BDevils Tighten Playoff Picture With 5-2 Win in Toronto

TORONTO, ONT, CAN - Marian Studenic and Jesper Boqvist each had a goal and an assist while Cory Schneider stopped 31 shots, 17 in the third period alone, as the surging Binghamton Devils defeated the Toronto Marlies 5-2 on Monday afternoon. The race for the final playoff spot just got tighter, as the Devils are just three points out against the team they played today with the Marlies a game on hand.

For Binghamton (25-23-4-0), this is the third straight victory and fourth out of the last five as Toronto (26-20-3-2) saw their four-game winning streak snapped. The two teams will meet again on Wednesday for an 11:00 am faceoff.

The two clubs exchanged goals in the opening period as Boqvist gave the BDevils the early lead as he pounced on the rebound off a shot from the point by Kyle Cumiskey, his fifth for Binghamton. Pontus Aberg answered on the PP with a tap-in by the side of the net after a pass from Tanner MacMaster as Schneider couldn’t get there in time.

In the middle frame, the Marlies took the lead when Kenny Agostino deflected the puck past Schneider but that would be all the scoring on the day for Toronto. Brett Seney took a cross-ice pass from Boqvist and shot high over netminder Kasimir Kaskisuo to tie it on the PP. Then a bomb from inside the blueline by Julian Melchiori whizzed by Kaskisuo, also on the PP, to give the Devils the lead for good.

3-2 Binghamton headed into the final period as Fabian Zetterlund behind the cage found Marian Studenic for the put-in for his fifth of the season. Egor Sharangovich would add an empty-netter with 00:51 seconds remaining to send 13,266 home from Scotiabank Arena.

Shots ended up in favor once again for the Devils, 40-33.

Line-Up, Game #52

Seney - Street - Boqvist, Conner - McLeod - Bastian, Sharangovich - Schmelzer - Studenic, Maltsev - Schnarr - Zetterlund

Cumiskey/Mermis, Melchiori/Groleau, Sissons/Jacobs

Senn - Schneider

Scratches: Paliotta, Gignac, Baddock, Quenneville & Tennyson

Post Game Notes

• Devils with the same line-up as in Hershey over the weekend with the exception in goal. Defenseman David Quenneville (John’s younger brother) was added after he was involved with the Andy Greene trade to the NYIslanders on Sunday. He was listed as a scratch with his travel day but is with the team.
• Binghamton (54 pts) leaped over Laval (53 pts) and is in 6th place, 2 points out of 5th place Syracuse (56 pts) with 2 games on hand and behind Toronto (57 pts).
• Binghamton had 3 breakaways with McLeod, Seney, and Studenic and 2 posts, Schmelzer off the crossbar and Dakota Mermis.
• Boqvist now has 7 points (4g, 3a) in his last 3 games as his offense has helped spark this Devils team that can be traced back taking Nick Merkley’s spot on the top line.
• Studenic has also contributed as of late as he has 2g, 2a in his last 4 appearances.
• Good to see Schneider have himself a great day in net as the Marlies came on strong in the first 5 minutes with Cory being tested early.
• The same two teams meet up on Wednesday in Toronto for an 11:00 AM puck drop. Gilles Senn likely the starter in goal as they continue to alternate with Schneider.

Your Three Stars

#1. Jesper Boqvist (1g, 1a), #2. Julian Melchiori (1g), #3. Brett Seney (1g)

Video Highlights

A Look From Above