The Binghamton Senators and the Albany River Rats are two teams headed in opposition directions.
Left wing Denis Hamel scored a goal and assisted on defenseman Geoff Kinrade's game winner in the third period as Binghamton edged Albany, 3-2 in an American Hockey League Sunday matinee at Times Union Center.
The fifth-place Senators won their third consecutive game to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive and in the process dealt the River Rats their third straight loss.
After carrying a four-game winning streak into Friday, Albany lost 8-2 at Hershey on Friday and 2-1 at Binghamton on Saturday before the Senators swept the home-and-home series.
Even with the loss, second-place Albany (38-27-3-5) remains six points ahead of third-place Norfolk and eight points in front of fourth-place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, who were both idle.
After the Senators (31-32-5-3) seized a 2-1 lead on Hamel's goal 6:50 into the third period, center Mike Angelidis scored the tying goal on a shorthanded tally just 13 seconds into a Binghamton power play at 6:50.
But Kinrade responded with the decisive goal only 42 seconds later as a shot by Hamel deflected off a defender's stick and right to Kinrade at the left post at 8:16.
Chris Holt, who became only the 10th goaltender in AHL history to score a goal in a 4-2 win over Rochester on Sunday, made 24 saves to turn back the Rats.
Mike Morrison stopped 23 of 26 shots faced for Albany.
The Rats have seven games remaining in their regular season, with only two at home. Albany plays at rival Adirondack on Wednesday night at 7.