Merkley, Senn Lead BDevils in Crucial Road Victory Past Cleveland

Cleveland, OH - Nick Merkley had a three-point day, and Gilles Senn stopped 22 as the Binghamton Devils split the weekend series with a 4-0 shutout over the Cleveland Monsters on Sunday. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Devils, including Friday night’s 3-0 loss here as they overall took the season series 3-1.

Binghamton (22-22-4-0) on the road played a fast-paced, up-tempo style and controlled most of the afternoon as Cleveland (22-23-2-2) fell to 13-12-1-0 on home ice. Both clubs are now tied with 48 points in the North Division, but a game on hand goes to the Devils.

Brett Seney started things off on a rare Sunday afternoon affair with a deflection in front past goaltender Veini Vehvilainen for his team-leading 16th of the season with 16:17 left in the opening stanza.

BDevils made it 2-0 in the middle frame as Merkley’s shot from the goal line went off a Monsters’ defender by the far side of the cage into the net for his 7th as a Devil and 10th overall. Not long after, Merkley’s shot attempt was tipped in by Josh Jacobs for a three-goal cushion.

Binghamton would add an insurance goal early in the final period as Egor Sharangovich stripped the puck alongside the net and up, near corner it went over Vehvilainen’s shoulder as the Devils would take a crucial two points with them on the bus ride back home.

Overall shots in favor of Binghamton 42-22.

Line-Up, Game #48

Seney - Street - Merkley, Gignac - Maltsev - Boqvist, Conner - McLeod - Bastian, Sharangovich - Schmelzer - Zetterlund

Cumiskey/Tennyson, Mermis/Jacobs, Melchiori/Groleau

Senn - Schneider

Scratches: Paliotta, Schnarr, Baddock & Studenic

Post Game Notes

• Senn, with his first shutout of the season, improved to 11-7-2-1, 2.75 GAA, 0.899 SV% as he came up with some big saves in the final period using his quickness to his advantage.
• Merkley was all over the ice including a breakaway but was denied trying to go 5-hole past Vehvilainen. He now has 7g, 11a with the Devils and 10g, 24a overall on the season including his 26 games played for the Tucson Roadrunners.
• A fight broke out in the third between Michael McLeod and Paul Bittner with the two wrapped up along the corner boards.
• Ben Street had a quiet two points and earned third-star honors in the Devils’ sweep in the category.

Your Three Stars

#1. Nick Merkley (1g, 2a), #2. Gilles Senn (22 saves), #3. Ben Street (2a)

Video Highlights

A Look From Above