DANBURY HAT TRICKS at BINGHAMTON BLACK BEARS

Black Bears Win on Thanksgiving Eve

by Brooks Hill

Binghamton, NY - The Binghamton Black Bears defeated the Danbury Hat Tricks 3-2 in a low scoring affair on a rare, Wednesday contest. Rookie forward, Khaden Henry recorded a career-high three points (2G, A) in the one-goal victory for the Black Bears. 

The Black Bears were on the board first, as Khaden Henry scored in his first game back after being activated from the 15-day IR. Five minutes later, the rookie added on his second of the night off a beautiful wrist shot beating the goalie’s glove. Danbury had a late power play in the period, but unable to capitalize, the Black Bears went into the room up 2-0.

The visitors grabbed another power play in the second period, nearing the halfway point. This time Danbury would convert, as Vadim Frolov wacked at a puck bouncing on the goal line. 20 seconds later, who else but Henry grabbing his third point of the night, as Tyson Kirkby scored his team-leading 11th goal of the season. But the scoring was not done, Danbury’s Chase Harwell was able to score shorthanded, inching the game closer as the period drew to a close. After two periods, the Black Bears led the Hat Tricks 3-2. 

Both teams had power plays in the third, but nobody was able to change the score. Danbury outshot Binghamton 12-8 in the period, but McAnanama shut the door the rest of the way. Binghamton wins 3-2 on the annual Thanksgiving Eve game.  

Hat Tricks Fall 3-2 in Thanksgiving Eve Showdown in Binghamton

by Wyatt Kopelman

Binghamton, NY - Khaden Henry had two goals in his first game since Nov. 2 and the Binghamton Black Bears defeated the Hat Tricks 3-2 at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena on Wednesday.

At 12:28 of the first period, Henry put the Black Bears ahead by one, scoring off a bounce in the crease. The first-year forward added another 4:47 later, rifling a shot underneath the crossbar to extend Binghamton’s lead to two. It was the third goal in two games for Henry, whose last one came against the Hat Tricks before his absence.

Conor McCollum turned away seven shots in the second period and eight in the third. The second-year goalie logged 19 saves and allowed just one goal after the first — Tyson Kirkby’s game-winner in the second.

The Hat Tricks and Black Bears were even in shots after two periods with 14 apiece. Co-head coach Jonny Ruiz and Vadim Frolov shared three attempts in one offensive zone trip in the third, but could not poke the puck through on the man advantage to tie with about 7:15 remaining.

Slicing their deficit to 2-1, Frolov scored on the rebound at 8:54 in the second for the Hat Tricks’ first power play goal since Nov. 9. Chase Harwell, crossing in front of the net, tipped Gleb Bandurkin's shot to score short handed at 11:06 to keep Danbury within one. Harwell finished the game with a Gordie Howe hat trick: a goal, an assist, and a fight.

The Hat Tricks outshot the Black Bears 12-8 in the third and their faceoff win in the final 16 seconds looked promising, until Binghamton cleared the puck. Connor McAnanama made 24 saves and protected the crease while Danbury went at him on the power play late.

Up next, the Hat Tricks stay on the road to take on the Port Huron Prowlers for the first time this season on Friday. It will be the Hat Tricks’ second game of their six-game road trip. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m.

MOTOR CITY ROCKERS at PORT HURON PROWLERS

Frazee's First as a Prowler Helps Them Past Rockers

by Will Wiegelman

Port Huron, MI - The Port Huron Prowlers snapped a three-game losing skid and moved to 3-0 in the Battle of I-94 this season after a 2-1 win over the Motor City Rockers at McMorran Place on November 27. Port Huron is now 5-1-0 at home in 2024-25.

After a scoreless first, the Prowlers’ power play got the scoring going 1:30 into period two. After a faceoff win, Ludwig Thellström sauced a pass along the blue line to Jake Vaughan who walked in and took a shot that was kicked into the high slot by Ricky Gonzalez. Joel Frazee was the first one there to put it home for his first goal in a Port Huron uniform.

“We have an amazing power play and those guys know exactly where I’m going to be,” Frazee said. “We get a good shot on net and I’m in the area I’m supposed to be and we get rewarded.”

Early in the third, Carson Baptiste tied things up after a turnover in the Prowlers’ end. He put home his fourth of the year off the pass from Eli Rivers.

Less than four minutes later, Vaughan created another goal. He worked his way from the corner to the slot and dropped the puck off for Matt Graham. The Port Huron coach took a look and picked the corner to put his team in front.

Valtteri Nousiainen and the defense held strong the rest of the way for a 2-1 final.

Nousiainen finished with 29 saves and got back in the win column while Vaughan dished out his first two helpers of the season.

Ricky Gonzalez made 28 stops in the loss for Motor City as he started for the fifth-straight game.

After Thanksgiving, the Prowlers stay home for a pair of games with the Danbury Hat Tricks on November 29 and 30. Both games are set for 7:05 P.M. and tickets are available at phprowlers.com/tickets.

