WB/S Penguins Matt Murray Shuts Down Binghamton Senators 5-0

That worked out really well.

In what was Andrew Hammond‘s first game back since Dec 19th, he couldn’t shake the off rust in time as he let in three goals on the first four shots he faced, as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins cruised to a 5-0 shutout over their rivals the Binghamton Senators putting an end to their three game winning streak. Penguins goaltender Matt Murray finished with 30 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Pens increased their lead in the East to ten points over the Sens.

GAME RECAP

Penguins Nick Drazenovic gets the ball rolling scoring from a sharp angle into an open net as Hammond committed early in lunging outward down to the ice, as he had all day on that one. Primary assist goes to  Tom Kostopoulos as he made the cross ice pass to the open center. Then 2:35 later, Penguins go up by two with Conor Sheary redirecting a shot from blue-liner Taylor Chorney in between the hash marks with Drazenovic setting up a screen in front.

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As Hammond struggles the offense has looked good outpacing the Pens in every facet, except the score. Murray has been spot on as he gloves Matt Puempel’s shot in close. But don’t look now as Sahir Gill gets credited for putting the Penguins up by three, when actually it was Derek Grant‘s clearing attempt that landed into his own net. Luke Richardson then calls a timeout. Murray robs Ryan Dzingel’s snap shot from the slot and later has a breakaway only to have him miss the net feeling the pressure of a Pens defender on his back. Senators lead in shots 17-7 but not the score, losing 3-0.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is starting to run away as Matia Marcantuoni makes it a 4-0 game tapping home the rebound into the empty net as Hammond made the first save on Chorney’s slapper from the point. Defense was sleeping on that one. With Patrick Mullen in the box for tripping, Drazenovic scores his second of the evening as he shoots from the slot, unattended, past Hammond’s glove for the power play goal making it 5-0.

Nothing to report in the third period as both teams go through the motions with Hammond staying in net for his 10th loss of the season. To his credit he had some big saves in the final frame but the damage was already conceived. Shots ended up 30-28 Binghamton.

NOTES & OBSERVATIONS

• Darren Kramer got handled by Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond in a first period fight with him landing some right’s to Kramer’s head. Give it up to Darren as he doesn’t back down to anyone.
• Offense was skating all night putting pucks on Murray with Carter Camper‘s line the best. Just one goalie played better than the other as Senators defense just can’t quite get it right when Hammond is in net. It’s a problem that has existed since Day1 this season.
• Every single player for the Senators finished with a (-) mark to their name with the exception of two, Alex Grant and Chris Wideman.
• Mullen couldn’t control the puck well tonight with his losing it at certain occurrences.
• Lots of twitter involvement tonight with the #FreeGreenham movement in response to netminder Scott Greenham being sent down to the ECHL which I also covered here earlier today.
• Ottawa Senators need a defenseman for this weekend while Marc Methot makes his conditioning stint in Binghamton on Saturday. Announcement to be made after tonight’s game at some point. Leading contender’s seem to be Wideman and Fredrik Claesson.

PLAYER  SPOTLIGHT CARD

B-SENS LINES

Forwards – Puempel-D Grant-Dziurzunski Prince-Camper-Schneider Guptill-Dzingel-Mills Kramer-McCormick-Robinson

Defense – Claesson-Grant, Johnson-Mullen, New-Wideman

Out – Garrett Thompson and Mike Sdao, both healthy.

UP NEXT

The Syracuse Crunch are back for a 7:05pm face-off on Saturday.

Jeff Ulmer