B-Sens Win Their Fifth In A Row As They Roll Adirondack 4-2

Nathan Lawson continues to shine this season by making 48 saves for Binghamton while Stephane Da Costa and Jean-Gabriel Pageau would wind up getting some timely goals as the Senators go on to a 4-2 win over the Adirondack Phantoms at the Arena for their fifth win in a row and move into a first place tie with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the East Division. It wasn’t pretty, as the Senators seemed off their game at times as they struggled to find their legs early on, but Lawson kept them in it with an overall solid performance for his seventh win of the season. Cal Heeter makes 19 saves as the Sens finally get to the hot Adirondack goaltender by scoring more than one goal in three games played so far this season.

GAME RE-CAP

• 1st period
  

Sens and Phantoms start out listless as play is slow and nothing eventful is happening. Lawson blocks the door on Jason Akeson. Ben Blood draws a bad penalty as Phantoms go on the power play with Lawson coming up big. Akeson gets shoved into the net behind Lawson as the puck winds up going into Adirondack’s zone with David Dziurzynski chasing but Heeter comes out of his net to fend off the puck out of his territory. Phantoms playing could fore checking as they are clogging the lanes and playing good defense. Bingo turns up the pressure towards the end of the period as Heeter keeps the game scoreless by making saves on Da Costa and Pageau while Michael Sdao‘s shot missed the net. Otherwise an uneventful opening twenty minutes. Shots are in favor of Adirondack 13-7.

• 2nd period

Binghamton opens up the period with Pageau slipping a pass to Shane Prince as his shot goes off a defender’s stick out into the crowd. Senators get on the pp but can’t generate any scoring chances as they manage only one shot on Heeter. Bingo gets on the board as Andre Petersson returns from the injury list and rifles home a perfect laser from the left side circle beating Heeter high corner for a 1-0 lead. Phantoms would tie it up shortly after as Petr Straka and Rob Bordson work their way behind the net as Staka takes the pass from Bordson and slips it by Lawson. Nathan has some big saves as he is in the zone tonight. Cody Ceci would make an outstanding defensive play as the Phantoms are shorthanded and Akeson picks off a bad pass attempt by Cole Schneider at center ice to go in alone for a breakaway. However, Ceci races in behind Akeson and lifts his stick up and picks the puck away from a surprised Akeson. Best play of the night. Shots 15-6 Phantoms.

• 3rd period

After dual penalties are expired Matt Puempel has a hard slap shot stopped by Heeter. Phantoms would score as Kyle Flanagan slips the puck past a screened Lawson for a 2-1 lead as Nathan never saw it. On the ensuing power play, Da Costa would tie the game at two with his favorite one time blast from the upper left circle set up by Ceci as Heeter never saw the screamer go by him. The Sens have perfected that set up and Da Costa just lets it rip. Sdao gets things going as he lays a shoulder out on Akeson and into the boards and Tye McGinn steps up for his team-mate to challenge Sdao to a fight. McGinn gets some early shots in as he rips off Mike’s helmet but Sdao answers with some thundering lefts to McGinn’s noggin that brings him down to his knees to the delight of the crowd. Senators and Phantoms get whistled for numerous penalties as at one point each team had three players in the box. Lawson is steady and holds down the fort the rest of the way. Adirondack pulls Heeter and calls a TO only to have Pageau skipping a pass to Mark Stone for an open net tally to seal the win. Shots for the period leans to the visitors 22-10.

NOTES

– Bingo gave up 50 shots for the game and only managed 23 shots on Heeter. Akeson was all over the ice tonight but did not register a point. Adirondack played a solid defensive game and kept the Senators frustrated which lead to the chippy play in the third resulting in 46 penalty minutes between the two teams.

– Petersson, Pageau and Prince line were the best line out there tonight. Petersson makes that line complete and scored on a blazing wrister that Heeter had no chance on. Dziurzynski and Corey Cowick played better tonight but both are struggling getting on the score sheet this season although Cowick had an assist tonight. Mike Hoffman added an assist to continue his team leading in points.

– Hoffman was presented with the booster club’s Player of the Month award before the game. Da Costa received his AHL Player of the Week award as well.

– Sens really missed defenseman Chris Wideman on the first power play unit and it showed with Bingo ending up only one for seven on the pp. (Wideman returns for Saturday’s game vs. Rochester after serving his one game suspension.) The Phantoms were held scoreless on seven chances.

3 STARS OF THE GAME

• #1 Lawson (48 saves)
• #2 Da Costa (1g)
• #3 Pageau (1g 1a)

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