Amerks Squeeze By Binghamton Senators

Binghamton Senators played their first of two pre-season games on Thursday night and came up short by a score of 4-3 to the Rochester Americans at Harbor Center in Buffalo, NY. Senators’ goaltender Matt O’Connor was in net and took the loss, as the Amerks caught Binghamton flat footed in the opening ten minutes of the first period and rushed to a 3-0 advantage on just six shots.

The Sens slowly worked their way back into the contest when Francis Perron rifled a wrist shot from top of the circle past the Amerks’ goaltender as the puck bounced off a Rochester body in front.

Chad Nehring scored shortly after to make it a 3-2 game on his re-direct off the stick of Patrick Seiloff’s slapper from the point, and found its way through to the back of the net, as the Senators gain momentum and control play through the rest of the eventful first period.

Neither team lit the lamp in the middle frame, but Binghamton with a huge shot advantage after two periods, 27-14 as O’Connor was never really tested.

In the final period Buddy Robinson would tie it up on a beautiful play while on the PK. As he carried the puck across the neutral zone into the offense, Robinson would cut across in front and fire it upper corner for the shorthanded tally. That was one thing lacking from Robinson’s play last season, unable to finish off a shorthanded break. On this one tonight, he made sure of it.

However, the tie would be short lived as Rochester would score the go ahead goal with 5:55 left in the third period as the Rochester shot eludes O’Connor stick side. Binghamton would get one final push with 36 seconds left, as ex-Sens’ Cole Schneider was called for a penalty and O’Connor was pulled in favor for the extra attacker. After a timeout was called, the club managed just a single shot and went down in defeat despite out-shooting the Amerks 42-20.

POST GAME NOTES

• Lines were mixed, but for the most part 18/20/26, 19/16/10, 37/36/45 and 25/8/27. The defensive pairings were 11/28, 7/15, 6/23. I have a few names but am waiting for a player’s numbers list that I will edit in at some point as there was no game summary to be found.
• The game featured one fight as 37 beat the snot out of 26.
• 1st PP unit consisted of Ryan Rupert centering Gabriel Gagné and 19. Gagné btw, looked good and stood out. On the PK, 10/15 up front while 8 and 6 on the back-end.
• First 3 goals from Rochester all from goalmouth scrambles, as the D was standing around and O’C didn’t react in time.
• Vincent Dunn (#26) played with Gagné (#18) on the wing and Rupert (#20) in the center spot. That trio remained in tact the entire evening.
• #16 Nehring looked great, as well as #11 Macoy Erkamps although he pitched in on the offense on many occasions only to have a winger come out and cover.
• #6 Andreas Englund also looked pretty good on the blueline, and of course #28 Guy Lepine and his usual solid effort.
• #45 Zack Stortini wore the “A” as well as Schneider for the Amerks.
• Chris Driedger should be in net on Saturday when these same two teams meet once again. /

BOX SCORE

None

UPCOMING GAMES

These two teams will meet once again for a final tune-up in Binghamton on Saturday.