Chirps from Center Ice

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The Penguins looked better tonight, but let a 3-1 lead slip away only to lose 4-3 :30 in to the Binghamton Senators Wednesday evening at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

Six weeks ago, it’s a 3-1 lead that the Penguins protect but in the here and now, the Penguins really had no answer for the relentless attack set forth by the B-Sens after being down 3-1.

Jeff Deslauriers vs. Andrew Hammond

First Period: Corey Cowick put the B-Sens on the board very early on a shot that either screened Deslauriers or that defenseman Scott Harrington got a piece of and deflected or changed up the velocity of to put Binghamton on the board first.

Harry Zolnierczyk, fresh off of a healthy scratch Sunday vs. Hershey, tied the game for the Pens on a nice backdoor pass from Nick Drazenovic. Later, Pens would score a power play goal from a Drazenovic shot from the point off of a nice centering pass by Brian Gibbons.

Second Period: Brendan Mikkelson shot from the point on the power play finds its way in to put the Penguins ahead 3-1. This was the last of the offense for the Penguins as the B-sens really began to bring it. They get to within one when Matt Puempel blasts home a shot on a busted Wilkes-Barre D zone exit.

Third Period: Really a period dominated by the B-Sens, but the shot chart (an even 8 shots a piece in the third) doesn’t really paint the picture. Mark Stone flips in a shot in front of Deslauriers cage to finish a nice tic-tac-toe passing display by the visitors to tie the game at three all.

Binghamton was really looking for the kill shot. With 22.8 left in regulation, Spencer Machacek goes to the penalty box for high sticking to put the B-Sens on the power play. But before that….

Overtime: Point, firmly in hand for the Penguins, Chris Wideman whips home a wrist shot from the top of the circles to end it in favor of the East Division leaders :30 into overtime.

Three Stars: 3) Tom Kostpoulos (two assists, +1) 2) Nick Drazenovic (goal, two assists, +1) and 1) Chris Wideman (overtime game winner, -1)

Around the Division: They all watched us.

Standings: Binghamton 68 — Hershey 64 — Norfolk 62 — Penguins 62 — Syracuse 44

Conference: 1) MCH (75) 2) SPR (69) 3) BNG (68) 4) HER (64) 5) PRO (63) 6) NOR (62) 7) STJ (62) 8) WBS (62)

Wheeling Update: The Nailers beat Reading 4-1 in Reading tonight. Cody Sylvester had a goal and two assists, and was named first star of the game.

SendToNews Highlights: Are here.

The post mortem on this one will be a very good Binghamton team with a never-say-die attitude against a Penguins team in in a funk. The Penguins will dig their way out of this and should shape up to be fine.

No game Friday. Unless I can think of something worthwhile to write about, the next blog update will be the Saturday Gameday setup vs. Providence on Hall of Fame Night.

Let’s Go Pens!!!