Before The Black Bears vs Motor City 1/10 & 1/11

BINGHAMTON- The Black Bears are back in Michigan this weekend as they get set to do battle with the Motor City Rockers. After splitting the weekend in Port Huron last week the Black Bears take the short trip to Frasier with hopes to get back in the win column. The last time these two teams met it was Binghamton that skated away with the 4-2 win in the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena. The game was even till about halfway through the second period and then the Black Bear would rattle off three straight goals. Binghamton got goals from usual suspects like Gavin Yates, Tyson Kirkby, and Scott Ramaekers. They also received offense from their blue line as Dan Wieber scored his first of the season in the contest. Connor McAnanama was his usual dominant self only surrendering two goals on eighteen shots.

The Black Bears enter this weekend after having their winning streak snapped by the Prowlers. Offense was the name of the game last weekend as both teams combined for a total of 24 goals. Seven of those goals came from the Black Bears on night one as they seemed to have the offense rolling in front of Nolan Egbert. Multi-goal performances from Dakota Bohn and Austin Thompson lead the charge. Help came from Tyson Kirkby, C.J. Stubbs, and Chris Mott, as the Black Bears easily cruised to a 7-3 victory. The next night was a different story as the Prowlers were able to keep up with the Black Bears’ scoring. Goals once again from Kirkby, Mott, Thompson, and Stubbs, weren’t enough as the Prowlers battled back to take the game 8-6. Binghamton looks to start a new win streak and continue their successful ways in Frasier.  The Black Bears enter this matchup 21-4-1, good for first in the Empire Division with 60 points.

Last week took Motor City down to Winston-Salem for a matchup with the Thunderbirds where they were able to earn a split of the two games. The Rockers are not having the same season as last year where they found themselves firmly in the second spot for the playoffs. Instead, the Rockers are fighting to even get into a position where they would have post-season aspirations. With a goaltender like Trevor Babin and Ricky Gonzalez, the team should be in the playoff contention every year but it just has not been the case so far for them. While the team has done a good job of holding opponents off the board the offense has not been able to keep up. The team seems to score just under what they surrender every night or not score at all. That was the case when they dropped game one to the Thunderbirds by a score of 7-2. The nights they win seem to be when they can shut down the other side's offense such as with their win over the Thunderbirds 3-1. The Rockers come into this matchup 11-13-1, fifth in the Empire Division with 31 points.

Players To Watch

Black Bears - C.J. Stubbs (F) - Since the moment Stubbs signed on with the Black Bears his presence has been felt. His production was always a matter of not if, but when, and Stubbs has certainly come alive these last few weeks. Stubbs’ shot is sneaky and his ability to use defenders to screen their own goaltender is top-notch. Stubbs also brings a veteran presence to a very young Black Bear team who look to him as a leader. With Stubbs in the fold, the rich get richer as Binghamton becomes even more offensively dangerous.

Black Bears - Dale Deon (D) - Deon joins the Black Bears this weekend after playing five games in Monroe with the Moccasin. Deon recorded two points during his time with the Moccasin as he had a goal and an assist. If Deon can add some offense to a blue line that has been needing it, he will fit in nicely with his new team. Deon will also need to keep pucks away from his new goaltenders as that is something the team has done well all season long. The newcomer is well-traveled as he has spent a lot of time in the SPHL and with other FPHL franchises. Deon will have the tough task of cracking a Binghamton line-up spot and will look to get himself off and rolling positively this weekend. 

Rockers - T.J. Sneath (F) - Sneath has been a provider since he arrived to the Rockers last season. The team relies heavily on his offensive game in order to put together wins. Sneath’s scoring ability has been pretty consistent throughout his time with Motor City. He has close to the same goal-scoring pace as he was last year, however with only playing 33 games,  Sneath should smash through his previous numbers. Sneath needs to keep up this production along with Eli Rivers if the team wants any hope of sneaking into the last Empire Division playoff spot.

Series Statistic

The Black Bears' front-line scoring is what we will highlight this week as guys like Tyson Kirkby, Austin Thompson, and C.J. Stubbs all had huge weekends. The top two lines have been constantly scoring all year long no matter who is a part of them. The team has had to make do without one of their weapons in Cam Clark but being able to score without him will make his return all the sweeter. Forwards such as Kyle Stephan and Don Olivieri can just sit back and collect points when every pass finds the tape of someone who can score just as easily as anyone in the league. The team is truly rich in resources on the top line and it has led to the success fans have become accustomed to. The team uses this firepower to overpower their opponent and is the reason they sit atop the league.

Schedule

January 3, 7:35 pm at Big Boy Arena (Fraser, MI.)

January 4, 7:05 pm at Big Boy Arena (Fraser, MI.)

You can watch both 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 remaining home games this 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