. A. Greenham played solid all game stopping 35 shots with some big saves as the game wore on. In only his second start of the season, he really stepped up to the task on hand. The first goal was a gift by Patrick Mullen’s gaffe, and the second was just a good shot from Louis Leblanc beating Scotty cleanly. Other than that, he shuts the door the rest of the way. Good outing by the back-up netminder!
B-SENS LINES
Forwards – Puempel-Pageau-Robinson, Dziurzynski-D Grant-Schneider, Guptill-Camper-Prince, Kramer-McCormick-Hobbs
Defense – Claesson-Grant, Johnson-Mullen, New-Wideman
Out – Brad Mills, Gm. #10 of 20 gm. AHL Suspension. Mike Sdao, ill. Ryan Dzingel, healthy. Garrett Thompson, healthy.
UP NEXT
Binghamton plays Game II on Saturday at the Scope Arena and want to leave feeling good in returning on a long bus ride back to town with four points in their back pocket.