Game Recaps 3/1/25

DASHERS of DANVILLE at BINGHAMTON BLACK BEARS

What A Night For Number 17

by Cole Parenti

Binghamton, NY - The Black Bears and Dashers met for the sixth and final time this year with Binghamton looking to complete the series sweep. The contest between the two teams  would take place for the fourth time in the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena, as the home team looked to extend their franchise best win streak.

Binghamton would get the first three goals of the game quickly in the first period. C.J. Stubbs connected first as he extended his point streak. Josh Fletcher would find the back of the net for the second time in as many nights making the score 2-0. The final goal in the frame came off the stick of Scott Ramaekers as both teams skated off to the locker room with the Black Bears leading 3-0

The second period would be one to remember for the entire Binghamton Black Bears franchise. The captain, Tyson Kirkby, cleaned up a rebound in front, recording his 110 goals for the franchise. He surpassed Nikita Ivashkin for the most goals all-time as a member of the Binghamton Black Bears. The Dashers would respond as Quinn O’Reilly put the Dashers on the board for the first time this series. The Black Bears head to the locker room up 4-1.

The third was like the first as it was all Black Bears. The team would record three goals in the frame. The first was a seeing eye shot from Dakota Bohn on the power play. The next was Scott Ramaekers second of the night as he continued his impressive second season with the Black Bears. The final goal of the night came courtesy of Jesse Anderson as he put the icing on the cake of a 7-1 victory.

Connor McAnanama was terrific as usual as he stopped 20 of the 21 shots he faced. His counterpart Parker Rutherford had a strong performance even if the score does not reflect it, stopping 58 of the 65 shots asked of him. The Black Bears got 7 goals, each from six different players, as 12 players collected points overall. The Black Bears extend their winning streak to 17 and sweep the season series from the Dashers. Binghamton is back in action next week as they take on Bobcats in Blue Ridge for the first time.

Kirkby Becomes Binghamton’s All Time Goals Leader in Route of Dashers

by Devin Dobek

Binghamton, NY - Parker Rutherford returned to the crease to make an additional 58 saves for the Dashers in their 7-1 loss to Binghamton last night. Tyson Kirkby scored his 110th goal as a Black Bear to become the franchises’ new leading goal-scorer and was named the first star in a tilted affair.

The Dashers were eager to turn the page back to 0-0 in their 6th and final battle with the Empire’s best Binghamton Black Bears. Binghamton, with a league leading 16 game win-streak, was ready to floor it in front of a near sellout at the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena. The scoring started hot and heavy, with Binghamton cashing in on a CJ Stubbs rip from the slot to make it 1-0. 20 seconds later, before the Dashers could catch their breath, Josh Fletcher capitalized on a bad bounce to pound another tally into the back of the goal and double the margin at 2-0. Things cooled off for a bit until rookie Sean Doyle took a trip close to the midway point. The Binghamton power play, who scored 3 times last night, potted another with a Scott Ramaekers one-timer to stretch the lead to 3. Other than some pushing and shoving, not much happened in the back half, and Binghamton carried a 3 goal cushion to the room outshooting the Dashers 21-8.

Period 2 was a pandemonium of penalty minutes in the back half. Before all the extracurriculars, Binghamton added a 4th goal, and crowned a new leading goalscorer in franchise history. It was an awkward deflection in front, and Kirkby pounded the loose change home to extend the lead to 4. It was the captain’s 110th goal in franchise history. Around the midway point Quinn O’Reilly boarded Kirkby hard into the wall, and Nicolas Piorier dropped the gloves in response warranting a roughing penalty that kept the game at even strength. Kirkby, who was slow to get up, made it off the ice and returned for his next shift. Inside the final 3 minutes is when chaos broke out. Zach Slinger took a Don Olivieri shot to the face and went down. After the stoppage he bumped into a Dasher and rookie Sean Doyle took exception. The two squared off, with Olivieri landing all the shots before dropping an elbow into Doyle’s head on the way down. Olivieri also received a game misconduct following this. The Dashers made it out of the wreck on a power play, and Tyson Kirkby couldn’t believe it. Jawing with the officials he earned himself a penalty as well. So the Dashers went to work 5 on 3, and right off the faceoff Quinn O’Reilly one-timed a blast past McAnanama to put the Dashers on the board. The 5 on 4 time and period bled out with the score 4-1. The shots were 47-15 through 40 minutes. 

