BLACK BEARS CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH WITH WIN OVER PORT HURON

Port Huron, MI- The Binghamton Black Bears defeated the Port Huron Prowlers on Saturday night, by a final score of 3-2.  Austin Thompson scored the game winning goal on the power play with 1:10 remaining in the third period.  

Binghamton would be on the board first as Josh Newberg cashed in his 7th goal of the season at the 11:05 mark.  For the second night in a row, neither team scored in the first 10 minutes of the period.  Liam Freeborn subsequently tied the game up at 1-1 at 16:16 with a 5on3 power play goal.  Shots favored the Prowlers after one, but the score was even at 1-1.  

Period two began with the Prowlers taking their first lead of game.  Dalton Jay threw a puck towards the net, and it redirected off a Black Bears’ leg into the net.  Nikita Ivashkin attempted to tie the game on a breakaway but was turned aside by the goaltender.  The Black Bears stuck with the play and led to the tying goal at 2-2.  Colan Fitzgerald drove a shot from the point that was redirected by Ivashkin for his 32nd goal this year.  Binghamton was being outshot by 10, but held a tie on the scoreboard.  

At the final horn of the 2nd period, the teams would get involved in a scuffle right by the tunnel door.  The officials would hand out match penalties to members of both teams that saw the Black Bears starting the third period with only two, listed defenseman available.  

Binghamton killed off the remaining penalty time to begin the third period.  The teams would trade chances, but Talor Joseph and Wyatt Hofflin withstood the challenges.  Late in the third period, Sam Gagnon would take an offensive zone penalty, sending the Black Bears to the man-advantage.  With a 1:10 remaining in regulation time, the five-forward unit would score the final goal of the night.  Austin Thompson scored the game winning goal on snapshot.  Joseph picks up his 2nd win of the season for the Black Bears, stopping 37 of 39 shots on goal.  Binghamton escapes Port Huron with three points, splitting the season series 3-3-0.   

With their win Saturday, The Black Bears have clinched a playoff berth for the second-straight season.  With the Watertown Wolves defeating the Danbury Hat Tricks 5-3, the Black Bears set up a showdown with the Hat Tricks for the top spot in the Empire Division on February 17th.  It will be the final time of the regular season that the two teams will face off against each other.  Tickets are still available at binghamtonblackbears.com/tickets or by calling the Black Bears front office at 607-722-7367.    

Stay current with the latest team news by visiting www.binghamtonblackbears.com, by calling 607-722-7367, or visiting the front office on the third floor of the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena. Follow the Black Bears all year long on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tik Tok @BlackBearsFPHL.