Binghamton Black Bears, Commissioners Cup Champions

CAROLINA THUNDERBIRDS at BINGHAMTON BLACK BEARS 

Binghamton, Champions of the FPHL

by Brooks Hill

Binghamton, NY - The Binghamton Black Bears won the Commissioners Cup on Friday Night, defeating the Carolina Thunderbirds 4-3, in game three of the FPHL finals. 

Carolina started hot, as Gus Ford scored the first two goals of the game, within the first 10 minutes. An over-capacity crowd became involved with Don Oliveri scoring his first goal of the series, as he cut the deficit down to one. Carolina led 2-1 after the opening frame. 

Mathieu Boislard delivered a huge first goal of the postseason, tying the game at 2-2 at the 10:19 mark. Binghamton out-shot Carolina 19-7 in the second period, and both teams were 0-1 on the man-advantage. 

Binghamton was able to take their first lead of the game with a Gavin Yates, powerplay goal at 7:34. Electricity surged through the arena, as Binghamton could see the finish line. Carolina pulled the goalie, and Austin Thompson was able to deposit the puck into the net, for the fourth Binghamton goal of the night. Carolina was able to score a late power play goal, but not able to find the equalizer. Binghamton wins 4-3 and sweeps the finals 3-0. 

Gavin Yates was named the Playoff MVP and became the second, two-time winner of the award. The Black Bears win the Commissioners Cup, their first in franchise history, after winning all seven of their playoff games, and their final 13 games of the season. 



Carolina’s Season Ends in Finals

Thunderbirds fall 4-3 in Binghamton

by Brendan Reilly

Binghamton, NY - The Carolina Thunderbirds fell in Game Three of the Commissioners Cup Finals to the Binghamton Black Bears, 4-3, on Friday night at the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena, having its season come to an end. 

Carolina came out firing in the 1st period of Game Three with Gus Ford netting two goals across the first 10:30 to give the Thunderbirds a 2-0 lead. Binghamton cut the deficit in half with two minutes remaining in the period on a goal from Donald Olivieri making it 2-1 after 20 minutes.

In the second, Binghamton tied the game on a shot that was deflected from Matheiu Boislard, and the two sides went to the 3rd period tied at two. 

Across the final 20 minutes, Gavin Yates knocked home a power-play goal at the 7:34 mark giving the Black Bears the lead. With time ticking on its season, Carolina pulled netminder Mario Cavaliere with three minutes remaining before Austin Thompson doubled the lead with 2:34 remaining. The Thunderbirds went to a power play with less than two minutes remaining and with the extra attacker, Roman Kraemer tipped home a shot cutting the Binghamton lead to one, but Carolina could not find an equalizer as Binghamton won, 4-3, taking the series, 3-0. 

The Thunderbirds season comes to an end in the Commissioners Cup Finals for the second year in-a-row.