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Day After Game Report: Toughest Loss of the Season? April 25, 2025 | ||
Posted by: Bob Howard Credit: Binghamton Hockey.net | ||
April 25, 2025 - by Bob Howard - BinghamtonHockey.net The Binghamton Black Bears likely suffered their toughest loss of the season and it was to a team who plays the perfect style of hockey to stop, slow and disrupt the Black Bears. Reid Cooper played well last night, he stopped all 32 shots the Black Bears sent his way. Bobby Price and Tyler Fox, two Trine University college recruits showed up last night and between the two showed that their 7th ranked in the D3 coaches poll rankings provided all the credentials they needed to make an impact in the FPHL’s Commissioner’s Cup playoffs. We talk about Head Coach Brant Sherwood’s recruiting and scouting abilities, which are clearly the tops in the FPHL. Well, the Prowlers, Matt Graham and Alex Johnson just showed that this is being done outside of just Binghamton as well and just paid dividends for the team from Michigan. I have spoken about the Prowlers play that has always slowed down and disrupted the Black Bears from their defensive style, to a very physical man on man, double teaming the player with the puck which sometimes the Black Bears have a hard time over coming. Now add four players from Trine who can put the pucks in the net and the Prowlers have just increased their chances to get to the Finals in 2024-25. But they do have to beat the defending Cup champions, the team with 49 wins in the regular season, the Black Bears. And yes, they did not lose more than one game in a row during the regular season and yes the Black Bears still defeated the Prowlers 4 of 6 games during the 56 game regular season. However nothing about tonight will be easy and you cannot think about tomorrow before tonight is finished. Last night the Black Bears were defeated everywhere on the ice. I am not going to sugar coat it for anyone. They were out worked, the were shut down, not only by a great goal tending effort from Reid Cooper, but they were just beat offensively and defensively. They didn’t win face offs like they normally do and they certainly didn’t not win the fore-checking game. Last week I felt the Black Bears played one of the best games of the season vs. the Wolves in the 4-0 shut out, last night I felt like the Black Bears played one of the more ‘Blah’ games of the season. I have my theories why, but I don’t know for sure. Of course traveling there on a bus, even a sleeper is hard, then having to travel back is hard, but they knew they had to do it and you prepare. Sure there are injuries that every player is working through. But so are the Prowlers, Thunderbirds and River Dragons. There have been line-up changes for this team in the last 3 weeks, like Scott Ramaekers now playing defense, CJ Stubbs playing on a like with Tyson Kirkby and Austin Thompson, or Donald Olivieri playing on the line with Gavin Yates and Kyle Stefan. Or the fact that Cam Clark and Chris Mott didn’t even make the line-up last night. Roster changes all season have not seemed to have affected the Black Bears. Movement from injuries, suspensions and call-ups have been there all season and they still found a way to win when they needed to. Last night, they just could not find a way. Last night they were just beat by the Port Huron Prowlers, who simply played a good game. No excuses, you move on and you play your heart out tonight in front of the home fans. Tonight you lay it all on the line. One extra push, one extra big hit, one extra big attempt, because if you fail tonight the season is over and everyone goes home. And if you know the Black Bears like I do, then you know they are not ready to go home, they are not ready to stop defending or fighting for another chance at raising the Cup again. This is also the time when the Black Bears need the fans the most, they need to hear the chants, the love and the support the most. This is not an elimination game, this is a redemption game that the Black Bears need their 7th Man the most. So bring a sign, bring a friend, wear a jersey and show the Black Bears that they need to fight for the best fans in all minor pro hockey and force a game 3 tomorrow night. They will put on their boots and go to work, will the fans do the same tonight?
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