There’s a bit of catch up to play in this week’s instalment of the Almanac. We’ll bring you up to speed on the last two weeks in the Holy B-Sens Empire. The big story this week has been recently profiled goaltender Brian Elliott. Since the last edition of the Almanac, Elliott has been red hot, posting a 1.40 GAA and a .958 sv% while going 4-1-0. Elliott’s heroics were enough to earn him December’s AHL Goaltender of the Month honours. While I am still sceptical as to how well Elliott projects as a full time NHLer, the improvement he is showing is encouraging, especially in light of the big club’s current struggles. One thing Elliott has going for him is that the bar has been set low by his predecessors. As long as Elliott wakes up on time for practice, keeps his road rage in check and puts up decent NHL numbers, he will lay claim to the title of “Best Goaltender Developed by the Ottawa Senators.” No pressure there. Elliott currently sits 1st in the AHL in wins, 2nd in sv%, and 6th in GAA.
Fri, Dec 26th 2008 – Binghamton 3, Syracuse 2 (OT).
Key Contributors:
Denis Hamel – 2G, OT Winner, 11 SOG
Mattias Karlsson – 3A, 2 SOG, -1.
Matt Carkner – 3A, 4 PIM, Even
Brian Elliott – 61:22, 32 SV, 2 GA
Key Stat – Power Play:
Binghamton: 3/8
Syracuse: 1/5
Notes: Binghamton took 35 shots on Blue Jackets 2004 3rd Rounder Dan Lacosta. Ryan Shannon scored Binghamton’s first goal.
Sat, Dec 27th 2008 – Binghamton 4, Hershey 1
Key Contributors:
Fri, Dec 26th 2008 – Binghamton 3, Syracuse 2 (OT).
Key Contributors:
Denis Hamel – 2G, OT Winner, 11 SOG
Mattias Karlsson – 3A, 2 SOG, -1.
Matt Carkner – 3A, 4 PIM, Even
Brian Elliott – 61:22, 32 SV, 2 GA
Key Stat – Power Play:
Binghamton: 3/8
Syracuse: 1/5
Notes: Binghamton took 35 shots on Blue Jackets 2004 3rd Rounder Dan Lacosta. Ryan Shannon scored Binghamton’s first goal.
Sat, Dec 27th 2008 – Binghamton 4, Hershey 1
Key Contributors:
Danny Bois – 1G, 1A, Even
Derek Smith – 1G, 1A, +1
Peter Regin – 1A, +1, 4 PIM
Key Stat – Goaltending:
Brian Elliott (BNG) – 59:49, 43 SV, 1 GA
Michael Neuvrith (HER) – 60:00, 20 SV, 4 GA
Notes: Newcomer Aaron Clarke, in his second ever AHL game, scored the winner for Binghamton on his first goal in the American League. The win snapped Binghamton’s 16-game losing streak in Hershey.
Sun, Dec 28th 2008 – Wilkes-Barrie/Scranton 6, Binghamton 3
Key Contributors:
Ryan Shannon – 1G, 3 SOG, Even
Jim Mackenzie – 1G, 2 SOG, Even
Denis Hamel – 1G, 2 PIM, -3.
Jeff Glass – 59:11, 33 SV, 5 GA, 1 ENG
Key Stat – Shots on Goal:
Binghamton – 14
W-B/S – 39
Notes: Jeff Glass couldn’t duplicate Brian Elliott’s heist from the previous evening. Glass is now 1-6-2 on the year with a 4.20 GAA and .882 sv%. When asked about his struggles after the game, he said “This is as frustrated as I've been in my career.”
Tue, Dec 30th 2008 – Binghamton 5, Syracuse 2
Key Contributors:
Tomas Kudelka – 2G, 1A, 3PPP
Peter Regin, - 1G, 1A, 2PPP
Zach Smith – 2A, 7 PIM.
Brian Elliott – 59:29, 23 SV, 2 GA.
Key Stat – Special Teams:
Binghamton – 4/9, 1 SHG
Syracuse – 2/8
Notes: This game featured no even strength goals by either team. Derek Smith also recorded 2 assists. This was a chippy affair, with four fights and 78 minutes in penalties.
Wed, Dec 31st 2008 – Albany 2, Binghamton 1
Key Contributors:
Danny Bois – 1G, 3 SOG, Even
Brian Elliott – 58:41, 35 SV, 2 GA
Key Stat – Shots on Goal by Period:
Binghamton – 1st: 11 2nd: 3 3rd: 16
Albany – 1st: 12 2nd: 19 3rd: 6
Notes: The B-Sens fell asleep in the second and nearly survived, allowing the game winner with 40 seconds to play in the middle frame. They outplayed the River Rats in the third, but couldn't make up the two goal deficit.
Derek Smith – 1G, 1A, +1
Peter Regin – 1A, +1, 4 PIM
Key Stat – Goaltending:
Brian Elliott (BNG) – 59:49, 43 SV, 1 GA
Michael Neuvrith (HER) – 60:00, 20 SV, 4 GA
Notes: Newcomer Aaron Clarke, in his second ever AHL game, scored the winner for Binghamton on his first goal in the American League. The win snapped Binghamton’s 16-game losing streak in Hershey.
Sun, Dec 28th 2008 – Wilkes-Barrie/Scranton 6, Binghamton 3
Key Contributors:
Ryan Shannon – 1G, 3 SOG, Even
Jim Mackenzie – 1G, 2 SOG, Even
Denis Hamel – 1G, 2 PIM, -3.
Jeff Glass – 59:11, 33 SV, 5 GA, 1 ENG
Key Stat – Shots on Goal:
Binghamton – 14
W-B/S – 39
Notes: Jeff Glass couldn’t duplicate Brian Elliott’s heist from the previous evening. Glass is now 1-6-2 on the year with a 4.20 GAA and .882 sv%. When asked about his struggles after the game, he said “This is as frustrated as I've been in my career.”
