Misery Finds Binghamton Senators Once Again
Sens suffer setback in 4-0 shutout to Rochester on DIFD night in Binghamton
Rack another one up in the loss column, as the season slowly slips away to abyss for the Binghamton Senators.
Rochester Americans put the Senators behind the eight ball with a record goal allowed at the start of a period and rolled from there en-route to a 4-0 shutout on DIFD night in Binghamton. Goaltender Chris Driedger (11-11-1-0, 3.08 GAA, 0.902 SV%) took the loss, the defense fell asleep, and the offensive opportunities were minuscule to say the least, as the team is missing some key components.
A large Saturday night crowd participated in wearing purple in honor of the festivities, as signs were hung and a few pregame ceremonies took place before the start of the contest between the two rivals. Class act all around.
Onto the game. After a grinding, physical setting took place in the opening frame by Binghamton, no goals were accounted for, as Amerks netminder Nathan Lieuwen faced only seven shots. But Rochester would prevail on the power play to start the second, with Cole Schneider in the box for roughing.
They began just eight seconds in the period that set a Senators new team record for fastest goal allowed on a sweet set play. Rochester forward Justin Bailey won the faceoff over Senators' Kyle Flanagan. William Carrier, along with Tim Schaller, both hustled to the net to form a triangle with Carrier parked on Driedger's right, Scaller in front. That forged a quickly executed tic-tac-toe formula that caught the Senators flat footed, with Bailey to Carrier to Scaller. Beautifully executed, as Driedger slid over to cover Carrier at the corner leaving his cage exposed for Scaller in front.
Rochester then made it 2-0 in the third, with Carrier getting squeezed along the wall, but forced over a pass to Bailey as his low wrist shot slid past Driedger cleanly. Hometown native Jerry D'Amigo scored his eighth of the season on a give and go play with Jason Akeson that saw him re-direct the puck in front with Senator rookie defenseman Ben Harpur draped over him.
The final tally resulted in Bailey grabbing a toss out in front by Sens defenseman Mark Fraser, and rifled it home through traffic by the corner of the cage that Driedger never saw sending the deflated Sens fans home with another loss to ponder about.
TONIGHT'S LINE-UP
Lindberg-O'Dell-Schneider
Penny-McCormick-Robinson
Carlisle-Flanagan-Greening
Dunn-Ewanyk-Stortini
Lepine-Kostka
Allen-Claesson
Fraser-Harpur
Chris Driedger
Matt O'Connor
WHO'S OUT
Matt Puempel, injured. Mike Sdao, Nick Tuzzolino, healthy.
POST GAME NOTES
- Player movements; Vincent Dunn wore a cage after taking a stick to the mouth in a previous game for the IceMen. Puempel resumed skating, but won't be available until possibly next week. Chris Carlisle played up front with the team short of players, as Ryan Dzingel and Nick Paul were called up earlier on Friday. David Dziurzynski is still out with an injury up in Ottawa.
- Speaking of Dzingel, with him collecting an assist for his first NHL point on Friday, he was missed on the power play as Tobias Lindberg took his place at the point. Binghamton tied another record with no penalties whistled, which itself is amazing.
- The game featured two fights, with Max McCormick and Justin Kea battled in a long one with Max landing some rights on Kea's jaw. The other saw Schneider (!!!) and Jean Dupuy drop the mitts that was otherwise a close draw. Don't ever recall if Schneider has ever engaged in the fisticuffs, but frustrations will do that when you are down.
BOX SCORE
UPCOMING GAMES
Senators complete the 3 in 3 weekend down in Hershey to take on the Bears in a early afternoon contest on Super Bowl Sunday. Then three road games follow next week beginning on Wednesday with the Phantoms.
*Cover Pic & Insert Courtesy of @AliciaS20