Before The Black Bears vs Dashers H.C. 2/28 & 3/1

BINGHAMTON- The Black Bears finish their long homestand as the Dashers H.C. come to town. These two teams come into the weekend on two completely different ends of the standings. The Black Bears sit atop the Empire Division with a playoff spot already locked up, as the Dashers dwell in the basement with just one lone win. The last time these two met was when the Dashers made the long trip to Binghamton for a Friday night contest. The game was a huge win for the Black Bears as they pumped the Dashers by a final of 7-1. The game was 1-0 thanks to Cam Clark for most of the contest. It was not until the third where Bohdon Zinchenko would tie the contest for the dashers before the Black Bears exploded. Two goals from both Tyson Kirkby and Don Olivieri, as well as tallies from Kyle Stephan and Zac Sirota, drove the Black Bears to a 7-1 victory.

The Black Bears once again swept this last weekend as they took both games from the Motor City Rockers. The two wins would mark the 15th in a row for the Black Bears as they look unstoppable. Night one had Binghamton jump out to a 4-0 lead before Motor City would respond. Goals from Chris Mott, Dan Stone, Tyson Kirkby, and Austin Thompson provided the foundation before Gavin Yates put the icing on the top of a 5-2 victory. Night two was a little different for the Black Bears as they fell behind early on two quick Motor City goals. This would not last, as the Black Bears would rattle off seven-straight goals. A full team effort would drive the Black Bears to a decisive 7-3 victory. The Black Bears enter this matchup 36-4-1, good for first in the Empire Division with 104 points.

Last week was a tough one for the Dashers, as travel issues plagued their trip to Winston-Salem. The short-handed Dashers just couldn’t handle the surging Thunderbirds as both nights were blowouts. Night one was the toughest game as the Dasher failed to score while surrendering double-digit goals, dropping the game 11-0. The second night was not much better as the Dasheres did get on the board but only once. They dropped night two by a final of 9-1, with Yosuke Jumonji scoring the only goal for the Dashers. It’s just been that type of season for the Dashers as they need to regroup and get ready to do battle with the top team in the FPHL. The Dashers come into this matchup 1-34-3, last in the Empire Division with 6 points.

Players To Watch

Black Bears - Gavin Yates (F) - Yates has been a mainstay since the inception of this franchise. His ability to move with the puck is what has made him such a productive player for this Binghamton squad. This past weekend, Yates saw his production reach new milestones as the forward scored his 200th point with the Black Bears and his 300th point in the FPHL. Yates is a crafty forward who thrives when he can get his legs moving and is a nightmare for opposing teams any time he touches the puck.

Black Bears - Cam Clark (F) - It’s no secret that Clark has had a tough stretch these last few weeks, but he is still doing all the right things. Cam is in good spots to score; he just hasn’t had much luck in terms of finding the back of the net. Clark is a top-notch player, and droughts like this happen for everyone. He just needs to see one go in, and then the floodgates will open. Overall, Cam Clark is still a top player in this league, and he just needs to get back on the horse to show everyone just how good he truly is.

Dashers - Blake Siewertsen (F) - Siewertsen has been a nice find for the Dashers, as he came over mid-season from the Venom. He has five goals since his arrival, and in only 11 games. Siewertsen is the only Dashers player to reach the 20-point plateau and has been doing the lifting for this team since his arrival. While Siewertsen has been good, the Dashers will need more than just him to beat this thring Black Bears team.

Series Statistic

The Black Bears show day in and day out exactly why they sit atop the league standings. They once again completed a two-goal come-from-behind win, and this seems to be a trend with this squad. They never feel out of the game and always keep their foot on the gas pedal. This was the second two-goal comeback in the last two weeks, and in both, the team never seemed to play desperate. The Black Bears trust their offensive players to score, their defensive players to lock down other teams, and their goalies to make the saves asked of them. With the trust that this team has in one another, it is easy to see why they never panic during any of the rare times they fall behind.

Schedule

February  28, 7:00 pm at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena (Binghamton, NY.)

March 1, 7:00 pm at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena (Binghamton, NY.)

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