The wait is finally over with nearly six months of speculation behind us in what the new team in town was going to be like on the ice. And, it was well worth the wait.
Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood was spectacular in net in a highly entertaining contest as he stopped 26 shots to help preserve the Binghamton Devils’ inaugural season opener with a 2-1 win over the visiting Bridgeport Sound Tigers in front of a loud, packed house of 4,897 at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday.
Forward Blake Pietila scored the very first goal for the BDevils and Nathan Bastian was successful on a penalty shot in a wild first period of action that had a little bit of everything, including a fight, as fans were rowdy in showing their support throughout the night.
It was a shorthanded tally that put the Devils up 1-0 as Kevin Rooney won a faceoff in the offensive zone and backhanded the puck to Pietila just outside the top of the circle. His wrister beat Sound Tigers’ netminder Christopher Gibson stick side that broke the ice at 8:48 into the opening twenty minutes.
Soon after Bastian broke loose for a breakaway only to get interfered with from Bridgeport defender Devon Toews and was awarded a rare penalty shot. Bastian would succeed with a top corner pick past Gibson for a two goal lead that sent the home fans into a frenzy.
In the middle frame things settled down, as Blackwood kept it a 2-0 contest that included back-to-back saves on former BSens’ forward Casey Bailey, who is on a PTO for the Sound Tigers.
In the third period Devils took advantage of the building’s energy and nearly padded their lead by three before they were denied by Gibson, and a post. Ben Thomson and Brandon Baddock were stopped on an odd man rush and Nick Lappin rang one off the post in front. Blackwood would follow up with a sensational glove save that robbed a Sound Tigers’ goal by forward Travis St. Denis that was fit for a highlight reel.
Bridgeport would then cut the lead to a single goal when Scott Eansor deflected a shot from the point by defenseman Mitchell Vande Sompel, as Blackwood had zero chance of stopping. The Sound Tigers would apply a late press with Gibson pulled for the extra attacker with 1:20 remaining, but Binghamton held on for the very first win in BDevils’ very brief history.
Post Game Notes
- Line ups; Forwards Blandisi-Kearns-Lappin, Quenneville-Kennedy-Speers, Pietila-Ronney-Bastian, Baddock-Cangelosi-Thomson. Defensemen Strait-Jacobs, Kapla-Loov, Erixon-Dyblenko. Scott Wedgewood in back-up. Scratches; Colton White, Brandon Gignac, Chris Calnan and Ryan Kujawinski.
- Strait, Lappin and Pietila supported the A’s as there was no one serving the role as Captain.
- First period fight between Thomson and Ross Johnston was a good battle before Johnston sent Thomson to the ice with what appeared to be a right hook.
- Joe Blandisi was playing the role of a leader as he was the last player onto the ice in between intermissions while sharing a jump and high five with John Quenneville. The players overall looked happy sharing fist bumps with the fans and was loudly cheered on with a stick salute afterwards.
- Defensemen Josh Jacobs and Brian Strait were relied on heavily during penalty kills along with forward Kevin Rooney and occasional Blake Speers.
- Two veterans collided late in the third when Bracken Kearns sent Ryan Bourque into orbit that sent the tone during the waning minutes of the tight game for the BDevils.
- Three Stars; #3 Pietila (1g), #2 Bastian (1g), #1 Blackwood (26 saves). Shots ended up in favor of Bridgeport 27-24. Bailey led his team with six shots, Bastian with five. Both clubs were 0/4 on the power play.
Video Highlights
Problems on the BDevils’ YouTube page but for now, through my twitter account. Just click through;
AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers 1 at Binghamton Devils 2 https://t.co/1Sr98DZorm
— Jeff Ulmer (@Ski931) October 8, 2017
Upcoming Games
The Devils are off until next weekend when they take on the Laval Rocket in Laval, QC on Friday night and Saturday afternoon.