Cold As Ice - Penguins Shutout In Binghamton

Friday, December 26, 2014
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins were due for a game like tonight - a 3-0 loss to the Binghamton Senators - amidst the multitude of injuries/illnesses in the organization.

The Pens had been getting by with a less than ideal lineup for most of the month, but the lack of goal-scoring caught up with them tonight despite a strong effort in net by Jeff Zatkoff (37 saves - 40 shots).

Zatkoff kept the Penguins in the game through two periods, stopping 30 of the 31 shots he faced to that point, but a pair of nifty goals from Ryan Dzingel in the third period broke the game open and gave the BSens their first win in their last five games. It was also the first time the BSens defeated the Pens this season.

Max McCormick opened the scoring off a defensive zone turnover in the first period, and goaltender Scott Greenham picked up his first career AHL shutout with a 31-save performance.

The Penguins return home to host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Saturday night, while Binghamton travels to Hershey for a Saturday night face-off with the Bears.

The BSens came ready to play tonight, having the early jump in play. It wasn't until a defensive zone turnover by the Penguins defense late in the opening period that the game's first goal was tallied. 

Max McCormick stepped up on a puck at the blue line, skated two strides toward the slot and fired a shot past Zatkoff to put Binghamton ahead 1-0. McCormick's 4th of the season was unassisted.

From there, Zatkoff kept the Penguins within a goal through a second period in which the Penguins were out shot 13-5.

In the third period, the Pens put 17 shots in on Greenham but the BSens defense clamped down and got two insurance tallies from Dzingel to preserve the win.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

9:13: WBS - (PP) Bench minor (too many men)
14:40: BNG - McCormick (4) - unassisted
16:30: BNG - (PP) Claesson, minor (delay of game)
19:07: WBS - (PP) Leblond, minor (slashing)

2nd Period

7:54: WBS - Kostopoulos, major (fighting)
7:54: BNG - Mullen, major (fighting)
17:09: BNG - (PP) Johnson, minor (holding the stick)

3rd Period

0:46: BNG - (PP) A. Grant, minor (hooking)
6:11: WBS - (PP) Seymour, minor (slashing)
8:44: BNG - Dzingel (6) - Schneider, Kramer
8:54: WBS - (PP) Chorney, minor (hooking)
12:17: BNG - Dzingel (7) - Thompson, Kramer
15:28: BNG - (PP) Thompson, minor (delay of game)
18:24: BNG - Puempel, major (fighting)
18:24: WBS - Boak, major (fighting)

ROSTER NOTES

In a bit of a surprise, Jeff Zatkoff (37 saves - 40 shots) got the start in net tonight for the Penguins.


Reid McNeill did not take the warmups and the team said he is ill. Paul Cianfrini didn't take the warmups either, but with McNeill being held out, he suited up for the game.


Nick Drazenovic took warm ups but was also held out of tonight's game with an illness.


Lines for tonight's game were scrambled throughout. I'm not sure even head coach John Hynes knew his lines and defense pairings until just before game time.

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