Sens vs. Rochester 1/24/04 Articles: Laich Leads Sens Over Amerks
January 24, 2004

Posted by: Bob Howard
Credit: Binghamton Senators.com

Laich Leads Sens Over Amerks

January 24, 2004

Rookie center Brooks Laich notched a pair of goals and Ray Emery returned to active duty with 22 saves to lead the Binghamton Senators over the Rochester Americans 3-1 Saturday in Binghamton.

The game was witnessed by 4,717 fans, setting a franchise record as the tenth sellout of the season.

Laich opened the scoring at 13:17 of the first period when he intercepted a pass at the Amerks line and the Sens completing a line change.

Laich dropped the puck off for Brad Tapper in the right circle. Tapper returned the feed on to the stick of the rookie center who deposited his 8th goal of the year past goalie Ryan Miller (28 saves) for a 1-0 lead.

Despite dominating the game and outshooting Rochester 8-0 in the opening half of the second period, the Sens forfeited the lead at 14:17 on what looked to be a muffled 3-on-2 rush.

Paul Gaustad broke across the Binghamton line and looked to feed a breaking Norm Milley down the slot.

Gaustad fanned on the rolling puck, regained it, and then fed to the front to Milley who redirected the centering pass behind Emery, making his first start in ten days.

Binghamton regained the lead as Laich pinballed an Alexandre Giroux right circle feed past Miller two and half minutes later for a 2-1 advantage.

Charlie Stephens, acquired Friday from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Dennis Bonvie, sealed the contest when he found the empy net with 1:26 left in regulation on assists from Denis Hamel and Chris Kelly.

The Sens picked up two points on idle Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and are now just two points behind the fourth place Penguins.

Binghamton is next in action Wednesday night as they travel to Blue Cross Arena in Rochester to face the Amerks in a return engagement slated for a 7:05 p.m. faceoff.