Sens vs. Moose 10/30/2004 Preview: Kavanagh to get reunited with his former Moose teammates
October 30, 2004

Posted by: Bob Howard
Credit: Binghamton Hockey.net

While working on a 4-game home winning streak the Binghamton Senators host the Manitoba Moose tonight at 7:00 PM EST. Tonight's meeting will be the first of four meetings between the two teams and the first this year at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. The B-Sens will travel to Manitoba to play a pair of games against the Moose on December 4th and 5th before finishing the season series with Manitoba on April 2nd at the Arena in Binghamton.

The two teams battled last season 4 times, with the Moose getting the better end of the bargain as they had a 2-1-1 record over the B-Sens in just four contests. The B-Sens and the Moose did not play in Binghamton's inaugural season.

The last meeting between the two teams was on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 in the 03-04 season in Binghamton at the Arena. The B-Sens came out late in the 1st period and took a 1-0 lead after a shot from Brad Tapper found its way past Moose goaltender, Rob McVicar. After a scoreless 2nd period, the Moose then got on the scoreboard and kept scoring in the 3rd period. Peter Sarno scored at the 4:47 mark after receiving a pass from current Senator, Pat Kavanagh to get things started for the Moose. Jason King scored almost ten minutes later to push the Moose up 2-1, while Brandon Reid scored on a penalty shot at the 14:41 mark and Sean Pronger ended the night for the B-Sens with an empty netter at the 18:28 mark as Binghamton goalie, Ray Emery allowed 3 goals on 47 shots. Binghamton defense could not stop the Moose as the Moose had 13 shots in the first, 20 shots in the second and 15 shots in the 3rd period. Manitoba gained one of their goals on the man up as they coasted in the 3rd period to a 4-1 victory over the B-Sens.

In the first six games of the season the B-Sens are 4-2, with all 4 victories coming at home in front of the fans at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. The wins came against the Admirals (5-3) last night, the Crunch (4-1) in the home opener, the Hershey Bears (3-2) last Friday and over Hamilton (2-1) last Saturday. The two losses coming on the road; the B-Sens lost their season opener in Albany (6-2) and this past Sunday in Bridgeport (3-2).

Manitoba currently sits 2nd in the North Division after winning five games and losing four games to start the season. In their last six games Manitoba has won games vs. Rochester (3-2 OT) last night & vs. St John's (3-1) last Monday. While four losses came from St John's (4-2) this past Tuesday, from Edmonton (3-0, 5-4) twice last Friday and Saturday and vs. Hamilton (4-3) putting the Moose at a 2-4 record in their past six games.

The B-Sens travel tomorrow to Wilkes-Barre Scranton for their first game of the season vs. the Penguins before coming home for a mini 3 game home stance vs. Albany, Rochester on next Friday and Saturday, and Norfolk in two Wednesdays before traveling to Hamilton for a Friday game on November 12th. The B-Sens then play host to two teams, the Philadelphia Phantoms and the Syracuse Crunch on the 13th and 14th of November at the Arena.

Manitoba will pay a visit to the Bulldogs of Hamilton tomorrow after tonight’s game vs. the Sens and return home for two games vs. the Utah Grizzlies next Thursday and Saturday. The Moose then head out on the road to play games vs. Cleveland and 2 vs. Cincinnati to complete a mini 3 game road trip.

After Jason Spezza's 4-point (2+2) night last night vs. the Admirals, Spezza has put himself atop of the B-Sens stat sheet with 7 points, 3 goals and 4 assists. Antoine Vermette and Chris Kelly each have 6 points, 2 goals and 4 assists putting the two at a tie in the stats sheets for scoring. "Razor" Ray Emery picked up his 3rd win of the season in 5 games after allowing 3 goals to the Ads in last night's game, putting him at a 3-2 record, with a 2.98 goals against average and 91 % saves percentage.

For the Manitoba Moose, the player to look for and for the B-Sens to stop tonight is left winger, Jason King. King in 9 games played has 15 points, 11 goals and 4 assists, to not only place him first on the team with fellow teammate Peter Sarno who has 3 goals and 12 assists but also puts both players atop the league in scoring so far this season. Manitoba's net minders have consisted of two goalies, last year's Milwaukee Admirals Wade Flaherty who helped the Admirals win the Calder Cup and Alex Auld. Flaherty has a 3-2 record on the season with a 2.80 goals against average and a 91.4 % saves percentage. Alex Auld has a 2-2 record in 5 games played, with a little bigger 3.47 goals against average and a not so impressive 86.6 saves percentage.

The Binghamton Senators (4-2-0-0) on the season are sitting in a four way tie for second with Philadelphia, Norfolk and Bridgeport with 8 points just two points shy of 1st place Albany. Manitoba (5-4-0-0) is in second place in the North Division of the Western Conference and sits just 1 point away from the Edmonton Roadrunners (5-2-1-0) who since moving from Toronto has seen much success in fan attendance and currently have 11 points.

After tonight's Moose/Senators game come back to Binghamton Hockey.net for an updated East Division standings and a Moose/Senators boxscore and articles about the game.

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