Goaltending the theme in tonight's recap as one was lousy and chased out early after giving up three goals on seven shots, the other was decent enough to preserve the victory as the Senators with some unlikely secondary point production, doubled up the Comets by a score of 6-3. In kicking off a 3/3 weekend the win was the team's fifth straight at home that put an end to a two game mini-slump with both losses coming on the road, as the club has now won six out of their last eight.

Binghamton (12-18-3-0) would get some breaks on the Comets (16-13-3-2) and stake an early 3-0 lead in the first period as netminder Richard Bachman didn't bring his A game with him tonight and was sent packing taking a seat behind the glass after only 14:14 of play. Cole Schneider and Buddy Robinson created a two on one shorthanded rush as Cole decides to take the shot and notched his 12th of the season and the team's seventh shorthanded tally.

Zack Stortini pounced on the rebound in front from a shot by Tobias Lindberg as the puck kicks right to him for his fifth of the season with Bachman flopping around trying to get to his feet in time. Then Sens defenseman Guillaume Lepine receives a cross ice pass deep in the zone from Eric O'Dell and his slapper from a nearly impossible angle finds a way into the back of the cage ending Bachman's night. Utica would however get one towards the end of the period with the puck glancing off of Michael Kostka's skate with Travis Ehrhardt receiving credit.

Ex-Senator Wacey Hamilton took advantage of a Binghamton turnover and wrists one home from between the hash marks beating Driedger as Luke Richardson calls a useful timeout to re-group as the scoreboard reads 3-2. It pays off as nervous fans breathe a sigh of relief when Ryan Penny scores off the rebound from a shot by Lepine past newly inserted goalie Joe Cannata as Penny was in the right place at the right time. Good read by him on the play.

Senators go on and score two more as Kyle Flanagan bats away his own rebound by Cannata in front with 22.6 seconds left in the middle frame. Then in the third Kostka with a Chris Wideman-esque toss from the blueline on the powerplay nets his second of the season putting the Sens up 6-2. Utica's John Kurtz would add one with another off of Kostka, this time his back being the culprit as Kurtz backhanded a shot from the goal line near the corner-boards with Driedger loosing sight of the puck.

A good effort from an unlikely pair as Lepine with second Star of the Game honors and Stortini with first star with Flanagan bringing up the rear. Let's hope this is the beginning of another win streak.

TONIGHT'S LINE-UP

Dzingel-O'Dell-Robinson

Lindberg-Paul-Schneider

Puempel-Flanagan-Greening

Penny-Dziurzynski-Stortini

Lepine-Kostka

Fraser-Carlisle

Sdao-Mullen

WHO'S OUT

Ben Harpur, Nick Tuzzolino and Matt O'Connor, injured. Troy Rutkowski, Travis Ewanyk, both healthy.

Scott Greenham back up

POST GAME NOTES

- David Dziurzynski returned from Ottawa and to make room Danny Hobbs was sent to Evansville. Also, Travis Ewanyk was a healthy scratch for the first time this season and Tobias Lindberg returned from an upper body injury. Dizzy finished with an assist on Penny's goal as Lindberg also with a helper on Storts goal in front.

- A rather quiet evening from Matt Puempel as he recorded a lone assist to extend his point streak to seven (5g, 5a). With Lindberg back he was bumped down to the third line as Richardson favors Lindberg with Nick Paul.

- Not the best effort by Driedger (9-7-1-0, 3.05 GAA 0.904 SV%) but certainly not the worst as he had some luck with and against him as he battled his way through it. Several of his saves were made too deep in the net highlighted with O'Dell making a nice stick save inches before the puck would cross the goal line swatting it away. And of course two bouncing off of Kostka didn't help matters. Needless to say it's a win!



- I would expect Scott Greenham with the nod on Saturday followed by Driedger on Sunday as Matt O'Connor is still out likely being a week away recouping from his knee injury.



- It's turning out the BSens signing of Penny and Flanagan are good ones as both scored a goal tonight and have seen some steady play as of late.

- Sens defenseman Mark Fraser got a break as he was rattled a bit and dropped the gloves with Kurtz late in the first and was on the receiving end of an extra two minutes for roughing that very well could've been ruled instead an instigator call that would've carried an extra 10 minute misconduct. The fight? A toss up with both exchanging blows before running out of gas.

BOX SCORE



UPCOMING GAMES

Senators in the middle of a 3/3 weekend as the Amerks make the trip to Bingo on Saturday and conclude with a road trip late Sunday afternoon in Allentown, PA.

*Cover Pic & Insert Courtesy of Alicia Strauch