Before The Black Bears vs Dashers H.C. & Motor City 12/20 & 12/21

BINGHAMTON- The Black Bears come back home after a successful weekend out in Illinois, where they took five out of a possible six points from the Dashers. Binghamton will square off with the Dashers again on Friday before facing the Motor City Rockers for the first time this year. The first night was highlighted by a two-goal performance from Scott Ramaekers and a 26-save win for Connor McAnanama. Austin Thompson would also score in the team’s win but that was just the start to his eventful weekend. The next night not only did Thompson score the overtime winner, but he also recorded four points in the victory. The Black Bears enter this matchup 16-3-1, good for first in the Empire division with 28 points.

The Dashers are still looking to find their footing within the league after another winless weekend. The team has yet to record points in consecutive games this season and will look to do that on the road against the Black Bears. Brendan Stojcevski has been phenomenal, but he cannot carry the weight on his own. Lucky for him, the Dashers completed a trade to reunite Stojcevski with his old Danbury Hat Tricks Teammate Bohdan Zinchenko. The Dashers are in desperate need of a spark and the reunion of two players who had success a year ago may be just what they need. The Dashers come into this matchup 1-14-3, seventh in the Empire division with 6 points.

The Rockers return to Binghamton for the first time since they were eliminated at the hands of the Black Bears only a few months ago. They are coming off an impressive weekend for their goaltending tandem as they only allowed two goals in as many games against the Port Huron Prowlers. The first night, Motor City had their offense rolling as they cruised to a shutout four-goal victory. The second night, however, was a different story. The team's offense could only muster one goal as they fell 2-1. The team will need both strong goaltending and plenty of offense if they want to beat Binghamton on Saturday. The Rockers enter this week 7-10-1, fifth in the Empire division with 19 points.

Players To Watch

Black Bears - Cam Cervone (D) - One of the new guys to this year's squad Cervone has filled his role nicely as a lockdown defenseman. Cervone returns this weekend after a brief stint on the injured reserve which kept him sidelined for two weeks. Both team’s goaltenders will be happy to see Cam return to action as he’s able to make their lives much easier by keeping pucks away from their net. Whether it’s redirecting passes with a good stick check or putting the body on the line.

Black Bears - Josh Fletcher (F) - Fletcher's return has been long-awaited as the forward got back to action last week. The second-year Black Bear was a huge part of the 2024 Commissioner's Cup run and to have him back on the ice provides a spark for the squad. Fletcher's 200-foot game is second to none in the league and the toughness he adds will surely give a boat to the Black Bears. Fletcher will also use his sneaky shot to catch goalies by surprise. While he may not always look to shoot, when he does you can’t give him much space or he’ll make you regret it.

Dashers - Bohdan Zinchenko (F) - Zinchenko comes over from the Danbury Hat Tricks in a trade that saw him reunited with Brandon Stojcevski. The numbers have been good for Zinchenko so far as he fit in nicely with a bottom-forward role in Danbury. Now with the move to the Dasher Zinchenko can expect more minutes as he is slated to be one of their top producers. Zinchenko could be a nice pickup for the Dashers if he can get his scoring touch with his new squad.

Rockers - Eli Rivers (F) - Rivers has been the most consistent scorer for the Rockers this season as he already has 18 points. What’s even more impressive is that ten of those points are goals from the rookie. Rivers has appeared in 18 games so far this season making him a point-per-game player, something this Rockers team needs as their offense has struggled over the last week. For the Rockers to not only be successful this weekend but overall going forward Rivers will need to play a huge role in the offense.

Series Statistic

The Black Bears’ penalty kill is once again the highlight of this week, as it has propelled the team. Last week the team surrendered zero power-play goals and they were able to kill nine penalties in Friday’s win. The team has used the penalty kill all season long to generate momentum, as well as, take the wind out of their opponent’s sails. The team will look to keep this strong streak going as they collide with two teams in the bottom half of the league regarding power play percentage.

Schedule

December 20, 7:00 pm at the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena (Binghamton, NY.)

December 21, 7:00 pm at the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena (Binghamton, NY.)

You can watch all of the games on the Binghamton Black Bears YouTube channel.

Hockey season is back! Call the Black Bears office at 607-722-7367 or stop into the third-floor hockey offices of Visions Veterans Memorial Arena. Fans can secure their seat for all 28 home games next year and save up to 30% on tickets. Stay current with the latest team news by visiting www.binghamtonblackbears.com and by following the Black Bears all year long on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tik Tok @BlackBearsFPHL.