Less than 24 hours after the Amerks talked about having an exciting win they followed it up with a frustrating loss by losing in regulation for the first time all season after they had the lead for two periods.

The Amerks had a 2-1 lead heading into the second period and ended up losing the game by the final score of 4-2.  Losing a game like that to a last place team is not a good thing.  Amerks head coach Benoit Groulx ignored my request for a minute and walked out the door like I did not exist so I’ll do my best talking about some good things that did happen.

The Amerks did kill off eight of nine power play chances for the Binghamton Senators.  There was also at least two five on three’s that they were able to kill off.

I think that Rory Fitzpatrick played a very solid game, one of his best of the season.  He made a number of great plays on Jonathan Cheechoo keeping him off the puck and was dominant when he had the chance.

Graham Mink played well in front of the net trying to distract Mike Brodeur.  It did not pay off getting a goal, but he tried a lot of things.  After the game Brodeur talked about Mink being a giant and tough to see around.

Both of the Amerks goals were scored on the power play, one by Clay Wilson and another by Michal Repik.

And now the bad.. the officiating was rough.  Ryan Fraser was calling just about everything he could in the game, which is obvious in the score sheet since the Amerks had seven power play chances and the Senators had nine.  After Saturday nights game Jason Cipolla said that staying out of the box is pretty simple, “keep your hands to yourself.”

When the referee is calling everything you need to adjust your game and not slash, hook, hold or high stick the opposing player.  It doesn’t seem like it should be that tough but it was.  There was a total of 21 penalties called in the game, 12 of those were against Rochester.

The Binghamton Senators seemed to get the message.  Here’s a quote from the Senators coach in Press Connects:

“We stopped taking penalties,” head coach Don Nachbaur said, when asked what turned the tide for Binghamton. “We took five penalties in the first period. That’s 10 minutes being shorthanded. You can’t beat good teams shorthanded.

In the end Daniel Steiner said that’s probably what the issue was.  He said that when you spend most of your time killing penalties it’s tough to get anything going.

Jonathan Cheechoo was a big factor in the game for the Binghamton Senators with a goal he scored in the second period schooling Ellerby and Plante and then assisting on the empty net goal to put the game away.

Paul Bair scored the game winning goal at 10:48 of the third period.

I’m not a coach and have never coached a sport, but there are things that you see other teams do and wonder why our own team does not.  Example.. The Senators iced the puck and there was two minutes left to go in the game and the Amerks were still down by a goal.  Why not call a time out at that point to come up with a plan of some sort to get Plante off the ice and the extra attacker on the ice?  The puck dropped, the play went on, Plante was eventually pulled and then Ryan Keller scored an empty net goal to seal the deal at 18:53 of the third period.

The Amerks are now 4-6 in their last 10 games.  The next five games are at home with two against the Manitoba Moose, two against the Portland Pirates, and one versus Grand Rapids Griffins.  All five of those games are against opponents trying to climb there way up the standings while the Amerks are having a very tough time.  Home is where the wins should be, we’ll see.

I take criticism well so if anyone thinks I’m wrong about anything above I wouldn’t mind if you let me know.

** Evgeny Dadonov was sick and did not play.  Jordan Henry and Jimmy Bonneau were healthy scratches.

——————–

Rochester Americans 2 At Binghamton Senators 4 – Status: Final
Feb 14, 2010 – Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena

Rochester 1 1 0 – 2
Binghamton 0 1 3 – 4

1st Period-1, Rochester, Wilson 10 (Johnson, Mink), 12:38 (pp). Penalties-Cheechoo Bng (tripping), 0:50; served by O’Brien Bng (bench minor – too many men), 6:47; Mink Rch (interference), 7:14; Kudelka Bng (holding), 8:39; Svendsen Bng (holding), 10:47; St. Pierre Bng (delay of game), 11:54; Duco Rch (slashing), 16:45.

2nd Period-2, Binghamton, Cheechoo 1 (Hennessy, Schira), 4:42. 3, Rochester, Repik 19 (Taffe, Wilson), 6:14 (pp). Penalties-McArdle Rch (fighting), 0:02; Smith Bng (fighting), 0:02; Taffe Rch (hooking), 1:17; de Gray Rch (slashing), 4:24; Bailey Bng (slashing), 4:24; Petruic Bng (holding), 5:37; de Gray Rch (holding), 8:52; Kudelka Bng (slashing), 15:56; Ellerby Rch (interference), 18:21; Johnson Rch (holding), 19:38.

3rd Period-4, Binghamton, Dansereau 3 (Smith, St. Pierre), 7:55 (pp). 5, Binghamton, Baier 1 (Smith), 10:48. 6, Binghamton, Keller 24 (Cheechoo, Hennessy), 18:53 (en). Penalties-Repik Rch (hooking), 0:40; Garrison Rch (holding), 5:57; Mink Rch (high-sticking), 13:05; Oreskovich Rch (slashing), 14:29.

Shots on Goal-Rochester 14-9-13-36. Binghamton 8-12-14-34.
Power Play Opportunities-Rochester 2 of 7; Binghamton 1 of 9.
Goalies-Rochester, Plante 5-6-0 (33 shots-30 saves). Binghamton, Brodeur 9-6-2 (36 shots-34 saves).
A-3,244
Referees-Ryan Fraser (14).
Linesmen-Jameel Chaudry (51), Andy Petrus (26).