BUFFALO N.Y. – Chad Nehring recorded a goal and an assist but the Binghamton Senators fell to the Rochester Americans in preseason action, 4-3, from the HarborCenter in Buffalo, N.Y. on Thursday night.
Rochester took an early lead off a rebound in front of the net. After the original shot from the point was stopped by Binghamton goaltender Matt O’Connor, Jean Dupuy poked in the rebound for the 1-0 lead just 2:57 into that game. The assists were credited to Paul Geiger and Mac Bennett.
The Americans moved out to a two-goal lead after another rebound. Daniel Muzito-Bagenda received a long outlet pass down the right side of the ice and moved across the slot to fire a shot that Matt O’Connor denied. Muzito-Bagenda tracked down his own rebound and beat O’Connor for the 2-0 lead with 12:27 left in the opening period.
The first power play of the night for Rochester didn’t last long and they moved out to a 3-0 lead. Right off the faceoff, the puck slid to the front of Binghamton’s net and a crowd gathered to jam at the loose puck. William Carrier located the loose puck and slid it by the left side of O’Connor for the 3-0 advantage at 9:05 of the first period.
Binghamton began its comeback in the first period after going down by three goals. Francis Perron skated down the left wing side and played a shot using the screen of the defenseman. The puck was initially going to the right of Americans goaltender Jason Kasdorf, however, deflected back to his left and the B-Sens decreased Rochester’s lead to 3-1 at the 12:07 mark. Assists were credited to Kyle Flanagan and Chris Carlisle.
Patrick Sieloff and Chad Nehring teamed up on the B-Sens’ first power play chance of the night. Binghamton pulled the faceoff back to Sieloff just inside the point and he fired a slap shot to the front of the net. Chad Nehring moved in front and deflected the puck by Jason Kasdorf to pull the Senators within a goal at 16:47 of the first.
After no scoring in the second period, Binghamton struck while shorthanded in the third period to even the score courtesy of Buddy Robinson. While Vincent Arseneau sat in the box, Chad Nehring hit Buddy Robinson with a pass to spring him down the left side of the ice into the offensive zone. At the left wing circle, Robinson cut back to his right, flicked the puck over the blade of the defender, gloved it down to the ice, and fired a shot over the shoulder of Kasdorf to tie the game 3-3 with 11:02 left in the game. Nehring picked up his second point of the night with the only assist.
Rochester defenseman Paul Geiger scored the eventual game-winning goal with only 5:55 left in regulation on a feed from the right wing circle. While battling along the wall, Evan Rodrigues hit Geiger with a pass who sent a wrist shot by the blocker of Matt O’Connor to preserve a 4-3 win for the Americans. Binghamton outshot Rochester 42-20, holding the Americans to just four shots in the second period and six in the third.
Binghamton plays its preseason finale at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday, October 8, against Rochester at 7:05 p.m.
