Binghamton Senators overcame a three goal deficit and went ahead late in the third but couldn’t hold on as Syracuse scores the game’s final two goals and wins in overtime 5-4. The Senators are lucky to get the point as they were flat in nearly two-thirds the way in spoiling goaltender Peter Mannino‘s debut. Entertaining game to say the least in another classic battle between the two rivals.
GAME RECAP
Just 2:40 in Syracuse jumps to a 1-0 lead when Cody Kunyk‘s pops home a loose puck over Mannino as Eric Neilson with the primary assist as his skating down the side boards and shot went off the post to Kunyk in front. Sens appear flat and go down by two when Marc Methot creates a turnover feeling the pressure behind the cage of Yanni Gourde and loses the puck, then Mike Blunden corals it and skates in front shooting through Mannino’s five hole for a power play tally. Senators are out shot 14-6 in what was not a very good first period.
Binghamton begins the second on their second power play but it’s over when Aaron Johnson hooks Gourde on a shorthanded breakaway. Where’s the penalty shot? The Crunch make it a 3-0 game by heads up play by Blunden as Jonathan Marchessault skates in the corner drawing two Senator’s defensemen (Fredrik Claesson and Alex Grant) and sees Blunden in front free in the shooting lane with a short pass as he slaps it in past Mannino.
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Senators finally get off the crapper when Brad Mills hustles in mid ice beating a Crunch defender as his shot is softly blocked by Kristers Gudlevskis but manages to work at pushing a pass from the corner to Max McCormick in near the blue paint and lifts it high for a shorthanded goal. Great effort by Mills. Claesson with a thunderous hip check in center ice as he knocks two players down much to the delight of the home fans. As the period winds down Syracuse’s Henri Ikonen trips Patrick Mullen in the corner that irks McCormick as Max goes after Henri in a fight with him scoring some hard rights. He picks up 17 PIM’s though and will miss the majority of the third with the instigator call that draws an automatic 10.
Binghamton’s Carter Camper appears to narrow the margin to one but after the review it’s a no goal with the replay showing the puck went post to post. Shane Prince was shaken up on the play being knocked into a post but would remain in the game. Time for a comeback. Soon after Cole Schneider gets one past Gudlevskis underneath him as this one counts. At 10:35 Matt Puempel tracks the rebound from Mills’ strike from the far circle. Then Camper skates in circles and releases the puck as it caromed off of two defender’s and in looping over Gudlevskis’ shoulder as he never saw it.
Just like that 4-3 Senators are ahead with four unanswered goals erasing a 3-0 Syracuse lead with 3:15 left in the third. With Gudlevskis pulled with 1:38 left, the Crunch tie it 18 seconds after as Blunden records a hatty snatching a loose puck in front past a fallen Mannino to deflate the comeback and sending it to overtime.
Marchessault caps the win at 6:48 in OT on a two on one and elects to shoot instead of passing beating Mannino’s glove side with a sweet wrist shot as he was dialed in for the game winner.
NOTES & OBSERVATIONS
- Senators power play was a disaster going 1 for 4 and lacked structure as Chris Wideman was sorely missed. On the other end, two shorthanded goals.
- Defense wasn’t there for the first two periods in aiding Mannino in his Senators debut with him ending up with 41 saves. Disappointing and frustrating as this team is hot and cold in streaks. At times they could beat anyone but in the end they end up beating themselves.
- Claesson with the hit of the year in the second as he hip checked Cody Kunyk into Kevin Lynch as he got a 2 for 1 sale.
- McCormick, Prince and Puempel stood out in this one. The D did not.
- Methot didn’t really amount to anything finishing with a -2 as the Crunch’s second goal was on him with the turnover and a missed hip check at some point.
- Crunch fans in attendance as the game was filled with rowdiness all night long including several altercations in the stands with people getting tossed out. Good times.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT CARD
B-SENS LINES
Forwards – Puempel-D Grant-Dziurzynski Prince-Camper-Schneider Guptill-Dzingel-Thompson Kramer-McCormick-Mills
Defense – Methot-Grant, Johnson-Mullen, Sdao-Claesson
Out – Buddy Robinson and Daniel New, both healthy.
UP NEXT
Binghamton’s next game is up in Portland on Wednesday to kick off three straight roadie’s as the next five out of six are away.
*Cover Pic & Insert Courtesy of SenShot’s Photographer Alicia Strauch