Senators Artcles: Defensive game plan eludes inconsistent B-Sens
March 18, 2005

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

Defensive game plan eludes inconsistent B-Sens

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Press & Sun-Bulletin

BINGHAMTON -- Before he blew the whistle that started practice Tuesday morning, Dave Cameron posed a two-part question to the Binghamton Senators.

"After the four games (last week), what was our most complete game?" the coach asked.

The consensus was Sunday's 6-2 thumping of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, in which the Senators, weary from their fourth road game in five nights, played a no-frills style that minimized the Penguins' scoring chances and capitalized on their mistakes.

Then, Cameron queried, "What game did we score the most goals in?"

Once again, the answer was Sunday's. Matter of fact, the Senators hadn't netted a six-pack since the 7-2 rout in Manchester on Feb. 19.

Cameron's point, once again, was that the Senators can be a defensively responsible team without compromising their high-scoring ways. He's been making that argument for the past five months, but too often, his players have preferred a wide-open, run-and-gun approach.

Problem is, even with a half-dozen 20-goal scorers in their lineup, the Senators aren't the AHL equivalent of the 1980s Edmonton Oilers. Even if they were, the game has changed since those free-wheeling days.

In this age of smothering neutral-zone traps and bloated goalie equipment, defense wins Cups -- Stanley, Calder or otherwise. Watching the Norfolk Admirals -- ridiculed as Snorfolk in some AHL precincts for their use of the trap -- might not be exciting, but the style preached by Coach of the Year candidate Trent Yawney is effective.

Clear Day, the AHL's deadline for teams to set their playoff rosters, is approaching at 3 p.m. Thursday, and Norfolk strengthened its already formidable defense Tuesday by taking out a loan on Bridgeport Sound Tigers defenseman Richard Seeley to replace injured Jim Vandermeer.

Cameron said the Senators probably won't alter their personnel before Thursday's deadline. Instead, he's hoping they'll change the way they play.

"We're quite comfortable that, if we play a certain style, we can go far in the playoffs," he said as the Senators prepared to host the Sound Tigers at 7:05 tonight. "If you go through that (locker) room, there's no doubt in my mind we know how to play. It's just a question of do we want to be mentally tough enough to do it."

Cameron isn't suggesting the Senators start trapping. But their play in the neutral zone must be tightened if they're going to reduce their 2.72 goals-against average, 17th-best in the 28-team AHL.

Asked to explain how the Senators could be so loose defensively Saturday night in Albany when they almost blew a 4-0 lead in a 5-3 victory and put forth such a complete effort Sunday in Wilkes-Barre, many players, including winger Denis Hamel, pointed to their heads.

"It's just mental," Hamel said. "Everybody contributes to playing a smarter game."

Cameron has been seeking that commitment for months. He worries the Senators have "created a bit of a monster" by developing a reputation around the league as a run-and-gun team that will take unnecessary gambles in order to generate offense.

"We let teams off the hook by cheating for offense," Cameron said for about the one-hundredth time. "I know defense wins in the playoffs, and playing good defense doesn't mean the offense suffers."

Sunday's game was proof of that.

SLAP SHOTS

Tickets to the Binghamton Hockey Hall of Fame dinner will remain on sale for $25 until the end of the second period tonight. Brad Jones and Don Biggs, 2005 inductees, will attend the dinner at 5 p.m. Saturday on the Arena's third floor.