Tue, Dec 30th 2008 – Binghamton 5, Syracuse 2
Key Contributors:
Tomas Kudelka – 2G, 1A, 3PPP
Peter Regin, - 1G, 1A, 2PPP
Zach Smith – 2A, 7 PIM.
Brian Elliott – 59:29, 23 SV, 2 GA.
Key Stat – Special Teams:
Binghamton – 4/9, 1 SHG
Syracuse – 2/8
Notes: This game featured no even strength goals by either team. Derek Smith also recorded 2 assists. This was a chippy affair, with four fights and 78 minutes in penalties.
Wed, Dec 31st 2008 – Albany 2, Binghamton 1
Key Contributors:
Danny Bois – 1G, 3 SOG, Even
Brian Elliott – 58:41, 35 SV, 2 GA
Key Stat – Shots on Goal by Period:
Binghamton – 1st: 11 2nd: 3 3rd: 16
Albany – 1st: 12 2nd: 19 3rd: 6
Notes: The B-Sens fell asleep in the second and nearly survived, allowing the game winner with 40 seconds to play in the middle frame. They outplayed the River Rats in the third, but couldn't make up the two goal deficit.
Fri, Jan 2nd 2009 – Binghamton 4, Houston 0.
Key Contributors:
Ryan Shannon – SHG, 1A, +2
Peter Regin – 1G, 2 PIM, +1
Josh Hennessy – PPG, 2 SOG, +1.
Key Stat – Goaltending
Brian Elliott (BNG) – 59:26, 21 SV, 0 GA, SO
Nolan Schaefer (HOU) – 56:37, 19 SV, 3 GA, ENG
Notes: The shutout was Elliott’s second of the year, the first coming against Albany on Dec. 13th. Marc Cavosie scored Binghamton’s other goal.
Spotlight: Ryan Shannon
Position: C/RW
Shoots: Right
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 178 lbs
Birthdate: Mar/02/1983.
Hometown: Darien, CT
Acquired: Trade, Sept 2nd 2008 (from Vancouver for Lawrence Nycholat)
That Shannon has made it as far as he has in hockey is somewhat of a success story. Generously listed as 5’9”, Shannon was passed over in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Shannon was a point per game player his final three seasons with NCAA Boston College, and was offered a contract by the Anaheim (then Mighty) Ducks following his Senior year at BC in 2005.
The Connecticut product immediately rewarded the Ducks by posting 86 points (27G, 49A, +30) in 71 games as a rookie pro with the Portland Pirates in 2005-06. He also tallied 11 goals and 11 assists in 19 playoff games with the Pirates that season. The next year he earned a job with the Ducks out of camp, but did not meet expectations and spent a handful of games in the AHL with the Pirates. He struggled to regain his form from the previous year while in the AHL.
Shannon split 2007-08 between the Vancouver Canucks and their AHL affiliate the Manitoba Moose. Shannon became property of the Canucks after being traded for Jason King and a conditional 2009 3rd-round pick. Shannon played 27 games in Vancouver, recording 5 goals and 8 assists, but failed to attain a point per game pace in his 13 contests with the Moose.
Sens GM Bryan Murray acquired Shannon in the days leading up to training camp for career AHL defenceman Lawrence Nycholat. The 2005 Hockey East All-Star was cut from Ottawa’s training camp, but has regained his offensive touch in Binghamton this season. Shannon leads the team with 26 points (10G, 16A) in 25 games. He has posted an assist in 2 games with Ottawa.
Shannon’s NHL prognosis is unclear. He has struggled with injuries throughout his pro career, and has been inconsistent when called upon to produce points. He may be the kind of player who is an excellent AHL scorer that never makes a meaningful impact in the big show. Nevertheless, expect to get a long look at Shannon in Ottawa this March if the big club’s fortunes don’t turn around. He has decent speed, and can be very creative with the puck as he possesses plenty of skill. Plus he has that nifty shootout spin move, which might be useful to the shootout-challenged Senators - provided goalies don’t discover an antidote.
The Connecticut product immediately rewarded the Ducks by posting 86 points (27G, 49A, +30) in 71 games as a rookie pro with the Portland Pirates in 2005-06. He also tallied 11 goals and 11 assists in 19 playoff games with the Pirates that season. The next year he earned a job with the Ducks out of camp, but did not meet expectations and spent a handful of games in the AHL with the Pirates. He struggled to regain his form from the previous year while in the AHL.
Shannon split 2007-08 between the Vancouver Canucks and their AHL affiliate the Manitoba Moose. Shannon became property of the Canucks after being traded for Jason King and a conditional 2009 3rd-round pick. Shannon played 27 games in Vancouver, recording 5 goals and 8 assists, but failed to attain a point per game pace in his 13 contests with the Moose.
Sens GM Bryan Murray acquired Shannon in the days leading up to training camp for career AHL defenceman Lawrence Nycholat. The 2005 Hockey East All-Star was cut from Ottawa’s training camp, but has regained his offensive touch in Binghamton this season. Shannon leads the team with 26 points (10G, 16A) in 25 games. He has posted an assist in 2 games with Ottawa.
Shannon’s NHL prognosis is unclear. He has struggled with injuries throughout his pro career, and has been inconsistent when called upon to produce points. He may be the kind of player who is an excellent AHL scorer that never makes a meaningful impact in the big show. Nevertheless, expect to get a long look at Shannon in Ottawa this March if the big club’s fortunes don’t turn around. He has decent speed, and can be very creative with the puck as he possesses plenty of skill. Plus he has that nifty shootout spin move, which might be useful to the shootout-challenged Senators - provided goalies don’t discover an antidote.
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