Scott Greenham Returns The Favor In 3-0 Shutout Over Penguins
By Jeff Ulmer
The Christmas break seems to be all what this team needed in putting an end, for now, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s dominance over the Binghamton Senators as of late with Scott Greenham making the difference tonight in a 3-0 shutout stopping all 31 shots. A pair of Ohio State rookies did all the scoring as the Senators also put an end to their four game losing streak in a feel good victory.
GAME RECAP
Penguins Jeff Zatkoff looks solid in the early stages stopping Carter Camper‘s shot with his glove in front and later Derek Grant. Senators more consistent with the puck and better possession while testing Zatkoff more often then the previous game. But he can’t stop everything as Max McCormick intercepts an erratic pass by defeseman Barry Goers and scoots in on Zatkoff switching the puck from his forehand to his backhand and scores on a nifty play giving Binghamton a 1-0 lead.
More from Belleville Senators
- Belleville Senators: What To Expect In 2023-24
- David Bell Officially Appointed as Belleville Head Coach
- What To Expect From Ottawa Senators’ Pending UFA’s
- BREAKING: Belleville Senators sign Ryan Bednard to PTO
- Belleville Senators acquire Graham McPhee
Soon after Greenham makes a remarkable save while on his back and somehow is able to bat away the puck on a shot by Jean-Sebastien Dea that had goal written all over it much to the delight of the big holiday crowd. Senators with some outstanding chances as they out shoot the Penguins 19-9.
In the second Conor Sheary picks Patrick Mullen’s pocket near the blue line and skates in on a breakaway as Greenham gets a leg in preventing a goal. Greenham having himself a solid game as well for the Senators. Ryan Dzingel’s cross ice pass to Alex Guptill is money but his wrister is blocked in front as Cole Schneider can’t get any wood on the rebound as the puck dribbles by in the crease.
Dzingel puts his team up by two with a sweet give and go play with Schneider and dekes Zatkoff on his doorstep for a 2-0 lead. Nice quick slap pass by Cole on the play as he quickly gave it right back to Ryan in the slot. Darren Kramer finds Garrett Thompson across center ice and he feeds it off to a streaking Dzingel near the offensive blue line and fires a wrist shot near side up high for his seventh of the year to up the lead to 3-0. Penguins pull Zatkoff with 1: 30 left to no avail as all Sens in this one.
NOTES & OBSERVATIONS
- Dzingel’s two goals and McCormick’s beauty in the first was just what this team needed in secondary scoring. McCormick with a heads up play intercepting a pass, and Dzingel driving the net in both of his. Kramer with two assists as well.
- Nice crowd. Good to see the team send them home with a win that seems to be forever ago.
- Mullen with a terrible clearing attempt on a penalty kill in the third as he sends it right up the middle from behind his net that nearly cost the team a goal. Also coughing up the puck leading to a breakaway on Greenham.
- Guptill returns to action after a lengthy session of scratches and got involved pretty well upping his physical game including a hard hit to Dominik Uher near center ice.
- Dzingel slots centering the third line as Camper moves up to second line centering Shane Prince and Schneider while D Grant and David Dziurzynski move from second line to first with Matt Puempel. Whatever. It worked. Keep it for Saturday’s tilt with Hershey.
- Binghamton continues to out shoot their opponents as of late with this one a 40-31 advantage.
- Zatkoff heading to Pittsburgh after the game as the parent club is back from their Christmas break.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT CARD
The rookie with the big toothy grin finished with two goals on four shots as his first was executed brilliantly between himself and Schneider on give and go that developed quickly with the return pass by Schneider as he skated in on Zatkoff and scored on a deke. The second was his drive to the net and letting go a lasar of a wrist shot short side in the third period that sealed the win. Kid had wheels on both plays and crafty stick-work that earned him with second star honors.. Forward. Binghamton Senators. #43 RYAN DZINGEL. A
B-SENS LINES
Forwards – Puempel-D Grant-Dziurzynski, Prince-Camper-Schneider, Thompson-Dzingel-Guptill, Kramer-McCormick-Robinson
Defense – Claesson-Grant, Johnson-Mullen, Sdao-Wideman
Out – Brad Mills (ill) and Daniel New.
UP NEXT
Hershey, PA is on the agenda for Saturday as the Senators take on the Bears for the second time in two weeks.
*Cover Pic & Insert Courtesy of SenShot’s Photographer Alicia Strauch