How things have changed for the B-Sens from last season

For the last few days Binghamton media and my good friend & broadcast partner, Grady Whittenburg have talked about the potential for B-Sens Head Coach, Luke Richardson to  coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars at the AHL All-Star Classic in Providence, RI later on in January. If the B-Sens finish with the highest points % in the Eastern Conference; which they lead over their arch rivals in Syracuse with a .696 vs. the Crunch’s .694 after the final games on December 31st, then first time Head Coach Richardson would win that distinct honor.

And what a change for the B-Sens that would be. And I think if you asked Coach Richardson about where his team stands right now, he would probably tell you this success comes from team defense, hard work and buying into his and his Assistant Coach, Steve Sterling‘s plan for this team right from the beginning.

This Monday on the annual New Years Eve game in Binghamton NY, the Binghamton Senators will face the Atlantic Division last place St. John’s IceCaps in the 1st meeting of 4 this season. The Crunch will take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins a hour earlier down at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza and before the B-Sens game is over we will know if the team needs to win for Richardson to make the trek to Providence in late January.

Last season at this time, this conversation and consideration was not being made for former B-Sens Head Coach Kurt Kleinendorst who’s B-Sens was a dismal 14-19-1-1 the day of the New Year’s Eve and was struggling to score goals, keep goals out of the net and find an identity after the previous season shocking the American Hockey League by winning the city’s first ever Calder Cup Championship. That Championship however earned Kleinendorst a spot as the Assistant to the IceCaps Head Coach, Keith McCambridge who will be in Binghamton this Monday coaching in the game that will ultimately will decide whether or not a Binghamton Coach will be at second consecutive AHL All Star Classic. Yes, it’s a small world and that’s how ironic hockey can be.

And if the East Conference’s 3rd best (2.54 goals against) defensive team (4th overall), 2nd best (3.29 goals for) offensive team (5th overall) & the # 1 penalty unit (2nd overall) allowing only 16 PPGA in only 133 man down situations for an impressive 88%, does not win on Monday night and send it’s Coach to the All-Star Classic; maybe President & CEO of the AHL, Dave Andrews should consider sending Richardson to Providence to assist the Crunch’s Head Coach Jon Cooper, arguably the two front runners for Coach of the Year candidates from the East Conference.

Again what a nice change this season is for B-Sens fans who in 10 years of supporting the Ottawa Senators affiliated team at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena have seen the team out of the playoffs 6 of those years with only the 2011 Calder Cup Champions as the only saving grace in the last 10 seasons.

This season’s B-Sens are well coached, battle back from being down in every game, lead the league in the longest winning streak this season and have two outstanding goaltenders with the 2nd ranked in the AHL Robin Lehner & last season’s All Star MVP Ben Bishop. The team’s 5th overall offensive team has started to come around but still has a lot of potential with certain players like Mika Zibanejad, Stephane Da Costa and Andre Petersson yet to really start scoring.

Will Coach Richardson be coaching possible B-Sens All Stars Jakob Silfverberg & Robin Lehner in Providence just 29 days from now?  That will be determined tomorrow at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena where the B-Sens are a solid 10-3-1-0 in 14 games played.

What a nice change for the B-Sens fans & the B-Sens players who saw last season’s team finish in dead last in the American Hockey League. Funny how one season can make such a change & effect on a team and it’s fans.