Binghamton Senators On Losing End 4-2 To Hartford Wolf Pack
By Jeff Ulmer
A road weary Binghamton Senators couldn’t find a way to beat goaltender MacKenzie Skapski who made 45 saves and the rest of the Hartford Wolf Pack in losing 4-2 in capping three games in two and a half days. The Senators four game winning streak snapped but took four out of six points this weekend to stay in the hunt of the East Division.
GAME RECAP
Early power play for Hartford just 1:15 in as Buddy Robinson is in the box for tripping and the Wolf Pack score five seconds later by a blast from the point by Chris Bourque. Senators get it right back with Cole Schneider crashing the net as the puck bounces to him off a rebound shot by Alex Grant and in past Skapski to tie it up. Scott Greenham with a couple of nice saves on Dallas Jackson as he has been tested often in the first period.
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Fredrik Claesson gets caught pinching and Bourque comes racing along the wall into the offensive zone and finds Danny Kristo in the middle and his low wrister beats Greenham to regain the one goal lead 2-1. Claesson hustled back to the play but the damage was already done. Darren Kramer and Chad Nehring get chatty after the whistle blows and both drop the mitts and wrestle around with no punches thrown. Kristo later hits Patrick Mullen behind the net and gets a boarding call as the Senators close out the period buzzing with steady puck control on the power play but don’t find the back of the net.
Into the second Mullen fans on a clearing attempt allowing Nehring’s quick shot on Greenham as he steers it aside. Michael Kostka and Max McCormick exchange pleasantries as play is chippy to say the least. Then Hartford’s Jackson pokes in a pass from Nehring by Greenham as he was left unattended to make it a 3-1 game. Bourque shoots from the blue line and Kristo pounces on the rebound in front for his second of the game to increase the Wolf Pack’s lead to 4-1.
Claesson opens the third period shooting from his blue line and the puck gets redirected in by Skapski by Jean-Gabriel Pageau to cut the lead to two just 13 seconds in. Senators have momentum and are pressing but Skapski makes the difference the rest of the way as Hartford hangs on for the win.
NOTES & OBSERVATIONS
- Defense didn’t show up tonight with some bad decisions and blown coverages. Three in three’s are tough especially on the road.
- Senators had a five on three in the second go to waste as Skapski stood tall making some decent saves as the offense was moving the puck well.
- McCormick showed his fighting abilities and held his own with his fight with Kostka in the second.
- Greenham didn’t have his best outing as the team was flat but found their legs as the game wore on.
- Senators were 0 – 4 on the power play but out shot the Wolf Pack 47 – 35.
- Alex Guptill didn’t see any action all weekend as something is not right that might mean more than him not playing well.
PLAYER’S SPOTLIGHT CARD
B+. Schneider finished with a goal and assist as he has found his offensive game pick up. He finished with four shots and was involved crashing the net and working the puck on the power play.. Forward. Binghamton Senators. #15 COLE SCHNEIDER
B-SENS LINES
Forwards – Dziurzynski-Pageau-Schneider, Puempel-D Grant-Robinson, Thompson-Camper-Prince, Kramer-McCormick-Hobbs
Defense – Claesson-Grant, Johnson-Mullen, New-Wideman
Out – Brad Mills, Gm. #20 of 20 gm. AHL Suspension, Mike Sdao, Ryan Dzingel and Alex Guptill are healthy scratches.
UP NEXT
Lehigh Valley visits Binghamton for the second time as the two East Division teams wrestle for position on Friday.