PROVIDENCE, RI – Jacob MacDonald continued his point streak on Saturday night, but the Binghamton Devils fell to the Providence Bruins inside Dunkin’ Donuts Center, 4-2.
MacDonald scored once again on the power play to put the Devils ahead 1-0 just 40 seconds into the game. Viktor Loov fed MacDonald just inside the blue line and he ripped a slap shot over the right shoulder of goaltender Jordan Binnington for the one-goal lead. The goal was MacDonald’s ninth of the season and team-leading 20th point of the year from Loov and Nick Lappin.
Providence converted to tie the game after a giveaway by the Devils from behind the net. Zach Senyshyn scooped up the loose puck inside the right wing circle and immediately took a shot that beat goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to even the score, 1-1. Senyshyn’s goal was unassisted and his third of the year with just 4:36 left in the first period. The game was tied 1-1 after one period of play with the Bruins leading in shots, 15-11.
In the second period Providence took an early 2-1 lead off the stick of Jordan Szwarz in front of the net. Szwarz picked up the puck at the top of the crease and slid it around the left leg pad of Blackwood for his sixth of the year just 1:41 into the middle frame. Assists were credited to Colton Hargrove and Austin Czarnik.
Another power-play goal by the Devils tied the game at two in the second. MacDonald kept the puck in the zone and fed it down low for Bracken Kearns behind the net. Lappin went hard to the net and took Kearns’ pass and beat Binnington for his team-leading 12th goal of the year. The goal tied the game 2-2 and assists were given to MacDonald and Kearns. The game was tied heading into the final period with the Bruins leading in shots, 27-20.
Providence scored two goals in a span of 0:33 to take a 4-2 lead in the third period. Szwarz scored his second of the night and seventh of the year at 11:40 and then Rob O’Gara made it a two-goal lead at 12:13 with his first of the season. The Devils were unable to comeback in the end and Providence came away with the 4-2 victory. Blackwood stopped 33 of 37 in the loss and Binnington denied 25 of 27 for the win.
