Senators Article: B-Sens to host Norfolk in AHL playoffs; Series starts Wednesday
April 12, 2004

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

B-Sens to host Norfolk in AHL playoffs

Series starts Wednesday

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Press & Sun-Bulletin

BINGHAMTON -- Over the past few weeks, whenever the subject of playing in the best-of-three qualifying round of the Calder Cup playoffs was broached, the Binghamton Senators offered their best impersonations of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz.

To a man, they said there's no place like home.

And thanks to a bizarre finish Sunday night in Hershey, the Senators will be staying home for this week's qualifying series against the Norfolk Admirals, who slipped into the final playoff spot when the Hershey Bears were eliminated by a 3-2 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Phantoms.

"It's always a big advantage to play at home," goalie Ray Emery said after learning of the result in Hershey. "That's kind of the only deciding factor as far as who we wanted to play (Norfolk or Hershey)."

Had the Bears won, the Senators, who ended the regular season with a 34-33-8-3 record, would have finished in fifth place and traveled to Hershey for the three-game series. A Bears loss or tie meant fourth place for the Senators and three home dates with Norfolk.

And the Bears lost in one of the strangest ways imaginable. Needing a win to clinch, they pulled goalie Phillippe Sauve during an overtime power play, and winger Shane Willis' errant pass sailed out of Philadelphia's zone, caromed off the neutral-zone boards and landed in his own empty net for a goal that was credited to Phantoms goalie Antero Niittymaki.

Ironically, Willis was the Hershey player who became Public Enemy No. 1 among the Senators in February when his vicious elbow to winger Brad Tapper's head caused Tapper to miss a month with a severe concussion.

"It was an interesting way for the game to end," said Senators coach John Paddock, who witnessed it firsthand. "We're glad we're at home, but it wouldn't have bothered me much if we were going to Hershey."

That's because Norfolk has already beaten the Senators twice at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena this season, including 3-0 Friday night. The Admirals won five of the eight games between the teams, most of which were low scoring and closely contested.

But the Senators were 21-15-3 (including three overtime losses) at home compared to 13-21-6 on the road, and the 4,717-seat Arena is considered among the AHL's best home-ice advantages.