With all the hype surrounding Todd Bertuzzi‘s second chance, the Binghamton Senators had themselves just about a perfect game as they posted a 5-0 shutout over their nemesis the Syracuse Crunch putting an in end to their five game losing streak. Binghamton got an early jump as they scored four goals in the first and never looked back with Andrew Hammond looking strong in net stopping all 18 Crunch shots he faced for his seventh win of the season.
GAME RECAP
Hammond flashes the leather early on Henri Ikonen’s wrist shot as the first period begins although with the Senators controlling play. At 14:40 Senators’ Darren Kramer gets his second of the season putting the puck through Andrei Vasilevskiy’s side after receiving a short pass from Chris Wideman as he was pinching in low from behind the cage. Tempers soon erupt between the two benches with players grabbing and clutching but out of it only two penalties are called. Then Matt Puempel scores his tenth lifting the puck up high from the circle past Vasilevskiy after receiving a long heads up pass from Wideman for a 2-0 lead.
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Eric Neilson and Guillaume Lepine drop the gloves at center ice after the ensuing faceoff with Lepine scoring some quick lefts knocking Neilson to his knees. All Sens as they increase the lead to three with a re-direct by Buddy Robinson in front off a shot by Ryan Dzingel. Right after Shane Prince gets into the scoring column with his 12th pushing the puck across the goal line after Carter Camper‘s shot by the side of the net for a power play goal ending the period with Binghamton in front 4-0. Shots end up 17-5 Sens.
Vasilevskiy with a big save on Puempel but he can’t stop a Max McCormick wrist shot short side for a 5-0 lead that ends Vasilevskiy’s night. Kristers Gudlevskis now in for relief for the Crunch. Hammond hasn’t been tested that often but otherwise is having himself a good game as he gloves a shot through traffic off the stick of Jean-Philippe Cote from the blue line. Another couple of fine saves preventing Syracuse forward Joel Vermin from potting one in. Lots of Crunch players just standing around as the Senators are playing their best hockey in a while.
Not much to report in the third as the damage is done with the two teams playing out the clock. Shots ended up favoring Binghamton 40-18 for the game.
NOTES & OBSERVATIONS
- Kramer’s night ended rather quickly in the first as he was jostling with Syracuse Captain Mike Angelidis and continued the altercation, therefore he received the game misconduct.
- Bertuzzi looked comfortable, his timing was off a bit but didn’t cause any problems as he was parked in front of the net on the attack, and had some decent back-checking while keeping his shifts short.
- Puempel played hard crashing the net and scored a beauty in the first as he needs to get hot putting some points up like he’s capable of.
- David Dziurzynski played in his 300th AHL game, all with the Senators.
- Defenseman Guillaume Lepine also made his season debut for the Senators after being called up and signed to a PTO from Evansville. He had an aggressive fight in the first and looked okay.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT CARD
B-SENS LINES
Forwards – Prince-Camper-Bertuzzi, Puempel-D Grant-Thompson, Guptill-Dzingel-Robinson, Kramer-McCormick-Dziurzynski
Defense – Johnson-Mullen, Claesson-Lepine, New-Wideman
Out – Alex Grant, Cole Schneider, Mike Sdao and Brad Mills all out with injuries. David Marshall and Shawn Szydlowski, healthy scratches.
UP NEXT
Binghamton travels down south on 81 for a meeting with Lehigh Vally Phantoms on Saturday in Allentown, PA.
*Cover Pic & Insert Courtesy of SenShot’s Photographer Alicia Strauch