Binghamton Devils Update: Rookies Shining & Organizational Goalie Shuffling
After a 3-1 start to the season, the Binghamton Devils have had their share of struggles over the first three months of the 2018-2019 season. Thanks to injuries, suspensions, and at times inconsistent play, the team finds themselves once again near the bottom of the North Division as the calendar turns to 2019.
One of the biggest stories so far? The goaltending.
In the first 37 games of the season, Binghamton has used six different goaltenders, not counting two others on professional tryouts. This group includes a conditioning appearance by Cory Schneider, who went 1-1-1 in 3 starts in late October.
When the season began, rookie Cam Johnson was in the starting role, with both Mackenzie Blackwood and Eddie Lack still up with the parent Devils during their season opening trip to Europe. He started out 2-0 but dropped his next two starts. By the end of October, he found himself in the ECHL after both Blackwood and Lack returned to the Southern Tier. After a 9-game stint with Adirondack, Johnson was summoned back to Binghamton after an injury to Lack.
Speaking of Blackwood—what a difference a year makes for the third-year pro. On New Year’s Day 2018, he was reassigned to the ECHL after New Jersey acquired Lack in a trade with Calgary. New Year’s Eve 2018? Just picking up his second straight NHL shutout in his fourth start, and drawing comparisons with another MB in net in New Jersey. Before getting the call on December 17 th , Blackwood was showing signs of improvement from his 2017-18 season, going 6-7-1 with a 2.69 GAA and .911 save percentage in 15 appearances with Binghamton.
With Lack now done for the season after hip surgery, the tandem in net for the time being will be Johnson in the number one role, backed up by former New Jersey draft pick Evan Cormier. Cormier was drafted by the Devils in the 4 th round in the 2016 NHL Draft, but was never signed after finishing his junior career with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. He enrolled at the University of Guelph, and is 6-7-0 with a 2.27 GAA in 13 appearances. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had used him as a backup to Anthony Peters in Toronto on December 1 st , then he joined Binghamton on December 29 th in Belleville as an amateur tryout. He ended up going in for Johnson in the first period, and stopped all 21 shots faced in relief in a 3-2 Binghamton loss.
The Devils offense has at times struggled—their 2.73 goals per game rank 24 th in the AHL. However, there have been a few highlights from the rookie class:
After a slow start to his first pro season, rookie forward Michael McLeod has found his stride. The 2016-1st rounder is tied for the team lead in scoring with 21 points and has only missed two games. He had a good excuse for one of those missed games—he made his NHL debut with New Jersey on November 30 th in Washington before returning to the Southern Tier the next day.
Two other Devils rookies—Joey Anderson and Brett Seney—began their first pro seasons, and both impressed in their brief Binghamton stints. Before getting his first call to New Jersey on October 26th, Anderson, a 2016 3 rd round draft selection, appeared in 8 games with 2 goals and 3 assists. His rookie campaign has been derailed after getting injured on November 21st against Montreal. Seney, a 2015-6th rounder by New Jersey, appeared in 10 games for Binghamton, with one goal and nine assists, before making his NHL debut on November 3rd in Brooklyn. He has become a regular in the New Jersey lineup, appearing in 27 games with 3 goals and 3 assists.
One of the more consistent performers who has yet to get that call to New Jersey is Marian Studenic. The 20-year-old is tied for third on the team in scoring with 19 points in 29 games. His professional career got off to a great start, with goals in 3 of his first 4 games and 4 multi-point outings. A recent injury has kept him out of the lineup for the past 2 weeks.
Inside the Numbers
The Devils are one of just two AHL teams (Providence the other) that have yet to participate in a shootout this season and are tied with Hershey for least number of overtime games with 4.
Special teams have not been so special for the Devils. Their power play ranks 27 th in the AHL at 14.4 percent, while the penalty kill ranks 30th at 76.5 percent. The Devils have also allowed the third most shorthanded goals in the league with 8.
Binghamton wishes they did not have to face Syracuse again this season, as they are 0-6 against the Crunch. Unfortunately, they will have to see their Interstate 81 rivals four more times, including three matchups in a span of 12 days during the month of January.
Against the rest of the North Division, the Devils are 11-8-1-0, including four wins in six games against Utica, a team the franchise has had much success against dating back to the Albany days.
The team’s play at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena has improved in their second season. In 2017-18, the Devils only managed 13 home wins. After 18 games at home this season, they check in at 9-8-1-0.
A total of 39 players have dressed for at least one game in a Devils sweater. Of those 39, 13 have seen time in both the Southern Tier and in New Jersey this season. The 2019 portion of the schedule begins at home on Friday night, as the Devils host Toronto.