Period 3 things simmered down but it was all Binghamton. They were able to control the zone for what felt like 90% of the frame, limiting any chance the Dashers had to break the puck out while holding them to a measly 6 shots. The Bears also notched all 3 goals in the frame, beginning with a Dakota Bohn rocket from the point on the power play within the first 5 minutes. 5 minutes after that, Scott Ramaekers grabbed his second of the night to push the margin to 5. The icing on the cake was a Jesse Anderson goal off another Bear-friendly bounce to cement the score at 7-1. The final shot totals were 65-21 Bingo, with Parker Rutherford making a cumulative 119 saves in the 2 game set. 

The Dashers fall to 1-36-3, and are set to host the Monroe Moccasins Friday and Saturday at 7:05 CST inside the David S. Palmer Arena. Binghamton improves to 38-4-1, with a league leading 17 game winning-streak. They will travel to Virginia for a 2-game date with the Bobcats next Friday and Saturday with both starting at 6:30 CST. 

PORT HURON PROWLERS at DANBURY HAT TRICKS

Gonzalez Plays Hero, Buries OT Winner, 3-2 Over Prowlers

by Wyatt Kopelman



Danbury, CT - Kyle Gonzalez sniped home the game-winner in overtime to lift the Hat Tricks to a 3-2 win over the Prowlers at the Danbury Ice Arena on Saturday.

Gonzalez buried his second game-winner of the season at 4:24 for Danbury’s first overtime win of the season. The Hat Tricks won the season series with a 4-1-1-1 record and split the weekend for three points.

Port Huron scored back-to-back goals in the third period, climbing out of a two-goal deficit in just more than 8 ½ minutes. A slashing minor on Vadim Frolov at 6:35 gave Matt Graham a power play goal on his own rebound in front at 7:15, slicing Danbury’s lead to 2-1.

Luke James turned and uncorked his third goal of the season in the slot, tying the game at two with 4:03 remaining in regulation.

Jonny Ruiz broke the stalemate on a giveaway in the slot at 3:05 of the middle frame, giving Danbury a 1-0 lead. Ruiz has scored in four straight games.

Port Huron’s Jamie Bucell took a clipping minor in the second, handing Danbury its second opportunity on the man advantage. Ruiz then pried free a puck from a crowd in the slot 14 seconds later, potting his second of the game with 4:55 to go to make it 2-0 Danbury.

The Prowlers outshot the Hat Tricks 11-0 through the first 12 minutes of the third, pressuring them in their zone.

The Hat Tricks’ penalty kill delivered in its first two opportunities, the first on Connor Woolley’s high-sticking minor early in the first. Danbury killed two of three penalties.

The first period featured numerous giveaways in the neutral zone and both sides peppered the other’s goalies. Neither team found the back of the net in the first frame.

Conor McCollum tallied 33 saves, improving to 17-10-5 this season. The second-year netminder has won in three of his last four starts.

With the victory, the Hat Tricks have captured points in 15 of their past 16 games.

Up next, Danbury continues its five-game homestand on Friday with a clash against HC Venom to begin a three-game weekend. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Prowlers Claw Back to Earn a Point in Danbury

by Will Wiegelman



Danbury, CT - For the second straight night, the Port Huron Prowlers mounted a third-period comeback to force overtime. This time, the Danbury Hat Tricks came out on top 3-2 on Kyle Gonzalez’s game winner with 39 seconds left in the extra session.

“The mood in the locker room is awful,” said Prowlers assistant coach Chris Paulin. “Guys are upset and it sucks to lose. The margin for error is so tiny and that’s why you have to be ready to go.”

