Binghamton Senators Win 5-3 Behind Matt Puempel’s 3 Point Night
By Jeff Ulmer
The Binghamton Senators continue to roll over their opponent’s with the Adirondack Flames being the latest victim in a 5-3 win at the Arena. Matt Puempel scored twice and added an assist and starter Chris Driedger improved to 2-0-0 with 24 saves as the Senators won their fourth straight and seventh of their last nine.
GAME RECAP
Adirondack’s Patrick Sieloff gets his team on board first with a knuckler from the slot that handcuffs Driedger as Devin Setoguchi fed him from the boards for the 1-0 lead. Fredrik Claesson delivers a big hit near the benches on Emile Poirier and then shortly after scores his first goal of the season. His shot from the blue line caroms off the end boards to the front of the net and off of Patrick Sieloff who was parked in the crease with Brad Thiessen out of position. Purpose shot for sure. Matt Puempel makes it 2-1 Senators as he swoops in on Thiessen and swats the puck into the back of the net from the hash marks for his sixth of the season.
In the second period Dreidger with a sweet toe save on Tyler Wotherspoon and follows the play stopping his rebound. At the 7:40 mark Wotherspoon shoots towards the net from the side wall and the puck gets tipped in by Bryce Van Brabant with Aaron Johnson battling in front knocking Driedger down to the ice. The Senators battle back as Buddy Robinson takes a Derek Grant cross feed into the slot and dekes Thiessen going from his forehand to the backhand and lifts the puck high in the corner to regain the lead.
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With 23 seconds left in the second, Van Brabant scores again as he breaks into the zone from a lead pass by Wotherspoon and shoots a low wrist shot past Driedger to tie up the game. Most likely Driedger would want that one back as he was fooled on how quick the play developed. However with just three seconds left and the Flames’ Corey Potter in the box for interference, Puempel lets loose a blistering slapper from the top of the circle that nicked Nolan Yonkman‘s skate and in the cage past Thiessen for a power play tally as the Sens head into the locker room with a 4-3 lead.
To the third period when Bill Arnold strips Johnson loose and skates towards net but Dreidger with a nice poke check on Arnold negating a scoring opportunity. Robinson breaks towards the net and is hauled down and ends up colliding into Thiessen as the referee rewards Buddy with a penalty shot, but comes up short with Thiessen’s chest save. With 10:00 left in the third, Danny Hobbs scores his first of the season ripping home the rebound from Chris Wideman’s shot from the point to end the scoring as the Senators are victorious once again.
NOTES & OBSERVATIONS
- Turner Elson got involved with Ryan Dzingel at the end of the second period with Dzingel ending the quick fight knocking Elson down, as he heads to the dressing room with a fist pump for the rowdy home crowd’s cheers.
- Senators’ Johnson with some really bad turnovers tonight that could’ve cost them some goals.
- Hobbs in for Darren Kramer as he served his one game automatic suspension for instigating a fight within five minutes left in the game on Friday in Rochester.
- Speaking of Hobbs he was inserted over a healthy scratch Alex Guptill which points on how well Hobbs has played in the few games he has for Binghamton this season, or Guptill not doing enough.
- Driedger played well. Some issues but overall he looked like he’s fine positionally, quick on his feet and doesn’t panic. Most likely wants that third goal back but he needs some seasoning.
- Shane Prince didn’t register a point ending his eight game point streak as he was presented the hardware before the game for his Player of the Week honor.
- Defense really has tighten down the shot against total’s lately as they allowed only 27 tonight. Forwards are helping the cause as well with persistent forechecking. A far cry from earlier.
PLAYER’S SPOTLIGHT CARD
#9 MATT PUEMPEL. A+. Puempel had two goals and one assist in leading his team to victory. His first goal was pure determination as he fought the puck and ended up swatting into the net. His second was a thing of beauty with a quick slap shot that caught a skate and fooled Thiessen that gave the team the momentum heading to the locker room. He also had a team high five shots, a +1 and took Star of the Game honors.. Forward. Binghamton Senators
B-SENS LINES
Forwards – Dzingel-Pageau-Schneider, Puempel-D Grant-Robinson, Thompson-Camper-Prince, Hobbs-McCormick-Dziurzynski
Defense – Claesson-Grant, Johnson-Mullen, Sdao-Wideman
Out – Brad Mills, Gm. #19 of 20 gm. AHL Suspension, Darren Kramer, 1 game suspension, Danny New and Alex Guptill are healthy scratches.
UP NEXT
Senators are back on the road as they travel east through the night right after tonight’s game to Hartford for a 3:00 pm tilt in Connecticut on Sunday.
*Cover Pic & Insert Courtesy of SenShot’s Photographer Alicia Strauch