BINGHAMTON -- Who knows what the future will hold, but if this does happen to be Denis Hamel's final year with the Binghamton Senators, let the record reflect: He came surging into 2010 in classic fashion.
Now in the third and final year of his contract with the B-Sens, Hamel has scored six goals over his last seven games, including a goal in three straight.
Hamel, 32, will look to continue that streak Saturday night, when Binghamton visits East Division-leading Hershey.
"I just try to do the best I can on the ice, and try to get (as many) shots on net as possible," Hamel said Thursday night, after the B-Sens snapped a three-game losing skid with a 3-2 overtime win over Norfolk.
"When you play with a guy like (Martin) St. Pierre, and (Ryan) Keller, it makes my job a little bit more easy. But it doesn't matter right now who scores, it's just a matter of, we need the two points."
Indeed, the B-Sens entered 2010 with a fourth-place standing in the East Division, four points out of third and 16 points behind the front-running Hershey Bears.
But if the playoffs were to start today, the B-Sens would miss the postseason for a fifth straight year by virtue of the fact that the fifth-place team in the Atlantic Division can cross over and take the fourth and final playoff spot in the East this season.
Hartford entered the new year in fifth place in the Atlantic with 39 points, five more than Binghamton.
"It'll be a race 'til the end of the season," Hamel said. "We knew before the season started we've got a tough division, and a lot of good teams. And the two points (Thursday) were really huge for us, but we still have a long way to make the playoffs. And we'll try to do the best we can to do it."
With no contract in place for next season, and thus no guarantees right now, Hamel said recently that he's "playing this year like it's my last year." But the B-Sens' all-time goals, assists and points leader continues to maintain he won't make any final decisions on his future until after the season is over.
For now, he's entered 2010 just two goals off the American Hockey League lead with 15. But while his linemates for much of this season -- St. Pierre and Keller -- earned all-star nods this past week, Hamel did not. It's a fact that did not seem to bother him Thursday.
"Absolutely not," he said. "I've been there, and I think I'm too old to get there anyway."
He added later, with a laugh: "I think at my age, I need more days off than anything. So, I'm really happy for them. They deserve it. They play well, and they're good players. But on my side, I'll take the three days off we've got."
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B-Sens' Hamel riding a hot streak into Hershey | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin
B-Sens' Hamel riding a hot streak into Hershey
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