BATON ROUGE ZYDECO at COLUMBUS RIVER DRAGONS

RIVER DRAGONS DROP SHOOTOUT TO ZYDECO

Somero Leads Offense With Goal, Assist

by Tom Callahan

Columbus, GA - The Columbus River Dragons once again went to a shootout on Wednesday night, this time dropping a 5-4 decision to the Baton Rouge Zydeco at the Columbus Civic Center.

Columbus didn’t lead in the game until Kirk Underwood’s power play goal with 3:01 remaining in regulation, putting the River Dragons ahead 4-3. But the Zydeco would end up with a 4-on-3 power play and tie the game on Elijah Wilson’s second goal of the night with just 1:54 left in regulation.

Baton Rouge kicked off the scoring at 10:09 of the first period on a Kevin Szabad goal, with Columbus answering back with an Alexander Jmaeff power play goal at 17:12 to knot the game at one through 20 minutes.

In the second period, Brodie Thornton and Ryan Galvin traded goals and the game stayed tied as it headed into the third, this time at 2-2.

The final frame proved to be more wide open, with Wilson opening the scoring and Jestin Somero answering back to tie the game at 8:02, setting the stage for the wild finish to regulation as the teams traded power play goals and ended up in the shootout.

Columbus will get back to action on Friday, November 29 in Baton Rouge as the teams rematch on the other side of Thanksgiving. The next River Dragons home game will be Saturday, December 7 against the Mississippi Sea Wolves at 7:05 pm. Tickets are on sale for all remaining River Dragons home games through the Civic Center Box Office or online at TicketMaster.com.

Zydeco Come from Behind Yet Again to Beat Columbus 5-4 In A Shootout

by Andy Poetzinger

Columbus GA - This team, y’all. We’re only 15 games into the season, but it’s clear exactly what this team’s identity is: Never Quit.

Tonight, in Columbus, the Zydeco and River Dragons went back and forth all night long in a spirited game that went 65 minutes plus six rounds in the shootout. It started out with Kevin Szabad set up on mini breakaway by Elijah Wilson to score his 7th of the season. The River Dragons would answer back before period’s end as Alexander Jmaeff would tie things up 1-1.

The second period saw the River Dragons flip the script on the Zydeco and carried a majority of the offensive zone time. That did stop Brodie Thornton from carrying the puck through the neutral zone and sniping the top right corner of the net to give the Zydeco a 2-1 lead. Once again, Columbus answered back. Just after a penalty expired, a gift 2 on 0 Jestin Somero feed Ryan Galvin to tie it at 2. 

In the third, Elijah Wilson opened up the scoring as Ethan Matchim made a great pass to Wilson who was in all alone and beat William Lavalliere for his 9th of the season. Columbus would answer again with Jestin Somero finding a hole in Breandan Colgan with 11:58 left to play. The Zydeco found themselves heading to the penalty box a bit too often in the third, and for the first time in the game, Columbus took the lead thanks to a Kirk Underwood point shot that found its way through a maze of bodies. 

In his 100th career FPHL game, Elijah Wilson would come up clutch again for the Zydeco. On the powerplay, Wilson unloaded a wrist shot from just above the top of the circles that tied the game at four and sent the game to overtime. 

It was a wide open overtime that saw both teams nearly end the game, but eventually we went to the third consecutive shootout for the Zydeco. It took six rounds, but thanks to goals from Dmitry Kuznetsov and a game winner from Elijah Wilson, the Zydeco pulled out their 6th straight win. 

Baton Rouge improves to 12-3-0-1 and head home for thanksgiving. The next game for the Zydeco will be tomorrow night against the Columbus River Dragons for the third game of the “Thanksgiving Week Gauntlet”, and the only home game. You can catch the game on YouTube for that contest. Puck drop is at 7:05, and pre-game show starts at 6:40.

MONROE MOCCASINS at MISSISSIPPI SEA WOLVES

Sea Wolves See Lead Stuffed on Thanksgiving Eve, 3-2

by Jon Kliment

Biloxi, MS - The Sea Wolves returned home for a five game stretch looking to find some home cooking and a little help in the standings as they have gotten off to a tough start in season three of the franchise. With a new coach and a new look Mississippi looked to start off strong in front of the home crowd.

The Sea Wolves did find the back of the net first as after a scramble Chuck Costello got a puck on the netminder and it found its way to the far side as Blake Keller tucked the puck past Markus Ekolm Rosen for the 1-0 lead nine minutes into the game.

Mississippi didn't quit on their attack and a Colby Audette pass to the slot found Jay Croop who slapped one through the five hole of Ekolm Rosen for the 2-1 lead just 3:27 into the second period. Despite multiple power plays for each side, including 3 5-on-3's, Monroe was the first to find the back of the net on the advantage as Ben Stefaninin fired one past Sam Best from above the circle to close the gap to 2-1.

The Moccasins came roaring back as Stefanini found the back of the net again at 4:29 of the third. and Scott Coash buried one behind Best just 1:21 later to give Monroe a 3-2 lead they wouldn't surrender.

Best stopped 20 of 23 in the loss.

The Sea Wolves return to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum Friday night to battle the Moccasins again. Get your tickets on Ticketmaster, the Ticketmaster app or at the box office.