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Day After Game Report: Is The Black Bears Game Changing? April 23, 2025 | ||
Posted by: Bob Howard Credit: Binghamton Hockey.net | ||
April 20, 2025 - by Bob Howard - BinghamtonHockey.net I pose this question to you: Is the Black Bears game changing? Are they not an offensive threat anymore? Or are they becoming a more well rounded team? I shared a graphic mid season about the Black Bears goals against average per game from the last 3 seasons to the mid point of this season and it drastically has gone down each year. In the past we have seen a team that based its self on the ‘Run and Gun’ method of playing hockey and yes, this team can still do that when needed. But I think the Black Bears and Head Coach Brant Sherwood has slowly but surely molded this team into a more well rounded team that doesn’t rely solely on the ‘Run and Gun’ method of hockey. But instead, I truly believe we have seen this team turn into a team defense first methodology that creates their own scoring opportunities from the blue-liners to the forwards. Proof is that the teams 3.04 goals allowed per game in the 2023-24 season vs. this season a 2.52 goals allowed per game in the 2024-25 season is a great improvement from last season to this season. But their goals for in the same 56 game season actually went up. Simply put, this team is playing better defensively without losing their scoring touch. Plus they are creating scoring opportunities based on a great defensive play vs. just a long end to end skate from Gavin Yates like we have seen in the past. The defensive play isn’t just from the blue-liners, though players like Jesse Anderson and Dan Wieber have grown in their positions. The Black Bears are fortunate to have Dakota Bohn, Dan Stone, Ando and Wiebs this full second year as the main core of defensemen. Any team in this league would be fortunate to have any of them. But adding Emerson Emery and Nicholas Poirier this season was what helped this team continue to grow on the blue-line. But what really improved was the play of the forwards when it came to the defensive play. I think all forwards on this team play a more self-less game then they used to. They have bought into the team defense first. The proof is in the pudding with 6 shut outs in the regular season and then again 1 last night in the playoff game against the Watertown Wolves. There was at least 10-15 blocked shots in last night’s game alone. Connor McAnanama was only credited with a 15 save shut out and that’s because defensemen and forwards were blocking shots every chance they could. But it wasn’t just last night, it’s been most of this season. The Black Bears have improved their poke check game. A poke check in hockey is a defensive technique where a player uses their stick to knock the puck away from an opponent without making physical contact. The Black Bears have become so good at this technique this season and it allows them to steal the puck. Watch CJ Stubbs poke check a puck away from his opponents or his instincts on when to steal, his skill in these areas are out standing. My point? I have concentrated so long on the 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 goal games so much in the past because scoring a lot of goals has been and likely will still be outside perception of the Black Bears play. They score 5 plus goals in a game on the regular and I know that sells tickets. But when you have watched as many games and look for the different smaller things in the game, you have to know when the game has changed and I believe the Black Bears have evolved into a more complex and sophisticated team. From the poke checks, pushing the opposing team to the boards and playing an excellent perimeter game, blocking shots and adding the Zac Sirota ‘Pest’ problem for teams or the Donald Olivieri next level hits to the game, that’s what has gotten so much better for the Black Bears. And it’s why last night’s game, a 4-0 shut out and the Carolina Thunderbirds 1-0 shut out, were my favorite games of the season. Sometimes playing chess where you have to think multiple moves ahead, while at the same time you having to play a defensive game and an attacking game is a lot better than checkers when you jump over multiple pieces in the same time, which can be exciting but not the strategic mastermind that everyone thinks it is. I got way to deep on this one, so let’s move on. Just to finish up though, I think Brant Sherwood and the Black Bears have grown as a coach and a team that are better in all aspects of the game then even last year. And to think, they won the Cup last season. The Binghamton Black Bears defeated The Watertown Wolves last night in a 4-0 shoot out in front of over 4,400 fans in Binghamton to sweep the series and move on the semi-finals against an opponent that will either be the Port Huron Prowlers or the Danbury Hat Tricks. That series will be decided later on today. The Black Bears got the first goal from CJ Stubbs, who now has 2 game winning goals in his first 2 playoff games with the Black Bears. His power play goal last night and his short-handed goal on Friday night means the game winners occurred on specialty teams, something we know the Black Bears have also greatly improved on over the years. Blake Tosto scored for the Black Bears last night also in the 1st period before we went through a score-less second period. But the second period was my favorite part of the game. Limiting the Wolves to 1 shot on goal and just flat out defensively out playing the Wolves for a full 20 minutes was great to watch. Scoring goals is great, but seeing the effort to blockade a team as skilled as the Wolves for the full 20 minutes, was impressive. In the third Tyson Kirkby scored a goal getting the his team up by 3 and the excitement from the Captain after the goal kept the fans charged for the last 5 minutes. The Don Father then chipped in the final goal of the game with 16 seconds left to go before the game was over and the Black Bears advanced to the Semi Finals for the third straight year. Donald Olivieri’s big hits, Zac Sirota’s pest style play, Connor McAnanama’s brick wall and CJ Subbs absolute skill last night was all the Black Bears needed. The whole team just put on a clinic for 60 minutes on how to play a complete team defensive game. Happy Easter everyone, enjoy your day.
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