Big First Powers Bingo (12/13)

DANVILLE, IL - The Dashers Hockey Club returned home for the 4th straight weekend, looking to shock the league and steal some points from the top-seeded Binghamton Black Bears. However, a star studded team on the road would put the game out of reach early, and the Dashers were not able to keep up as the Bears ran away with another big win. 

The 13 game slide had to end sometime, but would it be tonight? The Empire’s best Binghamton Black Bears came into town with a mission to make sure that would not happen. The first period began with a flurry of Binghamton opportunities. Out of the first media timeout, the Dashers had some of their own chances, but couldn’t convert on their odd-man rushes and plays in front of the crease. Around the midway point, Scott Ramaekers opened the scoring with a great tip off a Khaden Henry wrist shot that snuck by Wahlgren. Wahlgren would have to play from behind early, still searching to earn his first win. 1:46 later CJ Stubbs sniped a top corner shot to double the margin and put the Dashers on their heels early. In the midst of all this, the Dashers had a golden opportunity when Brandon Stojcevski gave a perfect pass to Yosuke Jumonji across the crease, but Black Bears star goalie Connor McAnanama slammed the door shut. To add insult to injury, with just under 3 minutes to go, an unfortunate bounce from behind the goal presented Austin Thompson with a goal on a platter in front to make it 3-0. The Dashers had their work cut out for them early on for the rest of the way. 

Period 2 began as a brief continuation of the first frame, as it took just 55 seconds for captain Tyson Kirkby to tip home an Austin Thompson low angle shot and make it 4-0. There was life for the Dashers when 3 minutes later Jhuwon Davis slammed home a rebound off a Colton Wiacek shot to put the home squad on the board. Binghamton continued to bring a fast and physical game, which led to 5 minor penalties presenting just about half the frame as a Dashers powerplay. Dakota Bohn was also booked for a misconduct penalty for abuse of officials. Nonetheless, the Dashers couldn’t capitalize with all of their man-advantage time, but had plenty of opportunities to do so. Binghamton’s 2nd best penalty kill in the Fed helped their netminder Connor Mcananama hold strong, and as the horn sounded the score stayed at 4-1. 

Out of the break with the same deficit as the first intermission, the challenge would be even tougher for a struggling Dashers group. There was life when Brandon Stojcevski lifted home a rebound to make it 4-2 with 18 minutes to go. The physicality picked up big time, with both teams pushing, shoving and swinging as tensions rose. The officials did a great job of getting in the middle of all the bad blood to calm down both sides. The Dashers chances continued to grow and grow, but the wind was taken right out of the sails when Scott Ramaekers grabbed a tally to push the lead back to 3. After that, the Black Bears began to run away with the contest, A post and a crossbar were hit moments later, but the final blow came off a rocket of a snipe from Kyle Stephan to put the game out of reach at 6-2. 

The Dashers fall for the 14th straight time, including the 7th straight on their 8-game homestand which concludes tomorrow night. Their record drops to 1-14-2 as Binghamton improves to 15-3-1. Tomorrow night the two sides will square off once more with puck drop at 7:05 CST inside the David S. Palmer Arena.