BLACK BEARS DROP THUNDER WITH BUZZER BEATER, 6-5

by Rob Lippolis

BINGHAMTON - Tyler Gjurich scored with under two seconds left in regulation as the Binghamton Black Bears defeated the Delaware Thunder on Friday night inside Visions Veterans Memorial Arena, 6-5.

Delaware started the scoring just 6:40 into the game for a 1-0 lead. Yianni Liarakos took a great pass from Ryan Marker and slid the puck by the right leg pad of goaltender Owen Liskiewicz for his 11th goal of the year. Assists were credited to Marker and Justin LaPorte.

Thomas Aldworth responded to tie the game at one at 11:24 of the first period. Aldworth and Nikita Ivashkin did a give-and-go on a 2-on-0 breakaway chance and Aldworth slid the puck by the pad of Trevor Babin. The goal was Aldworth’s sixth of the year with the lone assist going to Ivashkin to tie the game 1-1.

Ryan Marker got in on the scoring after the Black Bears failed to clear the puck in the defensive zone. Inside the right circle, Marker sent a wrister by the right pad of Liskiewicz for his 23rd goal of the year for a 2-1 Thunder lead. The goal came at 12:50 of the first period with assists from Liarakos and Brandon Lucchesi.

Binghamton came back again to tie the game, this time at two apiece. From the right point, Emil Strom turned a sent a shot on net that sailed over the right shoulder of Babin to even the score 2-2. The gal was Strom’s third of the year and was unassisted at 16:37 of the first.

Dan Vanderwiel scored his first goal to give Binghamton a one-goal lead after one period. At the side of the crease, Vanderwiel punched home the rebound with assists from Geno DeAngelo and Kyle Powell. The goal came with 25 seconds left in the first period and the Black Bears took the 3-2 lead into the intermission.

In the second period, Ryan Marker set up Alex Soucy on the power play to tie the game at three. Soucy tapped in a Marker pass from the left circle at 5:58 of the second to even the score, 3-3. The goal was Soucy’s first from Marker and Marc-Antoine Brouillette.

Nikita Ivashkin gave the Black Bears another lead with his league-leading 38th goal of the year in the second period. Ivashkin took the puck through the neutral zone and beat Babin over the shoulder at 15:38. The goal was unassisted, and Binghamton took a 4-3 lead.

Ryan Marker tied the game late in the second with a great wrist shot. Marker set a shot over the shoulder of Liskiewicz from the right-wing circle to tie the game 4-4. Binghamton held the shot advantage through two periods 32-22 with the game tied at four.

Marker completed the hat trick to give Delaware a 5-4 lead in the third. The lone assist went to Yianni Liarakos as Marker scored a shorthanded goal at 2:40 of the final frame. 

Colan Fitzgerald tied the game with a shorthanded goal on a great individual effort. Fitzgerald moved down the left side and beat Babin under the leg pads for his second goal of the year. Nikita Ivashkin and Josh Newberg were given the assists at 7:13 of the third to even the score, 5-5.

With just 1.3 seconds left in regulation, Tyler Gjurich sent a wrist shot into the net from the hash marks to secure a 6-5 victory. The goal was Gjurich’s 20th of the season with assists from Kyle Powell and Corey Sherman. 

The Black Bears return home on Saturday, February 19 for Military Appreciation Night presented by Lockheed Martin. The Black Bears will be wearing special military-themed jerseys that will be auctioned off for charity. Also, all active-duty military and veterans get a special $5 ticket!  Get your tickets at www.binghamtonblackbears.com/tickets   

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, and Instagram.