Jonny Ruiz scored twice in the second period to make it 2-0 Hat Tricks heading into the third. The first goal came when he intercepted a home run pass in the Prowlers end and the second came off a broken play as Port Huron couldn’t clear on the penalty kill.

“It wasn’t the first 40 minutes we wanted,” Paulin said. “I thought Danbury dictated the pace and they were more physical. I was disappointed with the start we had.”

In the third, Matt Graham got the Prowlers on the board with a power play goal, poking a rebound through Connor McCollum. With just over four minutes to go, Luke James picked off a pass in the middle of the Danbury end and beat McCollum to the blocker side to send it to overtime. Port Huron out shot the Hat Tricks 16-4 in the third.

“I thought that 20 minutes was excellent,” Paulin said. “Guys really dug deep, it was winning hockey.”

Danbury controlled possession through much of the extra session. Off a scramble in front of the net, the puck popped out to Gonzalez who fired home his second game-winning goal of the season, both against the Prowlers.

Reid Cooper took the loss after making 26 saves.

Ruiz led the way with his two goals for the Hat Tricks while McCollum stopped 33 shots.

The Prowlers return home to begin a three-in-three against the Watertown Wolves on Friday, March 7 and then against the Athens Rock Lobsters on March 8 and 9. Tickets to all three games are available at phprowlers.com/tickets.

MONROE MOCCASINS at ATHENS ROCK LOBSTERS

Rock Lobsters Mount a Comeback Mission Against Moccasins on Military Appreciation Night

by Matteen Zibanejadrad



Athens, GA - The Rock Lobsters defeated the Monroe Moccasins 4-2 on Military Appreciation Night Saturday in Akins Ford Arena. 

For the second-consecutive night, Monroe took the first lead of the game with a Khaden Henry shot from the high slot at the 11:34 mark of the first period. 

Having returned to the ice after suffering an injury in the first period, Malik Johnson was able to answer back with a beautiful wrister from the right circle.

Houston Wilson believed he had the last laugh against his Athens counterparts, beating Josh Rosenzweig up high with a shot to take a 2-1 lead for the Moccasins 10:36 into the third period.

However, the Rock Lobsters never let the odds against them get in the way. Daniil Glukharyov shot through traffic to tie it at 2-2; Johnson scored his fourth goal in two games to take the lead just 18 seconds later and complete the comeback.

Glukharyov dealt the dagger with an empty-net goal in the final seconds. 

The Rock Lobsters (31-6-2, 85 pts) return to Akins Ford Arena for a Sunday matineé at 4:05 p.m. There will be a forum beforehand for Faith and Family Night. Tickets can be bought HERE. 



HC VENOM at BLUE RIDGE BOBCATS 

Venom Outduel Bobcats, Take 4-3 Shootout Victory

by Brett Wiseman



Wytheville, VA - A crowd of better than 1500 at Hitachi Energy Arena Saturday night witnessed a thriller between HC Venom and the Blue Ridge Bobcats, with the visiting Venom outlasting the homestanding 'Cats in a shootout by a final of 4-3.

The Venom opened the scoring thanks to a redirected power play tally from Lester Brown and held a 1-0 lead after the first, leading to a chaotic second period.

Justin Daly started the middle frame March Madness, sniping a bottle-popping top shelf wrist shot past Rahul Sharma at the 6:07 mark, aided by a tape-to-tape stretch pass from Danny Martin that allowed him to split the Venom defenseman and walk in on a solo breakaway.

For every punch Blue Ridge threw, the Venom had a counterpunch. Dustin Jesseau answered Daly 3 minutes and 57 seconds later to put the Venom back in front 2-1. 

Austin Bellefeuille replied with a shot that glanced off Sharma's glove and barely trickled across the goal line, an unassisted goal that stood upon review and knotted things back up at 2 goals a piece. Moments later, Hunter Godmere laid a huge hit on Jesseau at center ice, dangled around a pair of Venom defenders and sniped home a wrist shot far side on Sharma to give the Bobcats their first lead of the night with just over a minute remaining in the middle frame.

