Binghamton Senators Fall Flat In Loss To Penguins

The Binghamton Senators didn’t play the role of spoilers very well as they lose 3-1 to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on home ice. The Pens kept it simple tonight exposing a defensive starved Senator team featuring the league’s best goaltender in 20-year-old rookie Matt Murray as he made 25 saves and nearly pulled off his 11 shutout of the season if it weren’t for a late third period tally by the Senators.

GAME RECAP

A pair of shots off the posts in the early going, one by Shane Prince the other from Buddy Robinson for the Senators, but it’s the Penguins that brush the twine first as Scott Wilson shoots from the circle and scores off of defenseman Fredrik Claesson’s skate, with WBS Captain Tom Kostopoulos standing in front, past a sprawled out Scott Greenham as he’s unable to reach for the puck in time at 3:13 into the opening period.

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Binghamton goes on a three on two rush but Pens goaltender Murray kick saves a wrister off the stick from Prince. Then WB/Scranton increases their lead to two getting a shorthanded tally on a breakaway by forward Jayson Megna as he switches from his forehand to his backhand and lifts it up high over Greenham’s blocker into the corner pocket for a 2-0 lead. Prince skating in circles around the perimeter and fails to get a shot off before the horn sounds with shots ending at eleven apiece in the opening period.

Greenham gets a blocker save on forward Tom Kuhnhackl as the Penguins are pushing at the beginning of the second period. On the other end of the ice, Senators’ defenseman Mike Sdao sends a wrist shot from his blue line that is gloved by Murray with bodies converging in front with some pushing and shoving. As a result, rookie Max McCormick drops the gloves with Adam Payerl and Payerl does a good job containing McCormick while landing a few rights.

Into the third period with the Senators trailing 2-0, Cole Schneider’s one timer knuckles towards the net with Murray making the glove save as the puck was rolling before the shot was taken. Claesson with a good break up on a Penguins odd man rush, but it doesn’t stop WB/Scranton from scoring a few plays later when Taylor Chorney shoots a wrist shot on net from near the high circle with Greenham getting a shoulder on it, but Carter Rowney is there near the blue paint putting in the rebound for a 3-0 game.

Senators finally get on the board as Claesson lets go a slapper that gets tipped by Murray from McCormick as he was drifting through the crease spoiling Murray’s bid for shutout #11. Binghamton pulls Greenham with a 1:08 left but little too late as the Senators fall flat by a score of 3-1. Shots end up 27-26 Penguins.

NOTES & OBSERVATIONS

Greenham played well with the 1st goal being a deflection, the 2nd on a breakaway with a real nice effort from Megna, and then the rebound put by him by Rowney as he ended up making 24 saves.
It was Pens grizzled veteran Andrew Ebbett‘s first game back from being sent down from Pittsburgh and he notch a pair of an assists as the ex-Senator continues to put a beat down against his former team.
Binghamton’s offense has gone quiet in the last two games scoring only twice resulting in losses.
Quick moving contest finished in 2:15 that only featured one altercation as when these two rivals meet you never know what type of game you’ll be getting, but tonight it was strictly business for the Penguins.
Carter Camper‘s 9 game point streak comes to an end as he was back in action after missing last Sunday’s match being banged up.
Prince had a nice game tonight as he hasn’t sulked since being sent back after only 2 games up top and keeps playing hard. After he failed to get a shot off at the end of the 1st, you can tell he was upset with himself after shooting the puck at the end boards afterwards.
I also thought Robinson stood out with his stable, yet effect way of killing penalties while he had several good scoring chances, but just couldn’t finish and pull the trigger.
The AHL’s leading goaltender Murray with the win, is 11-0-1 in his last 12, over the last 20 he has a 17-2-1 record while lowering his GAA to a sparkling 1.54 and a 0.942 SV%. That’s the type of numbers that will carry your team deep in the post season.

B-SENS LINES

Forwards – Prince-Camper-Schneider, Guptill-D Grant-Robinson, Kramer-McCormick-Mills, Thomspon-Dzingel-Hobbs

Defense – Claesson-Lepine, Johnson-Grant, Lepine/Sdao-Wideman

Out – Matt Tassone, Patrick Mullem and David Dziurzynski, injured. Danny New and Troy Rutkowski, healthy.

*Cover Pic & Inserts Courtesy of SenShot’s Photographer Alicia Strauch

UP NEXT

Senators return to action on Saturday when they take on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on home ice.

Next: Binghamton Senators Led By Shane Prince Face Penguins

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