Sens vs. Bruins 1/19/04 Articles: Bad goals burn B-Sens against Bruins
January 20, 2004

Posted by: Bob Howard
Credit: Press Connects.com

Bad goals burn B-Sens against Bruins

Providence scores in final second of first, shorthanded in second

BY MIKE SCANDURA

Special to the Press & Sun Bulletin

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Mike Busniuk didn't punch out a water cooler or trash a locker room. But the Binghamton Senators assistant coach might have been tempted to do so Monday afternoon, following a 3-1 loss to the Providence Bruins.

Why? Because the Bruins received a goal from Andy Hilbert with four-tenths of a second left in the first period, and a shorthanded goal from low-scoring defenseman Brian White at 2:18 of the second.

What really hurt about White's goal -- only his second of the season -- was that it came while Binghamton was on a four-minute power play, after Brendan Walsh was assessed minor penalties for holding and roughing at 1:03.

Darren VanOene pushed the puck ahead to White on the right wing. Then, White beat rookie Billy Thompson (22 saves) with a snapper from the faceoff circle at 2:18 for a 2-0 lead.

"I really thought that it should not have gone in," said Busniuk, who's running the team while head coach John Paddock is home in Manitoba following the death of his father. "I thought it was a soft goal. But (Thompson) played well, other than that."

The Senators did not play well near the end of the first period. Instead, Hilbert flipped home the rebound of a Milan Jurcina shot as Binghamton broke one of hockey's cardinal rules: allowing a goal in the first or last minute of a period.

"It's the minor leagues, and guys are supposed to get better," Busniuk said. "If you don't try to make plays, you won't make mistakes. And if you don't make mistakes you won't be here anyway.

"But mistakes were made (today) and you've got to live with them."

Chris Kelly didn't make a mistake when he beat Thomas at 8:16 of the second. Kelly slid home a backhander from just off the left post. But Thomas made amends by robbing Brad Trapper on a 2-on-1 break with two minutes left in the period.

That save loomed large when Busniuk pulled Thompson with 1:11 left in regulation. Thompson was halfway to the bench and was unable to recover as Ivan Huml fired the puck into an empty net at 18:55.

The loss also left Busniuk with an empty feeling because the Senators missed an opportunity to increase their lead to four points over idle Norfolk for the East Division's last playoff spot.

"That's a big thing, because we want to make sure we end up ahead of Norfolk and Albany," Busniuk said. "We're actually trying to get the second spot or the third spot. Those are two points that shouldn't have got away, because I thought we played well.

"You always go back during the year and say 'If we could have got this game or won that game.' But my idea is it's hockey and when it's over, learn from what you did and go on to the next game."

Slap shots: Goalie Ray Emery, who missed Binghamton's last two games with a wrist injury, dressed but stayed on the bench ... Right wing Brian McGrattan missed a second straight game with an upper body injury ... Hilbert's goal was his first of the season after missing 38 games with a groin injury.