The BSens extended their losing streak to four games, including their most embarrassing loss of the season in Binghamton. Chris Driedger, with his first AHL start since January 6th (!) was shelled in a game where, while he wasn’t perfect, it could have been much worse (a -32 shot differential). With the season already over and the game out of reach Kleinendorst…doubled-down on his veterans?
Boxscore
Shots: 21-53
PP: 0-2
PK: 6-9 (including two 5-on-3’s)
Scoring chances: 4
Key saves: 16
The Goals
1. Binghamton PP – Driedger beat by a wrister from the top of the circle
2. Binghamton PP – Burgdoerfer gets puck watching in the corner leaving two Devils wide open in front
3. Ciampini puts in a rebound
4. Binghamton – bad angle shot squeaks through the pads
5. Binghamton PP – nice little passing play
6. Binghamton – bangs in own rebound (Paul puck watching)
Notable plays: None. The game was virtually unwatchable.
The game against with Laval was much more entertaining. The BSens, for the most part, showed up in front of Hogberg. Newly acquired goon Eric Selleck (with a Randell-like three goals all season) was put on the first line, although Kleinendorst pulled back on his TOI eventually. It was a great game for Nick Paul–his first multi-goal and three-point game of the year–too little, too late I think, but outside of his own-goal his best game to date.
Boxscore
Shots: 30-30
PP: 1-3
PK: 3-3
Scoring chances: 11
Key saves: 8
The Goals
1. Laval – low wrister from a long way out
2. Paul with a great shot in tight on the short side
3. Laval – re-direction in front of Hogberg
4. PP Paul bangs in a rebound
5. Paul with a nice one-timer via Sexton
6. Laval – Paul deflects the puck into his own net
7. Laval – tipped in front
Notable plays: Sexton breakaway (first); Gagne with a great pass to Chlapik for a scoring chance (first); Lajoie hits the post (second); Hogberg stops a shorthanded breakaway (third).
One of the most frustrating things this season is how driven by fear Kleinendorst is. His goal is not to lose–how much this is based on his string of firings as a coach is hard to say. This inclination is clearest in his deployment of defensemen. His favourites–Sieloff, Burgdoerfer, and Englund–are a miserly combined 150-6-20-26 on the season–but any time the coach starts clenching they eat up the TOI. The only talented players immune to this tendency were Thomas Chabot and Ben Harpur, both of whom have spent insignificant time in the minors (and played exactly one game together, a 6-2 win back in November). Kleinendorst isn’t going anywhere the rest of the season, so for BSens fans it’s something we’ll have to suffer through the rest of the way.
This article is written by Peter Levi (@eyeonthesens)
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