Binghamton Senators Can’t Keep Up In Loss To Norfolk Admirals

Might as well call it a season as the Binghamton Senators fell behind early and couldn’t get back into it with their latest loss a 7-4 set back to the last place Norfolk Admirals. Senators’ starting goaltender Scott Greenham had one of those nights as he was pulled after two periods in letting in six goals on twenty shots.

GAME RECAP

Norfolk gets on the board at 16:16 in the first as forward Antoine Laganiere skates in from the half wall towards the net with the puck and slides it underneath Greenham’s five hole in the crease with Senators’ defenseman Troy Rutkowski chasing the play and puts his team up 1-0. Then just 42 seconds later, Binghamton would tie it as defenseman Chris Wideman slaps the puck on net from the point and Darren Kramer is in perfect position setting in the rebound past Admirals netminder Jason LaBarbera, as that would be Kramer’s fifth of the season.

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

Admirals go back in front on the power play with Shane Prince in the box for holding with Mike Sgarbossa cutting down the slot, he then deflects a pass by Max Friberg that eludes Greenham’s stick side for a 2-1 game. Greenham is far from being sharp tonight and is a victim once again when forward Dave Steckel snaps a knuckler on net that fools him some 30 feet out as he misplays the movement and is caught out of position as the Admirals increase their lead to 3-1. Shots in favor of the visiting team doubling up the Sens by a 16-8 margin.

Binghamton needs to get to work in the second period, however they fall deeper when Sgarbossa scores his second of the game with a beauty of a wrist shot from the circle beating Greenham glove side. Senators finally respond as forward Danny Hobbs plays a little pitch and catch with rookie Alex Guptill

and snaps it high into the back of the net by LaBarbera for now a 4-2 contest.

With the Senators on the man advantage, Cole Schneider pushes the puck across the goal line taking a Shane Prince pass as LaBarbera was lined up thinking he was going to shoot instead, and now we have ourselves a game. Whoops, spoke too soon. 41 seconds later Norfolk regains their two goal lead when rookie forward Ty Loney nets his first professional goal in his pro outing shooting from the circle beating Greenham far post. Ads in rout mode now and cash in on another with the second of the night by Laganiere, as he picks up the rebound and skates in a semi-circle in front backhanding the puck into the cage, 6-3.

Sens rookie goalie Chris Driedger is in net for relief at the start of the third period. Binghamton looks to mount a comeback and close the gap to two with Carter Camper getting his 15th while parked by LaBarbera’s corner and finds an opening after a cross ice pass from Prince for a 6-4 game. Both clubs on the feisty side after a few whistles forming several melee’s, but it’s the Admirals with the final dagger in this one when Friberg threads a pass to forward Charles Serault and one times the puck beating Driedger down low for the final nail in the coffin. Shots doesn’t matter. Giving up seven goals on home ice does.

NOTES & OBSERVATIONS

• With Greenham not sharp, the team just couldn’t regroup fast enough. Not sure why Driedger is not starting down the stretch as he stopped 7/8 in the third period.
• Sparse crowd. Hate weekday games, and apparently other fans do as well.
• Prince with 2 assists as he has career highs in goals and assists in his break out season for Binghamton. Sure hope Ottawa is serious about bring him back.
• Rutkowski getting ample amount of ice time as of late including on the special teams as he is earmarked to start in Binghamton next season with one more year left on his 3 year contract.
• Sens rookie forward Max McCormick had a quiet night as he’s always in the mix of things.
• 5 games left and it’ll be interesting to see how the exit interview’s go with contracts that are up.
• I still really really really miss Mark Stone.

B-SENS LINES

Forwards – Prince-Camper-Schneider, Dzingel-D Grant-Robinson, Kramer-McCormick-Mills,
Gutptill-Hobbs-Thompson

Defense – Claesson-Rutkowski, Johnson-Grant, Sdao-Wideman

Out – Matt Tassone, Patrick Mullen, Danny New and David Dziurzynski, injured. Guillaume Lépine and Alex Wideman, healthy.

UP NEXT

Albany Devils are in town this Friday kicking off two home games on the weekend for Binghamton.

*Cover Pic & Inserts Courtesy of SenShot’s Photographer Alicia Strauch