Sens vs. Penguins 11/20/04 Articles: Sens beat sloppy Penguins in OT
November 21, 2004

Posted by: Bob Howard
Credit: Patrick Williams of Times Leader.com

Sens beat sloppy Penguins in OT

By PATRICK WILLIAMS

Special to the Times Leader

WILKES-BARRE TWP. - The Penguins' identity, if there was such a thing, a few seasons back was that of a loosey-goosey bunch. The Penguins frustrated observers with an inconsistent brand of hockey.

So, it was fitting that a wild 5-4 overtime loss on Denis Hamel's power-play goal capped the Penguins celebration of Wachovia Arena's fifth anniversary.

Head coach Michel Therrien came in last season and quickly eradicated that old image, installing a solid defensive system, and the majority of players from the Glenn Patrick era have moved on to work elsewhere.

For one night, though, the Penguins (6-4-4-2, 18 points) went retro. The overtime loss, the Penguins' third such loss in a row and fourth consecutive loss overall, featured some of the worst qualities of Penguins rosters of the past.

The Penguins surrendered 10 power plays and spotted Binghamton (8-6-1-2, 19 points) a 4-1 lead by the game's midway point. A dreadful second period hurt the Penguins.

"Since I've been here," Therrien began, "I haven't seen my team play like that. It was pretty bad and not fun to watch. It was a lack of effort, a lack of passion. I'm very disappointed about how we played in that second period."

The problems continued in the third period. Defenseman Ryan Whitney picked up a high-sticking major less than a minute after the Penguins had closed the deficit to 4-2. With the Penguins working on killing off the Whitney major, veteran Rob Scuderi was whistled for boarding. Scuderi compounded the Penguins' problems by taking an additional unsportsmanlike conduct call.

Ramzi Abid took an untimely high sticking penalty in overtime after his stick went high on Binghamton defenseman Anton Volchenkov in the Senators' defensive zone.

On the ensuing power play, Hamel beat Penguins goaltender Andy Chiodo with 1:27 to play in overtime.

After killing off 6:35 of combined Whitney-Scuderi penalty time, including 2:25 of two-man-down hockey, the Penguins brought back some of the sizzle of those past teams.

The Penguins rallied from the 4-2 third-period deficit with two goals 13 seconds apart in the final two minutes of regulation. Shane Endicott scored in traffic on a shot that slipped past Binghamton goaltender Ray Emery at 18:17.

Matt Murley tied the score. The Penguins also received goals from Michel Ouellet and Maxime Talbot. Binghamton goals came from Hamel (2), Charlie Stephens, Chris Kelly and Antoine Vermette.

Holding an early 10-3 shots advantage, the Penguins saw Binghamton go up 2-0 by the 10-minute mark with goals from Stephens and Hamel.

Ouellet cut the Binghamton lead in half with a goal late in the first period. Ouellet's team-leading 10th goal of the season came on a shot off the right wing that fooled Emery.

Binghamton broke up the game with two quick second-period strikes in span of 2:13. Captain Chris Kelly pounced on a rebound that Chiodo was attempting to freeze and knocked the puck over the goal line. Vermette followed with a shorthanded breakaway goal, using a pretty move on Chiodo for a 4-1 Binghamton lead.

Binghamton, an erratic team thus far this season, put some of its offensive firepower on display during the middle period. In outshooting the Penguins 19-4, a power-play unit of Hamel, Kelly and Jason Spezza peppered Chiodo with six shots after Eric Christensen went off for high sticking, a stretch in which play did not stop at any point during the power play.

Notes: The Penguins recalled F Cam Paddock from Wheeling of the ECHL. ... Therrien scratched the injured C Ben Eaves (knee), plus D Chris Kelleher (knee). ... The teams have a chance to cool down their hostilities, as they do not meet until a Jan. 7 game in Binghamton.