In the final minute of the second, Dzianis Zaichyk ripped home a shorthanded goal to tie the game once again at 3-3, where it would stand through the final 20 minutes plus the extra 5 minute frame.

Kaleb Kinsky scored the only goal from either side in the shootout to clinch the victory for HC Venom.



The Bobcats continue a 7 game homestand when they host the Binghamton Black Bears next weekend. Tickets are available by calling 276-335-2100 or logging onto blueridgebobcats.com/tickets.

CAROLINA THUNDERBIRDS at WATERTOWN WOLVES

T'Birds Streak Continues

by Jeff Barrett



Watertown, NY - Game two of the three game weekend between the Wolves and the visiting Carolina Thunderbirds was on tap this Saturday evening. 

The Thunderbirds added win number 14 to their current streak, but not without a hard fought battle with the Wolves. The Thunderbirds twice had to come from behind before jumping to the lead and a 3-2 win.

Carolina's Jiri Pestuka gave the Thunderbirds the early lead with a short handed goal lifting a shot over Watertown starter Anton Borodkin at the 3:28 mark. The lone assist on the goal belonged to Jan Salak.

At the 13:03 mark of the first, Davide Gaeta continued his point scoring streak, and pulled Watertown back even with a back hand shot over Carolina's Boris Babik, assisted by Trevor Grasby and Kyle Powell.

The score stayed tied through the remainder of the period, with Watertown outshooting the Thunderbirds 11-9 in the frame.

Shots on goal in period number two were identical to the first period, 11 for Watertown and 9 for Carolina. But unlike the first twenty minutes, neither team was able to take advantage, and the second period remained scoreless, sending the game to the third tied at one goal a piece.

Jon Buttitta got free in the Watertown zone just 3:37 into the third and blasted a shot past Borodkin to put the Thunderbirds up 2-1 with the assist going to Danyk Drouin.

Watertown would strike back at the 10:49 mark when Trevor Lord took a beautiful pass from Trevor Grasby and Davide Gaeta and snapped one to the back of the goal making it 2-2.

The Thunderbirds Jan Salak would break the tie at the 19:03 mark , assisted by Pestuka and Gus Ford, and send Carolina on to their 15th win in a row.

The Wolves and Thunderbirds will battle one more time on Sunday night at 7:00 inside the Watertown Municipal Arena. The game will be the fifth and final time they will see each other in the regular season. 

Salak Buries Wolves Late, Thunderbirds Win 3-2

Jan Salak wins it for Carolina with 57 seconds remaining

by Brendan Reilly



Watertown, NY - Tied in the 3rd period for the second straight night, Gus Ford found Jan Salak on a 2-on-1 beating Anton Borodkin with 57 seconds left in the 3rd period to push the Carolina Thunderbirds past the Watertown Wolves, 3-2, on Saturday evening at the Watertown Arena. 

Carolina (32-7-3) opened the scoring on the penalty kill early in the 1st period. Jiri Pestuka weaved his way past Watertown’s (23-15-2) defense and beat Wolves goalie Anton Borodkin putting the Thunderbirds ahead, 1-0, just 3:28 into 1st period. Davide Gaeta tied the game with 6:57 left in the 1st and the two sides went to the 1st intermission tied at one. 

Neither side could figure out Borodkin or Boris Babik for Carolina in the 2nd, but in the 3rd, Jon Buttitta put Carolina ahead, 2-1, just over three-and-a-half minutes into the final 20 minutes. The Wovles would find an answer from Trevor Lord just over the midway mark in the 3rd tying the game, 2-2, but the Thunderbirds had a late push down the stretch. 

With just over a minute remaining in regulation, Gus Ford weaved his way past the Watertown defense creating a 2-on-1. Jan Salak crashed the back post tipping home the game-winner with 57 seconds left, finishing off Watertown, 3-2. 

Carolina has now won 15 straight games, their second longest streak in franchise history. The Thunderbirds and Wolves meet for game three on Sunday evening in Watertown. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. from the Watertown Arena. 



