Binghamton Senators Give Up Late Fluke Goal In 3-2 Setback To Norfolk

This game had all the trimmings of a win, with out-shooting, out-playing and out-scoring with a 2-1 lead part way in the third period, the Binghamton Senators found a way to let it fall apart in suffering a 3-2 loss to Norfolk Admirals. This one hurts as Norfolk got a break with the winning goal as it rolled into the back of the net off of starter Andrew Hammond, who otherwise had a good game.

GAME RECAP

Just over two minutes in Norfolk’s Nathan McIver hooks Carter Camper near the net to give the Senators their first power play. Excellent puck movement and six shots are taken but Yann Danis comes up big with not allowing a goal. Hammond kick saves a slapper from Nic Kerdiles with Kyle Palmieri creating a screen in front. With Cole Schneider in the box for tripping, Kerdiles redirects a slap shot from Louis Leblanc in past Hammond for a 1-0 lead.

Darren Kramer can’t pull the trigger from a backdoor feed from Danny Hobbs as he had an open net to shoot on. Then the Senators get a goal from Matt Puempel only to have it waved off claiming high stick as the referee was on top of it with the call. On the other end of the ice, the Admirals also get an apparent goal waved off as Palmieri made contact with Hammond in the crease. Hammond stops a two on one as the first comes to a close with Fredrik Claesson back as he ‘s looked good so far.

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Aaron Johnson on the receiving end of a tripping infraction just 29 seconds into the second period, but Senators swarming penalty kill follows through and denies a Norfolk shot. Right after that kill, Alex Guptill battles for the puck by the side wall and pitches it to an open Shane Prince, who sneaks in behind the defense, and carries it laying one high to Denis’ stick side forging a 1-1 tie. That’s Prince’s fourth of the season as that was a real alert play by Guptill.

Senators get the go ahead goal off the stick of Alex Grant as he was parked in the circle receiving a heads up pass from David Dziurzynski who was behind the net. The puck found an opening through traffic with Grant’s second of the season, 2-1 Binghamton. They’re pushing the pedal to the metal and develop a three on one but the puck fades by Puempel’s stick as there wasn’t a lot of time or space on the broken play. Senators poured 16 shots in the middle frame and score two heading for the third.

Binghamton starts out the third where they left off the second in control. Although the wheels soon start to fall off the wagon. Off a faceoff win by Dave Steckel, Brendan Bell‘s long slap shot goes through traffic and past Hammond to tie up the game. Then with 7:37 left, Steckel is allowed a shot from his blue line but is off target and lands to the side of Hammond. Leblanc takes a loose swing at it and hits the post, then ricochets off of Hammond as he is on his belly doing whatever he is doing flopping around, and into the net. Fluke goal, yes, but it stands to be the winner.

NOTES & OBSERVATIONS

• Hammond played well, for two periods. As usual, there’s always that soft one he lets in as the winning goal should’ve been prevented if he wasn’t spinning around while down on the ice, as he knocked it in. Unbelievable.
• Chris Wideman had a quiet weekend earning zero points but did his part on the offense, just didn’t get rewarded for it.
• Schneider has been missing the net often as his shots just aren’t hitting their target. Happened in last night’s game as well as he’s quite possibly gripping the stick to tight trying to score.
• Senators might have gotten away with that goal waved off in the first as Patrick Mullen appeared to be the culprit in knocking into Hammond, not Palmieri.
• Finished up with a 39-34 shot advantage as they should have won this one, but let it slip through their fingers instead. Effort was there, just got some bad bounces near the end.

PLAYER’S  SPOTLIGHT CARD

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. #11 of 20 gm. AHL Suspension. Mike Sdao, ill. Ryan Dzingel, healthy. Garrett Thompson, healthy.

UP NEXT

Binghamton has two home games next weekend with the Manchester Monarchs visiting on Friday, and Albany Devils on Saturday.