WBS Penguins End Five Game Skid

Brandon DeFazio was the hero for the Penguins tonight.

After going 0-2-0-3 in their last five games, the WBS Penguins are now 9-1-0-2 on the road for the season after defeating the defending champion Binghamton Senators 3-2 tonight in another tight game.

Paul Thompson, Niko Dimitrakos and Brian Gibbons all returned after being healthy scratches last night. Matt Rust and Ryan Schnell were scratched and Zach Sill was listed as having an upper body injury by Penguins beat writer Jonathan Bombulie. Scott Munroe got the start in net.

The Penguins took an early 1-0 lead 4:37 into the game after Philip Samuelsson's shot from the point was knocked in on a rebound by Bryan Lerg. Colin McDonald got the second assist and the Pens really came out ready to play early in the first.

David Dziurzynski tied the game with a nice individual effort and toe-drag move on Robert Bortuzzo less than three minutes later and the Senators controlled the pace in the middle of the period until they began a parade to the penalty box which gave the Pens 24 seconds of 5-on-3 hockey.

And the Penguins made no mistake about it and notched a power play goal, with McDonald getting his 5th of the season from Street and Dimitrakos with 6:21 left in the opening period. Overall, a quick pace for the first 20 minutes and a 2-1 lead for the Pens.

Good back and forth action but no goals in the second period. Alexandre Picard took a penalty near the end and the Senators would start the third with a power play.

The Pens killed off the power play to begin the period but Joey Mormina closed his hand on the puck in the crease and the Senators were awarded a penalty shot. Luckily, Nikita Filatov's breakaway was stopped by a nice save by Munroe.

Picard would take another penalty just 1:44 into the period and the Senators would tie the game at 2 with a power play goal from Josh Godfrey. The Senators came out flying in the 3rd period and surpassed their first period shot total (6) in about the first five minutes.

The Penguins weathered the storm in the third period and with 3:07 left Samuelsson took another good shot from the point and the puck found its way past Robin Lehner off of Brandon DeFazio's leg. The Penguins battled tonight and end the five game winless streak.