The Binghamton Senators got some much-needed goaltender work as Scott Greenham made 47 saves in leading his team to a 4-1 win over the Norfolk Admirals ending their four game losing streak. Cole Schneider had two healthy assists and Patrick Mullen scored one and assisted on another to lead the club and keep them out of the basement in the division, for now.
GAME RECAP
Greenham with a high glove save on Norfolk’s Matt Bailey as we begin in a dimly lit, near empty Scope Arena. Although not dim enough for the Senators as they see the light first (Sorry, couldn’t resist) with defenseman Patrick Mullen crashing the net and pounces on the rebound from a kick save by goaltender Jason LaBarbera off a shot from Schneider way up near the blue line to give Binghamton a 1-0 lead.
Norfolk would tie it at with 5:32 left in the first as Shawn Szydlowski’s back door pass from the side of the cage finds Colby Robak in the slot as his first shot is blocked by Greenham but the puck bounces right back to him and his second attempt is in with him at Greenham’s doorstep. Binghamton badly getting out shot in the opening period by a 18-8 margin.
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Robak is whistled for tripping up Derek Grant just 0:17 seconds into the second period giving Binghamton their second power play of the night. However, Aaron Johnson gets tangled up with Max Friberg off the faceoff and is sent to the box for tripping killing the man advantage. LaBarbera with a terrific diving save on Fredrik Claesson as he had an open net to shoot to.
Senators regain the lead as Schneider’s go ahead saucer pass from the wall to a streaking Ryan Dzingel is money and he places the puck over LaBarbera’s right shoulder for a power play tally making it 2-1. Danny Hobbs has a clean shorthanded breakaway but rings it off the iron having LaBarbera beat stick side as the Senators with much better effort in the middle frame.
Darren Kramer and John Kurtz share pleasantries with a pretty good tilt with both scoring some punches in a lengthy fight to kick off the third. After Kramer’s major expires, he beats a Norfolk player to the puck along the side boards and his short pass to Max McCormick hits his skate but Max is able to work the puck free and snaps it past LaBarbera as it trickled through the five hole for McCormick’s seventh of the season.
Senators add an empty netter when Shane Prince unselfishly gives it up for Hobbs and buries it to put the game out of reach. Brad Mills hits Stefan Noesen near the end of the game and he then picks a fight with Mills and realizes his mistake as Mills hammers him pretty good, with Noesen wanting to vent his frustration over tonight’s loss.
NOTES & OBSERVATIONS
- McCormick was excellent in the faceoffs winning the majority of them with his spin move tying up his opponent and a pretty goal to boot.
- Carter Camper continues to impress with his smooth skating and reading the ice.
- Senators kill off a critical 5-3 early in the third period led by Claesson’s excellent defense as he was on the ice for the majority.
- Alex Guptill with a really dumb penalty in the second period with him receiving a unsportmanslike as he argued with one of the linesman over an off-sides call.
- Johnson with three penalties tonight as the Captain for this team needs to be smarter than that.
- Binghamton with more shorthanded scoring chances than Norfolk’s offense on the power play as they finished the game going 0-8 while the Senators were 1 for 5.
- Former Ottawa prospect Noesen was quite noticeable in only his 13th game of the season, as he’s been riddled with injuries through-out his short 2 year career.
B-SENS LINES
Forwards – Prince-Camper-Schneider, Dzingel-D Grant-Mills, Guptill-Hobbs-Thompson, Kramer-McCormick-Robinson
Defense – Claesson-Rutkowski, Johnson-Mullen, Lepine-Wideman
Out – Danny New, Matt Tassone, Mike Sdao, Alex Grant and David Dziurzynski, all injured.
UP NEXT
The two teams go right back at it on Friday for the very last time in Norfolk, Virginia.
*Cover Photo Courtesy of Jeff Ulmer