As the NHL and NHLPA get set to take their bullshit to the courtroom, the AHL's Binghamton Senators got back in the win column last night.
Ben Bishop was strong in goal and Hugh Jessiman, Jakob Silfverberg and Patrick Wiercioch provided the offence as the Binghamton Senators cruised to a relatively comfortable 3-1 win over Wilkes Barre Scranton.
With the Friday night victory in the books, the BSens are now off until this coming Wednesday when they host the same Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins back in Binghamton.
Until then, another game recap from Mr. Rieber. Herrrrrrre's Donny!
B-Sens back on track with win at Wilkes-Barre
The Binghamton Senators traveled to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Friday night to take on the division rival Penguins at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.
Binghamton who had won nine straight, was coming off their second consecutive loss on Wednesday night, a 4-3 setback to the first place Syracuse Crunch.
Binghamton would turn things around Friday, getting single tallies from Hugh Jessiman, Jakob Silfverberg and Patrick Wiercioch and earn a much-needed 3-1 victory.
These teams came into Friday's East Division showdown tied in points with 28 and Binghamton holding a slight lead in percentage points. The win solidified their second place standing, boosting their point total to 30.
Ben Bishop started in goal for Binghamton and made 26 saves. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the B-Sens and gave Bishop his sixth straight victory between the pipes.
Brad Thiessen was the tough luck loser for Wilkes-Barre, making 26 saves of his own.
Tempers flared immediately, as David Dziurzynski and Alex Grant dropped the gloves 1:34 in. It was a pretty even battle, as both guys landed some shots, before running out of gas and tumbling to the ice.
The teams managed a total of three shots more than halfway through the game, with Binghamton getting two of them. It took a power play to get the B-Sens offense rolling, as the Pens’ Dominik Uher went to the box for hooking at the 7:25 left in the period.
Binghamton took advantage when Andre Benoit took a shot from the point that Brad Thiessen never saw, thanks to a screen. Hugh Jessiman was able to tip it home, to give Binghamton a 1-0 lead, with 5:51 left.
Binghamton had their chances later in the period as Mike Hoffman was denied by Thiessen twice within seconds. The first denial came on a great pass from Jakob Silfverberg and then again, on a great backhand chance.
Binghamton got another power play chance late in the period and Jessiman had a great opportunity for his second of the night, which Thiessen corralled. A slashing call against Binghamton’s Stephane Da Costa wiped out the final 10 seconds of the power play and gave Wilkes-Barre 1:18 of man-up time going into the second period.
Binghamton led the game 1-0 and led in shots, 10-6 at the end of the first period.
The Penguins were unsuccessful on that power play chance to start the second and after the teams traded man-up chances early in the period. Binghamton got their second consecutive chance, when Alex Grant got the gate for cross-checking at13:04.
Benoit started things again with a shot that bounced off Thiessen’s chest. Jakob Silfverberg was there to bang it home at 14:15 of the period. For Silfverberg, it was his eighth goal of the season to tie for club lead with Derek Grant. Benoit got his second assist of the night, with Mike Hoffman getting the other helper.
As the horn sounded, there was some pushing and shoving, resulting in Joey Mormina picking up a roughing call and Jessiman an unsportsmanlike conduct.
The B-Sens held a 25-16 lead in shots and a 2-0 lead on the scoreboard through 40 minutes.
The Penguins finally got on the board in the third period, with the teams combining for three calls in 65 seconds. It ended up being a 4-on-4 goal for the Pens’ as Trevor Smith finally solved Bishop, making it a 2-1 game, with 8:10 to go.
Meanwhile, Binghamton was held without a shot until 3:55 remained in the period. Wiercioch got that shot, but was stopped by Thiessen. On the ensuing faceoff, Wiercioch got the puck and this time, Thiessen couldn’t stop it, as it sailed in over his glove hand. Silfverberg got an assist, as did Da Costa.
Binghamton ended up getting credit for four shots on goal in the period and outshot the home team 29-27 when the clock read triple zeros.
