Big 1st period lifts Black Bears

Danbury, CT- The Binghamton Black Bears won on Saturday night by a final score of 5-2.  They used their three-goal first period to propel themselves over the Hat Tricks in the penultimate meeting of the season series. 

The Black Bears reversed the script from Friday night, and they were the team to get on the board first.  Austin Thompson scored his 30^th goal of the season, 3:24 into the game, and the Black Bears were off and running.  At 12:48 Kyle Stephan got back on the score sheet for the first time since February 1^st. Then 56 seconds later, Zac Sirota tallied the third goal of the period for Binghamton.  The Black Bears outshot Danbury 22-8 in the opening frame.  It was all Binghamton in the first 20, 3-0 Black Bears after one.

Danbury started the period on the power play, while Dan Wieber was sitting in the box for a five-minute major.  The Hat Tricks were able to score once on their five-minute advantage, but it was all they could produce in the second period.  After the long penalty kill, Binghamton was able to generate some offense and in transition, Nick Swain was able to bury his fourth goal of the season, giving Binghamton a three-goal cushion once again.

Again, Danbury grabbed the first goal of the period, and it was a two-goal game for a majority of the frame.  The Hat Tricks started to press, but Nolan Egbert stood tall and finished with 32 saves.  With the net empty, Thompson was able to bury the empty-net goal, and Binghamton earns their 46^th victory of the season.