Mississippi Controls the Tempo, Defeat Black Bears on the Road

by Brooks Hill

BINGHAMTON – The Black Bears faltered at home for the first time this season. The Mississippi Sea Wolves were able to score eight times on the road to propel themselves over Binghamton on Saturday night.

Mississippi once again was the first team on the board, just three minutes into the contest. Yaroslav Yehdohkimov was first on the score sheet, picking up where he left off last night. The Sea Wolves were able to extend their lead to 2-0 on a shorthanded goal from Jake Raleigh.

Bret Parker, who did not play the night before, put the Black Bears on the board with a wrap-around style goal, cutting the lead back down to one. After 20 minutes, the Sea Wolves held the one goal advantage 2-1.

The flood gates opened in the second period, as the teams combined for a combined five goals. Raleigh scored his second short-handed goal of the night. Tyler Gjurich scored a power-play goal for Binghamton to make the score 3-2, but Mississippi then stepped on the gas. Chris Hunt and Justin Barr scored two quick goals for the Sea Wolves to extend their lead to 5-2. The visitors carried the three-goal lead into the locker room, the biggest deficit that Binghamton had faced on the young season.

The teams would score four more goals in the third, but the altercations told the final story. Four fighting majors were issued by the officials, two per side. Binghamton was unable to recapture what momentum they had found in the second, as the Sea Wolves pressed on running away with the game. Raleigh was able to complete the hat trick in his second game for Mississippi and received the first star of the game. Sea Wolves added a couple more goals as they defeated Binghamton 8-4, picking up the three points.

The Black Bears are back in action next Friday and Saturday, on the road, against the Danbury Hattricks at 7:00 P.M.