The Binghamton Black Bears (43-5-2) defeated the
Indiana Sentinels (12-33-4) 4-1, to complete the
season series sweep going 6-0 vs. the Sentinels this season. The
Black Bears carried their momentum from the previous night into the
opening frame, controlling play from start to finish, but had just
one goal to show for it early on. Binghamton dictated the pace
throughout the period, peppering Indiana netminder Cooper
Olson with shots and holding the Sentinels to limited
opportunities. Despite the territorial advantage, the breakthrough
didn’t come until late in the frame. At 15:59, just moments after
Zac Sirota rang a shot off the crossbar, the puck
found its way to Gehrett Sargis, who capitalized on
the opportunity and buried the game’s opening goal. The tally,
assisted by Nick Swain and Sirota, gave the Black
Bears a 1-0 lead with just over four minutes remaining in the
period. The period featured a handful of penalties on both sides,
including matching roughing minors early between Kyle
Stephan and Maximus Marek-Tortorella, as
well as a bench minor against Indiana for too many men. However,
neither team was able to convert on the power play in the opening 20
minutes. In net, Dysen Skinner, making his first
start for the Black Bears since being acquired from the Twin City
Thunderbirds, was rarely tested but steady when called upon,
stopping all five shots he faced. Binghamton finished the period
with a commanding 19-5 advantage in shots on goal, showcasing their
dominance despite holding just a one-goal lead heading into the
intermission.
The second period brought an end to the Black
Bears’ historic shutout streak, but Binghamton quickly responded to
regain control. Midway through the frame, after a Black Bears
odd-man rush came up empty, Indiana answered with one of their own.
At 8:51, Filip Tomiczek capitalized on the rush,
slipping the puck five-hole past Skinner to tie the game 1-1. The
goal, marked the first time Binghamton had been scored on in 228
minutes and 8 seconds, ending an incredible defensive run spanning
parts of multiple games. The response from the Black Bears was
exactly what you’d expect from a first-place team. With 3:19 left in
the period, Zac Sirota restored the lead, finishing
a play set up by Dan Wieber and Gehrett
Sargis to make it 2-1. The goal came after sustained
pressure in the offensive zone and shifted momentum firmly back in
Binghamton’s favor. The Black Bears struck again late in the period.
At 18:18, Austin D’Orazio buried his 22nd goal of
the season, finishing a slick feed from Ivan Bondarenko,
with Dan Stone picking up his second assist of the
period. The tally extended the lead to 3-1 heading into the second
intermission. The period also featured a physical edge, highlighted
by a fight at 11:23 between Emerson Emery and
Zachary Ross, each receiving five-minute majors.
Once again, Binghamton controlled the shot battle, outshooting
Indiana 18-9 in the period and carrying both momentum and a two-goal
lead into the final frame.
The final frame tightened up
physically, but the Black Bears stayed in control to close out the
win. Both teams traded penalties throughout the period, with the
game taking on a chippy tone as frustrations boiled over. Despite
the increased physicality, Indiana was unable to generate sustained
offense against Dysen Skinner, who remained steady
between the pipes. Late in the game, the Sentinels pulled goaltender
Cooper Olson at 17:59 following a timeout in an
attempt to mount a comeback. However, the Black Bears quickly put
the game out of reach. At 18:23, CJ Stubbs found
the empty net for his second goal in as many nights, sealing a 4-1
victory for Binghamton. Tyson Kirkby and
Austin D’Orazio picked up the assists on the insurance
marker. Binghamton closed out the period with a 13-9 edge in shots,
finishing the game with a commanding 50-23 advantage overall.
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