BLACK BEARS LOSE IN OVERTIME TO WOLVES 6-5

WATERTOWN – The Binghamton Black Bears surrendered a 5-2 lead in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Watertown Wolves on Friday night.

Mo Levac got the scoring going for the Black Bears to give Binghamton a 1-0 lead. Nikita Ivashkin moved into the offensive zone and found Levac who beat goaltender Adam Beukeboom. The goal came 1:07 into the game with the lone assist from Ivashkin.

Ivashkin gave Binghamton a 2-0 lead as he went through the defense and beat Beukeboom for his 47th goal of the year. Assists were credited to Mathieu Boislard and Tyler Gjurich and came 3:28 into the game for the two-goal lead. 

After killing a penalty, Johnny Bonta got the Wolves on the board with a breakaway goal. Right as he came out of the penalty box, Bonta took the loose puck and lifted it over the shoulder of goaltender Joe Sheppard. It was Bonta’s fifth of the year, assisted by Justin Coachman, and Binghamton’s lead was now 2-1.

Thomas Aldworth gave the Black Bears another two-goal lead late in the first period. Aldworth walked to the front of the net and beat Beukeboom with 1:22 left in the opening period. The goal was Aldworth’s tenth of the year and Binghamton took a 3-1 lead into the intermission.

Nikita Ivashkin scored his second goal of the game just 40 seconds into the second period on the power play. Tyler Gjurich fed a pass to Mo Levac, and he found Ivashkin open at the top of the crease for a tap-in goal. The goal was his second of the night and 48th of the season.

Cole McKechney split Binghamton’s lead in half at 7:28 of the second period with his 21st of the year. Justin MacDonald and Josh Labelle collected assists on the even-strength goal and the Black Bears’ lead was decreased to 4-2.

The Black Bears took another three-goal lead as Tom Tracy scored on a breakaway in his first game with Binghamton. Tracy went in alone and put a move on, sliding the puck under the pads of Beukeboom for his second of the year. The goal came at 9:21 of period two with assists from Emil Strom and Josh Newberg.

Watertown responded late in the second as Cole McKechney recorded his second goal of the game as Binghamton’s power play came to an end. The Black Bears took a 5-3 lead into the third period.

Just 2:34 into the third period, Andrew Harrison scored a power-play goal to get the Wolves back within a goal. Justin MacDonald and Lane King collected the assists and Binghamton’s lead was 5-4.

MacDonald tied the game 5-5 with 5:10 remaining in regulation. The goal was unassisted and eventually forced overtime. 

After the Black Bears couldn’t convert on several chances, Andrew Harrison won the game just 1:47 into overtime for a 6-5 win. 

The Black Bears are back home tomorrow night 5 for Sock Out Cancer Night presented by Security Mutual against Watertown at 7 p.m. The Black Bears will be wearing the special Sock Out Cancer hockey socks during the game and fans have several ways on the concourse to help raise money for Sock Out Cancer. 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.