Binghamton win SO thriller in Hudson Valley

BINGHAMTON- The Binghamton Black Bears beat the Hudson Valley Venom in an back-and-forth thriller on Friday night, 5-4 in the shootout.  Binghamton secures their fifth-straight victory and third-straight contest that has gone past regulation time. 

Captain Tyson Kirkby started the scoring on the Black Bears second power play of the period.  Scott Ramaekers in his first game back from the 15-day IR set up Kirkby with a cross-ice pass.  Binghamton had all the offense in the opening frame, outshooting the Venom 17-4. 

The second period was filled with goals… and penalties.  The Venom were able to tie the game at 1-1 with a power play goal and would eventually go up 2-1 with a short-handed goal, both by Blake Siewertsen.  A new guy, Zac Sirota, would score the equalizer, just over a minute later.  After an assortment of penalties, the Black Bears found themselves on the power play again in the dying seconds of the period.  Dan Wieber hammered a shot towards the net with two seconds left in the period, and it deflected into the net off Kirkby’s leg.  The second power play goal of the night for Binghamton gave them a 3-2 lead going into the room. 

Hudson Valley struck early in the third, tie the game again at 3-3, and managed to take a lead late in the third period.  At the final media timeout of the night, the Black Bears found themselves down by goal, looking to force overtime for the third-straight game.  Cam Clark would step up and deliver the game-tying goal with under two minutes as Connor McAnanama was headed off for the extra attacker.  Each team earned a point as overtime tied to settle the score. 

Both teams failed to convert on the power play in the extra frame, so to the shootout they went.  Clark was tapped to go first and he would be the only play to score.  McAnanama stopped all three shooters at his end and the Black Bears skated away with the extra point.  Binghamton wins in the shootout 5-4.   

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