KIRKBY & McVEIGH LIFT BLACK BEARS TO VICTORY

BINGHAMTON- The Binghamton Black Bears outlasted the Elmira Mammoth 6-3 on Friday night.  Tyson Kirkby tallied the first hat trick of the season for Binghamton, and Riley McVeigh made 36 saves earning his first ever professional win in net. 

The Black Bears were first on the scoreboard first, as Nikita Ivashkin scored and even strength goal less than three minutes into the game.  Elmira tied up a few minutes later thanks to Parker Moskal.  Tyson Kirkby gave the lead back to Binghamton with a beautiful deke around the goaltender, making it 2-1 in favor of the Black Bears.  Again, the Mammoth would have the answer right away.  Yianni Liarakos tied the game at 2-2 with a power play, 5 on 3 goal.  Less than a minute later, Elmira would take a 3-2 advantage on Liarakos’s second goal of the game.  After the third Elmira goal, Owen Liskiewicz was pulled and replaced by Riley McVeigh.  McVeigh made two saves in the remaining minutes of the first period.  Late in the frame Kirkby received a centering pass from Tyler Gjurich that would tie the game 3-3 going into the intermission. 

The second period flew by as the goalies traded amazing saves on both ends.  McVeigh and Micucci battled to keep the score deadlocked at 3-3.  The Black Bears went on the power play again, going 0-3 in the first period, tried to grab the go-ahead goal.  After what seemed to be a lack-luster start to the power play, Bret Parker went end-to-end and scored a wrap-around goal to give Binghamton the lead once again 4-3.

In the third, Riley McVeigh continued to stand on his head, turning aside all 11 shots he faced in the period.  The Black Bears penalty kill unit had to kill off another 5 on 3 chance from Elmira to preserve their one goal lead at the time.  Ivashkin would net his second of the game with three minutes left to give Binghamton an insurance goal.  But Kirkby was not done yet, as he would slide a empty-netter from the defensive end to record the first hat trick of the season for the club. 

Black Bears defeat the Mammoth 6-3, grab the 3 points, and lead the season series 3-0.

The same two teams will square off again tomorrow night at 6:30 P.M. Elmira will still be searching for their first victory of the season.

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 Tic Tok @BlackBearsFPHL.