BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Devils came up just short, 4-3, to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in front of an electric sellout crowd of 4,897 at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena on Friday night. The sellout crowd was the third of the season for Binghamton.
Ryan Haggerty put the Penguins on the board just 12 seconds into the game. Right off the opening faceoff, Haggerty moved down the right wing side and snapped in his seventh goal of the year. The assists on Haggerty’s opening tally came from Zach Aston-Reese and Kevin Czuczman to put the Penguins up 1-0.
Binghamton responded on the power play to tie the game 11:58 into the opening frame. Brandon Gignac fired a shot from the right wing circle that was stopped by goaltender Casey DeSmith. Gignac tracked his own rebound and ripped a shot over the shoulder of DeSmith for to tie the game, 1-1. The goal was Gignac’s second of the year with helpers from Jacob MacDonald and Nathan Bastian.
With just over 17 seconds left in the first, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton took a 2-1 lead heading into the intermission. Teddy Blueger attemped a wrap-around attempt that went through the top of the crease and Thomas DiPauli buried his seventh of the year. The Penguins led 2-1 after one period but the Devils held the shot advantage, 13-4.
After no scoring through most of the second period, the Devils cashed in on another power play to tie the game heading into the third period. Joe Blandisi fired a slap shot from the right wing circle that deflected off of Bracken Kearns and by DeSmith to even the score. The goal was Kearns’ second of the year and 12th point with assists from Blandisi and Viktor Loov with 2:17 left in the period. Binghamton led in shots 19-10 through two periods with the game tied at two goals apiece.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton score two goals in a 2:13 span to take a 4-2 lead in the third period. Blueger sent a pass to the left wing circle from below the goal line and Adam Johnson fired a shot by goaltender Ken Appleby for the 4-3 lead at 9:55 of the final frame. Christian Thomas took a long pass from Colin Smith and beat Appleby through the legs for a 4-2 lead with 7:52 left in the game.
Binghamton converted for its third power-play goal of the night to pull back within a goal. MacDonald took a pass from Loov and ripped a shot on net that was stopped originally by DeSmith. MacDonald collected his own rebound and beat DeSmith for his fifth goal of the year with 4:27 left in the game.
With the net empty, Binghamton couldn’t tie the game late and the Penguins held on for a 4-3 victory despite the Devils’ 34-18 shot advantage. Appleby stopped 14 in the loss while DeSmith was credited with 31 stops in the win.
The Binghamton Devils are back home tomorrow against Rochester. It’s Military Appreciation presented by Lockheed Martin! All military, their families, and friends receive a $14 ticket! Call the Devils’ front office at 607-733-7367 for more information.