COLUMBUS RIVER DRAGONS at MOTOR CITY ROCKERS

Rockers Battle But Come Up Short, Fall to Columbus in Overtime 7-6

by Brady Beedon



Fraser, MI - It was a step in the right direction for the Motor City Rockers, but it still wasn’t enough as they fell to Columbus 7-6 in overtime.

Columbus faced adversity early one when goalie Sammy Bernard had to leave the game just over three minutes in due to injury, bringing in backup goaltender Will Salnek.

The River Dragons opened the scoring 17:18 into the first period when Justin MacDonald received a cross crease pass and tapped the puck into the net giving Columbus the 1-0 lead.

Motor City answered quickly.

Kyle Stevens responded quickly for the Rockers, evening the score just 31 seconds later. The goal was the 200th point of Stevens career.

In the final minute of the opening period, Tristen Wells tipped a shot out in front past Salnek, giving the Rockers the 2-1 lead at the end of the first.

The second period continued the momentum for the Rockers, when Eli Rivers extended the Motor City lead to 3-1.

Then an all too familiar sight.

Columbus would net the next four goals, all coming within 2:03. MacDonald, Ryan Hunter, Scott Docherty, and Alex Storjohann all would beat Rockers goalie Trevor Babin to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 advantage.

But Motor City found a way to punch back.

On the penalty kill, Rivers found himself all alone with the puck on his stick, and picked the corner to bring the Rockers within one, 5-4.

The score would stagnate until the third period, when a strong forecheck effort from Cody Oaks kept the puck deep in the Columbus end, and the puck found its way to Rivers' stick yet again, as he buried his third of the night tying it at 5-5.

The hat trick for Rivers was just the second for a Rocker this season, matching Tristin Wells' effort from a November matchup against HC Venom.

Columbus took the lead back just three minutes later, when Kyle Heitzner lit the lamp, giving the River Dragons a 6-5 edge.

With the pressure back on the Motor City bench, it was Nick Gullo that would go bar down, netting his seventh of the season to tie the game at 6-6.

The score would stay deadlocked through the end of regulation, ensuring both Columbus and the Rockers a point.

However, the River Dragons controlled the play for the entirety of a short overtime period, capping it off with a Nolan Slachetka goal, giving Columbus the weekend sweep and the precious second point.

Motor City looks to bounce back next Friday night, when the Athens Rock Lobsters come to Big Boy Arena for their lone game against the Rockers this season. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:35.

River Dragons Edge Rockers, 7-6

by Tom Callahan



Fraser, MI -  A wild, back-and-forth affair was settled in overtime on Nolan Slachetka’s game-winning goal at 59 seconds as the Columbus River Dragons beat the Motor City Rockers 7-6 on Saturday night.

Slachetka took a pass from Justin MacDonald and fired a wrist shot from the left circle that beat Rockers goaltender Trevor Babin (22 saves) to give the River Dragons the dramatic win and a weekend sweep on the road.

After MacDonald scored the first goal of the game, the Rockers scored the next three to take a 3-1 lead early in the second period. 

Then the River Dragons offense erupted as the team scored four goals in a 2:13 span of the second period, starting with MacDonald’s second of the night followed by goals from Ryan Hunter, Scott Docherty and Alex Storjohann to put Columbus ahead 5-3.

From there, Motor City would rally to tie the game at 5-5 by 3:53 of the third period as Eli Rivers completed the hat trick. Kyle Heitzner and Nick Gullo traded goals to tie the game at 6-6 and force the overtime.

Notes:

• Nathan Balkwill appeared in his 100th professional game.
• This weekend marked the only meetings between the River Dragons and Rockers.
• Emergency Backup Goaltender Will Salnek was pressed into duty after Sammy Bernard went down with an injury early in the first period. Salnek stopped 23 shots to earn his first professional victory.

The River Dragons are back in action next weekend at Carolina against the Thunderbirds. Columbus returns home on Legends Weekend March 14 and 15, with tickets on sale now through the Civic Center Box Office and online at TicketMaster.com.