The Binghamton Senators not only lost their composure in the third period, but the momentum and opportunity as they were defeated 4-3 in a shootout to St. John’s IceCaps on a snowy Wednesday Thanksgiving Eve affair.
GAME RECAP
Senators come out with a strong effort as St. John’s netminder Connor Hellebuyck collects a save from a shot by Cole Schneider. Then Hellebuyck denies Ryan Dzingel in what looked liked a sure thing on a short two on one with Derek Grant. Sens continue to press but are on the receiving end of the game’s first penalty from a slash by Jean-Gabriel Pageau on IceCap’s Carl Klingberg. St. John’s doesn’t form a real threat as Scott Greenham kick saves a drive from inside the blue line by Will O’Neill as the Senators do a good job in killing it off.
Shane Prince gets the home team on the books first with a nifty spin-o-rama pass from Garrett Thompson near the blue line wall to centerman Carter Camper, as he helps the puck along to Prince in the circle and he rips it home up top beating Hellebuyck for a 1-0 lead. Greenham not tested often but does produce a nice chest save on Julian Melchiori. Soon after a fight breaks out between Max McCormick and JC Lipon with McCormick holding his own as Lipon loses his jersey.
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St. John’s Chase Balisy lifts the puck and over missing an open net as the IceCaps are strong out of the gate beginning the second period. Although the tide begins to turn as just after a Senators power play, Prince shoots a high wrister by Hellebuyck’s glove after patiently skating around a falling Melchiori to give the Sens a 2-0 lead.
Senators then add some cushion to their lead with Greenham off the ice on a delayed penalty call, as Schneider whips a sharp cross ice pass to Chris Wideman along the boards and slap’s home the puck beating Hellebuyck’s short side. Then St. John’s looks to finally get on the scoreboard with a goal by Brandon MacLean as he slides it in under a sprawled out Greenham, but it’s waved off after a lengthy review as MacLean was in the crease to keep it a 3-0 game.
Third period isn’t a very pleasant one for Binghamton as St. John’s John Albert ropes the puck out of a goal mouth scramble and shoots high past Greenham as this one counts at 17:26. Senators get a bench minor call on the play as no apparent penalty was called on a player that knocked Greenham over seconds before the goal. That would really hurt as St. John’s scores again at 15:32 on the power play by Carl Klingberg’s sixth of the season.
With the IceCaps now buzzing, they strike again to tie up the game as Will O’Neill’s slap pass to an open Balisy parked by the side of the net beats Greenham easily as we are all tied up at three aside. Binghamton then uses their timeout to help settle things down as the determined IceCaps have all the momentum. Hellebuyck with some big saves the rest of the way in sending this one to overtime.
Overtime arrives with back and forth action by both clubs but Hellebuyck keeps his end of the bargain with some outstanding saves to keep his team in it. Greenham has some of his own as up and down the flow goes with three on three action featuring wide open scoring opportunities, with neither team cashing in.
Onto the shootout with St. John’s Kyle MacKinnon scoring the lone goal that took six rounds and 12 shooters to decide in sending the snow weary fans home with only one point to show.
NOTES & OBSERVATIONS
- Aaron Johnson had to pull an IceCap out of Sens goal and St. John’s scored right after, rattling both fans and players alike on the non-call as the Senators earned an unsportsmanlike call that set up the second goal from St. John’s.
- IceCaps’ play-by-play announcer called the fan’s in Binghamton ‘crazy’ after the non-call which I chuckled at, as I was unable to make the game due to snow but rather watched on AHL Live and the feed was up to date on the visitor’s end.
- Senators Fredrik Claesson and Scott Kosmachuk went at it as Claesson shoved him into Greenham just prior to the fight. Neither player landed anything as Kosmachuk fell on top of Claesson in behind the net.
- At least the team salvaged a point as they need all they can get in what appears to be another competitive season in the East division.
- Greenham with the start, stopped 29 of 32 giving Andrew Hammond some much-needed relief. He looked good for two periods and was lucky at times, but it all fell apart as the players in front of him did as well. Hope this loss doesn’t lead back to bad habits as for two periods it looked like the club was on their way to their third straight victory.
- Binghamton out-shot St. John’s 45 – 33 including 10 – 5 in OT.
PLAYER’S SPOTLIGHT CARD
B-SENS LINES
Forwards – Dzingel-Pageau-Schneider, Puempel-D Grant-Robinson, Thompson-Camper-Prince, Kramer-McCormick-Dziurzynski
Defense – Claesson-Grant, Johnson-Mullen, New-Wideman
Out – Brad Mills, Gm. #15 of 20 gm. AHL Suspension, Mike Sdao and Alex Guptill are healthy scratches.
UP NEXT
Senators continue their three out of four this week with a short bus ride up I81 North to rival Syracuse on Friday.
*Cover Pic Courtesy of SenShot’s Graphic Artist Matt Trayling