Senators Artcles: Facing off for first; B-Sens can take East Division lead by beating Philly
March 30, 2005

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

Facing off for first

B-Sens can take East Division lead by beating Philly

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Press & Sun-Bulletin

BINGHAMTON -- It was among their primary objectives when the season started in October, and it was reinforced in the wee hours of Monday morning when they stepped off the bus bleary-eyed and weary from an eight-hour trek home from Norfolk, Va.

Making the playoffs isn't enough for the Binghamton Senators.

They want to win the East Division.

"We want first place," center Pat Kavanagh said Tuesday morning after the Senators practiced in the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. "First place guarantees home-ice (advantage) for the first two rounds (of the Calder Cup playoffs). That's what we want."

The Senators can take a step toward obtaining it tonight when they host the division-leading Philadelphia Phantoms, who have played one fewer game than the Senators and lead them by one point. It's the final time the teams meet, and there are 19 days left in the season.

With 10 games remaining, the Senators have an 11-point lead over the Hershey Bears for the last East Division playoff spot. Barring a spectacular collapse, they'll qualify for the AHL's postseason tournament. At this point, that appears to be a formality.

Less clear is where they'll finish and who they'll play in the opening round. Three points separate Philadelphia from third-place Norfolk with the Senators in the middle. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton holds the final playoff berth, three points behind Norfolk and six ahead of Hershey.

The top two teams receive home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven first-round series, but the first-place team is guaranteed to have that benefit in the second round, too. If the Senators win the division, it's also less likely they'll have to travel back to Norfolk, at least not in the first round.

Get the idea?

"You always want to secure home-ice for as long as you can in the playoffs," center Jason Spezza said. "We all have to be willing to come out and work hard for the next 10 games to put ourselves in the best position possible."

For the Senators, the gauntlet was thrown down 11 nights ago when winger Denis Hamel's rising shot sailed over Phantoms goalie Antero Niittymaki's glove in overtime to complete a come-from-behind 4-3 victory at the Arena.

Then, they went to Norfolk and earned three of a possible four points with a convincing 6-2 victory Saturday night and a 3-2 shootout loss Sunday. Tonight marks their eighth straight East Division game, and they've gotten points in the previous seven by posting three regulation victories, one overtime win and three shootout defeats.

Senators coach Dave Cameron is relishing the chase for the division crown. Unlike the Rochester Americans, who have all but wrapped up first place in the North Division with three weeks still left in the regular season, the Senators will be playing meaningful games for the duration.

"Going for first place is a win-win situation," Cameron said. "It's for home-ice advantage, and we know that's important. But because the race is so close, it forces us to play playoff hockey for the last 10 games."

Most of the Senators resisted hyping tonight's game, insisting it's equally critical to win the non-division games against the Worcester IceCats and Manitoba Moose on Friday and Saturday as it is to beat the Phantoms.

But Cameron admitted, "with the closeness of the race and the fact that (the Phantoms) have one game in hand and that we don't (play) them again, it's probably a little more important."

Added winger Charlie Stephens, "It's definitely a big game. If we lose, we're down three (points) to a team that still has one (game) in hand. If we win, we're up one and we cut that game in hand in half. That's a big difference.

"First place is our goal, and we want to achieve our goal."

SLAP SHOTS

Hamel's next point will be the 300th of his AHL career. He's tied with Providence's Andy Hilbert for fourth in the league with 33 goals. ... Philadelphia winger Jon Sim is tied for second with 34 goals and has 18 goals in the last 15 games. ... Senators defenseman Brian Pothier is expected to play tonight. He missed the games in Norfolk after his wife, Gwen, gave birth to their second child.