Manchester Puts The Brakes On The Senators 5-1

Tonight was not a pretty sight.

This is when you know it’s not going to be your night. The Monarchs clearing attempt on a Senators power play takes a strange bounce off the end boards and into the hands of a Manchester player for the easy goal beating a Senators goalie anticipating the puck from behind his net.  That’s the way the night went as the Sens lose by a score of 5-1 when all said and done. This Binghamton team sure didn’t resemble a league top-tier club tonight but look to put it behind them as it was one of those games you just want to forget. However, one positive note, Binghamton doesn’t lose any ground in the East as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton also was on the receiving end of a loss, 2-1 to Norfolk at home.

GAME RE-CAP

The game begins in front of an empty home crowd and it’s the Monarchs off to the early lead and setting the tone when Brian O’Neill scores his 11th by shooting high on Nathan Lawson to make it a 1-0 game. Tyler Eckford failed to take the body on the play and gave room for O’Neill to create the play. Manchester continues to apply the early pressure as the Sens appear flat. Referee Jamie Koharski, no stranger to B-Sens fans, calls two penalties on the Sens to give the Monarchs a two-man advantage but the Sens are able to kill it.

Danny New‘s shot is blocked as Tanner Pearson picks up the loose puck and takes it down to the Sens zone and scores off a wrist shot that slips by Lawson’s glove putting the home team up by two. Senators not clicking and are flat. Sens turn to go on a five on three-man advantage as Koharski evens up the calls. A clearing shot by Pearson sails down into the Binghamton zone and takes an odd re-direct off the boards that has Linden Vey tapping it into the empty cage as Lawson was expecting the puck to arrive on his stick planted in back of the net. Give the boards an assist on the play as the period ends with Binghamton down 3-0. Shots are 14-5 in favor of Manchester.

Ben Blood gets the tripping call to start the second as the Monarchs go on their fourth power play of the evening. David Dziurzynski gets a shorthanded breakaway and loses an edge as Dizzy barrels in on Jean-Francois Berube taking the goalie out along with the net on the play. A fight breaks out between Darren Kramer and Andy Andreoff as they go at it exchanging some punches with neither player doing any serious damage. Later, Berube makes a couple of good saves on Jim O’Brien and soon after Mike Hoffman‘s one timer from the point.

Monarch’s march to a 4-0 lead by Chris Huxley‘s re-direct in front by Jordan Weal‘s shot from the point as Lawson was screened as well with traffic in front of the crease. Right after A.J. Gale lights up the lamp scoring from in-between the circles out front and nets his eighth of the season beating a frustrated Lawson making it a 5-0 contest. Lawson gets yanked with Andrew Hammond now in for relief. Senators compete level is seriously lacking as they have packed it in for the night. Sens out shoot the Monarch’s 14-8 but there was only a few quality chances.

One more period to go in this laugher and it’s the Sens again find themselves down a man to start a period with Andre Petersson this time off for holding. Senators were able to kill it and go on the man advantage themselves with Jordan Weal in the box for slashing. Binghamton sorta puts together something resembling some scoring chances but don’t cash in.

Kramer takes out Berube and tempers flare behind his net as Corey Cowick tries to help out his falling team-mate and is on the receiving end of a 10 minute misconduct as a result of the melee. Both teams now just playing out the clock to get this one over with but Dziurzynski spoils the shutout bid by Berube deflecting in a Buddy Robinson dish to score the Senators lone goal. Time to hit the showers and re-group for tomorrow’s game in Lewiston, Maine.

NOTES & OBSERVATIONS

• This game was reminiscent of the Utica game back in mid December with that one ending up 5-2 Comets. Scoresheet doesn’t back myself up but I clearly remember the team packing it in the third period.
• Lawson gets so into his zone and that third goal was all it took to throw his game off in the second period. The fifth Monarchs goal should have been stopped as Nathan seemed to have given up on the play. Goalies are often quirky and sometimes you just have one of those nights.
• Senators out shot Manchester 28-27 but the game was already decided as Hammond faced seven shots since the mid way point of the second when he relieved Lawson.
• Berube Star of the Game honors. How? This contest was more lopsided than what transpired on paper but whatever I guess, sure why not as the shutout was his for the taking.

3 STARS OF THE GAME

• #1  Berube (27 saves)
• #2 O’Neill (1g 1a)
• #3 Pearson (1g 1a)

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HIGHLIGHTS

N/A

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*Article photo courtesy of Jeff Ulmer.