SENATORS SLIP PAST BEARS

December 27, 2015

HERSHEY, Pa. – Paul Carey notched a goal and an assist to stay hot but Matt Puempel’s two goals helped the Binghamton Senators skate to a 5-3 victory over the Hershey Bears on Sunday evening at GIANT Center.

Despite missing on an early power play chance, the Senators would get the jump to start this game.  Nick Paul would collect a feed from Tobias Lindberg and head toward the net.  He put a forehand-backhand move on goaltender Mark Dekanich and slipped the puck home at 8:26 for a 1-0 lead.

The Bears answered back after they, too, were denied on their first chance with the man advantage.  Chris Brown got himself wide open in the high slot, collected a pass from Carey and ripped a rising slapper under the crossbar behind Chris Driedger at 14:02.

In the middle frame, the Bears killed off a two-man disadvantage but couldn’t finish the Binghamton five-on-four chance at the 8:15 mark. Puempel collected a cross-ice feed from Cole Schneider and beat Dekanich with a wrist shot for a 2-1 Senators lead.

Once again, Hershey had the answer as Carey picked off a pass right in front of the Binghamton net and fired a shot short-side behind Driedger at 9:07.

But three minutes later, a tough defensive pinch gave the Senators a two-on-none rush.  Tobias Lindberg sped down the left wing and hit a cutting Buddy Robinson with a pass that he redirected just beyond the reach of Dekanich to restore the Senators lead.

An early third-period goal would put the visitors in front by two.  Another failed pinch sprung the Senators on a three-on-two, which Puempel finished at 1:21.

Travis Boyd would cut the deficit to one goal with a snap shot off of a Chandler Stephenson faceoff win at 11:23, but Colin Greening would notch an empty-net goal with one minute left in regulation to seal the win.

Dekanich stopped 18 of 22 shots in his debut and fell to 0-1-0.  Driedger evened his record at 6-6-0 with 28 saves on 31 shots faced.  The Bears finished the night 0-for-2 on the power play and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.

The Bears continue their seven-game homestand on Tuesday, December 29, with a 7:00 PM face-off against the Syracuse Crunch.  It’s another Dietz and Watson Dollar Dog Night whereby all fans may purchase hot dogs for $1 at select concession stands.  Tickets are available at the GIANT Center box office, by calling 717-508-BEAR or online at TicketMaster.com.

NOTES:  The Bears scratched LW Chris Bourque, RW Garrett Mitchell, G Justin Peters and LW Jakub Vrana…LW Liam O’Brien served the second of a three-game suspension…The Senators scratched D Mark Fraser, D Ben Harpur, F Ryan Penny, D Michael Sdao and D Nick Tuzzolino…Senators forward Max McCormick was recalled to NHL Ottawa earlier in the day…The Bears dropped just their third game in regulation on home ice (11-3-0-3).