Senators Even Series With Penguins In Game Two Overtime Win

Both games in the series have needed overtime to decide the winner. Photo credit: @ItsJacki.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins had a chance to put a stranglehold on the Binghamton Senators and put them on the brink of elimination tonight. Instead, they head back to Wilkes-Barre in a 1-1 tie after two games of the best-of-five series.

The Pens held the dreaded 3-1 lead late into the second period, and a late power play goal and an early 3rd period goal by the BSens sent the game to overtime. 

The Pens had several chances to win it in the overtime, but credit Andrew Hammond with several sprawling saves. Stephane Da Costa, who made it a 3-2 game late in the 2nd period, played hero tonight for the BSens. He kept a puck in at the blue line, skated to the faceoff dot and sniped one high to the short side to send the home crowd at Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena into a frenzy.

The best-of-five series now shifts to the Mohegan Sun Arena as the Pens will host the BSens in Game Three Wednesday night.

Through the first 21:58 of the contest, it looked like Penguins were well on their way to victory. They got on the board first 4:51 into the first period when Brian Dumoulin's point shot was tipped past Andrew Hammond by none other than Chuck Kobasew.

The BSens tied the game at 1-1 midway through the opening frame on a blast from the point by Chris Wideman, but the Penguins dominated play in the first period at even strength. 

The Pens continued to own the puck possession and loose puck battles and went ahead 2-1 after a turnover behind the BSens net led to a quick pass from Mike Carman behind the net out in the slot to a wide-open Tom Kostopoulos, who buried a one-timer to the top right corner to re-gain the lead for the Pens.

The Pens continued to out-work the BSens in the 2nd period and took a 3-1 lead early in the middle frame after a bit of a busted play. BSens netminder Andrew Hammond thought the puck was going to ring around the boards behind the net, but instead it popped back to Carman who quickly shot a puck into the open short side as Hammond was caught going the wrong way.

The real turning point of the game came with 4:47 left in the 2nd period when Zach Sill took a slashing minor. Up to that point the BSens weren't playing their style of game and playing the Penguins way - tight defensive hockey. The BSens scored on that power play to make it a 3-2 game heading into the third period.

The BSens came out flying in the third, tying the game 23 seconds in on an unassisted Mark Stone goal and really getting back to their "run and gun" style that got them to the playoffs.

The Penguins narrowly escaped regulation after several missed chances by the BSens in the third, but ultimately couldn't re-gain the dominance on the ice they had through the first 35:13.

ROSTER NOTES

Peter Mannino got the start in net, stopping 24 of 28 shots in the loss.

No changes on defense, but Mike Carman and Spencerr Machacek replaced Pierre-Luc Leblond and Nick Drazenovic up front.

Lines

Zlobin - Ebbett - Kobasew

Zolnierczyk - Rowney - Machacek

Payerl - Carman - Kostopoulos 

Uher - Sill - Farnham 

McNeill - Despres

Harrington - Mikkelson 

Dumoulin - Goers

WBS scratches: Eric Hartzell, Jeff Deslauriers (lower body), Philip Samuelsson (lower body), Nick D'Agostino, Harrison Ruopp, Nick Drazenovic (veteran scratch), Conor Sheary, Josh Archibald, Bryan Rust and Scott Wilson.