Sens vs. Sound Tigers 2/11/05 Articles: B-Sens' winless streak continues
February 12, 2005

Posted by: Bob Howard
Credit: Scott Lauber of Press Connects.com

B-Sens' winless streak continues

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Press & Sun-Bulletin

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Of all the reasons behind the six-game winless streak the schizophrenic Binghamton Senators toted here, goaltending wasn't one of them. Billy Thompson and Ray Emery are playing well enough to win, only they haven't, for more than two weeks.

Thompson got no help toward that cause Friday night.

Despite bad-ly outshooting the struggling Bridgeport Sound Tigers and controlling most of the play, the Senators' once high-powered offense fell eerily quiet again in a 2-1 shootout loss that tied the franchise record winless streak at seven games (0-4-1-2).

"If you play like that most nights, you'll win," co-coach John Paddock said. "It's not a good loss, but you couldn't ask anymore than to outplay them and outshoot them. What can you do?"

Only score more goals. After torching opposing goalies last month, the Senators have eight goals in the last seven games. They've shot so many blanks that Anton Volchenkov's laser 85 seconds off the opening faceoff gave them their first lead in four February games.

It's a strange night when a team can lose and take over sole possession of first place. But these are strange times for the Senators who last month won a franchise-high nine straight games, but only by virtue of earning one point against the Sound Tigers and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton losing to Hershey, regained control of the top spot in the East Division.

"That's the silver lining, I guess," said Thompson, who made 22 saves overall and many of a high quality but was beaten in the shootout by Rob Collins and John Morlang. "But we definitely wanted that (second) point."

The Senators peppered goalie Wade Dubielewicz for 40 shots, including 16 in the third period and three in overtime, but couldn't solve him after Volchenkov's goal.

Thompson stopped the first 14 Sound Tigers shots, but his bid for the Senators' first shutout since his own whitewash of Rochester last March 10 was foiled when Collins beat him off a behind-the-net feed from Kevin Colley 2:33 into the third period.

"I felt good all game," Thompson said. "I saw the puck really well, and I was controlling rebounds. That's usually a good formula for a goalie."