WATERTOWN WOLVES at BINGHAMTON BLACK BEARS

Binghamton Comeback Just Comes Up Short

by Brooks Hill

Binghamton, NY -  The Binghamton Black Bears fell to the Watertown Wolves on Saturday night by the final score of 5-3. The Wolves were able to earn a weekend-spilt with their two power-play goals and iced the game away with an empty net tally. 

For the second straight night, Watertown started the scoring, Chiwetin Blacksmith opened up the scoring inside the final five minutes of the opening Period. Blacksmith’s goal came on the front half of a doubleminor, reducing the penalty down to two minutes. It would be the Black Bears’ Blake Tosto, who would tie the game with the first short-handed goal of the season. The teams went into the room tied at 1-1. 

Watertown came out in second period blazing down the ice. In the first three minutes, Watertown scored twice thanks to Kyle Heitzner and Ross Bartlett. Binghamton was able to net their second of the game on a delayed sequence that saw Olivieri net his first of the season. After two periods the Visitors led by one, 3-2. 

In the third period, it looked to be a repeat of the previous matchup with no goals allowed in the final frame, but Blacksmith would change that with his second of the night, again on the power play. The Black Bears did not hibernate, as Tyson Kirkby was to score on the power play as well with four minutes left, putting the pressure back on the Wolves. The Wolves withstood the test, and Michael Mercurio was able to deposit the puck into the vacated net. Wolves win on the road, 5-3.

ATHENS ROCK LOBSTERS at MONROE MOCCASINS 

ROCK LOBSTERS STUN MONROE LATE, WIN 3-2

by Joseph Furtado

Monroe, LA - In a thrilling contest, the Athens Rock Lobsters secured a 3-2 victory over the Monroe Moccasins thanks to Carter Shinkaruk’s game-winning goal in the final minute. The win marks Athens’ second consecutive win earning them all six points on the weekend.

The game opened with Athens forward Kayson Gallant putting his team ahead at 12:05 of the first period. Gallant’s goal, assisted by Filip Virgili and Chris Hunt, gave the Rock Lobsters a 1-0 lead. Monroe responded late in the first period, with Kyle Stevens netting the Moccasins’ first power-play goal of the season at 18:14.

The second period saw both teams battling until Gallant struck again for Athens, netting his second goal of the game to reclaim a 2-1 lead for the Rock Lobsters. Despite Monroe’s efforts to equalize, Athens’ defense held firm through the period.

Early in the third period, Monroe's persistence paid off as Brad Reitter scored the game-tying goal at 4:01, marking his third goal in just two games. 

In the final moments of the game, Shinkaruk came up clutch to help seal a 3-2 Rock Lobsters win. Athens completed a successful weekend, picking up six points. Monroe will now aim to avoid a three-game losing streak as they prepare to host the Columbus River Dragons in their next matchup.

MISSISSIPPI SEA WOLVES at BLUE RIDGE BOBCATS Exhibition

Sea Wolves Outlast Bobcats In Barnburner Exhibition Finale

by Brett Wiseman

Wytheville, VA - In an absolutely thrilling conclusion to the exhibition series between the Sea Wolves and Bobcats, Mississippi and Blue Ridge combined for a whopping 13 goals (besting the 11 combined tallies from Friday's exhibition opener). Blake Keller scored the overtime winner for the Sea Wolves to sinch up a 7-6 victory for Mississippi.

The Sea Wolves stretched out to a four-goal advantage after the opening twenty minutes, but a resilient bunch of Blue Ridge Bobcats would put up 3 goals each in the second and third periods to force overtime. The trio of Bobcats goals in the middle frame came in a span of less than 12 minutes. Sotirios Karageorgos, the game's second star, put up a pair of goals just 8 minutes apart. Less than 4 minutes later, Max Sazanovets redirected a shot home to bring the Bobcats within two.

Noah Hippolyte-Smith scored the sixth of the night for the Sea Wolves early in the third, but a frenetic answer came from the 'Cats. Andrew Uturo and Ilnur Madiarov scored at 5:24 and 6:06 respectively, to bring Blue Ridge back within one on goals just 58 seconds apart. 6 minutes after Madiarov's goal, Joel Frazee slammed home a rebound to tie the game at the 12:09 mark of the third.

The Bobcats will open the regular season on Friday night when they host the Athens Rock Lobsters. 

Sea Wolves Give Up Lead Late, But Secure Preseason Win in Overtime 7-6

by Joshua Davis

Wytheville, VA - The Seawolves visited the Blue Ridge Bobcats on October 12th to finish the preseason off. 

The first period started slowly but picked up after Colby Audette scored a goal at 9:49 with an assist from Don Carter Jr.. The Seawolves found the back of the net a little while later when Blake Keller got a good shot in at 17:01 after a perfect set up by Noah Hippolyte-Smith. The Seawolves went back to back scoring on a double minor of power play time on penalties to the Bobcats Sotirios Karageorgos. The first goal came at 18:40 and was scored by Matt Stoia and the second came 45 seconds later from Kyle Russell.

During the second period the Seawolves got lucky early with another goal by #48 Audette at the 3:25 with an assist by Stoia. However, the scoring frenzy would stop at 5 as the Bobcats would race back. Karageorgos would score twice, first on a power play goal on a penalty to Audette at 5:15. Then Karageorgos scored again at 13:20. The Bobcats touched the net one last time to end the period as Max Sazanovets scored at 17:11. Scoring wasn’t the only action however as both Phillip Wong from the Seawolves and Quinn O’Reilly from the Bobcats would be ejected from the period at 13:45 for Fighting.

During the third period the Seawolves struck first with a goal at 2:09 by Noah Hippolyte-Smith. However, the Seawolves lead would soon crumble as the Bobcats battled back. Andrew Uturo scored at 5:24 followed by an unassisted goal at 6:06 by Ilnur Madiarov and finally a goal at 12:09 by #17 Joel Frazee.

The game went into overtime tied at 6-6 when the Seawolves scored were able to net the game winner as Keller went through the legs and over the Bobcats netminder to win the game 7-6.

Goaltending during tonight’s game was done by the trio of Gregory Hussey, Trevor Buckmeier, and Brandon Sartor. Hussey faced 21 shots against with 0 goals against. While both Buckmeier and Sartor faced 19 shots with 3 goals against each.

The Mississippi Seawolves open the season next week on Thursday October 17th with a matchup in Baton Rouge against the Zydeco. Puck drop is at 7:05 pm CDT.

DANBURY HAT TRICKS at HUDSON VALLEY VENOM Exhibition

Venom Lose Preseason Game to Hat Tricks, 4-2

by Jim Cerny

Newburgh, NY -  Playing for the first time in front of their home crowd, the Hudson Valley Venom were defeated 4-2 by the Danbury Hat Tricks in a preseason contest Saturday at Ice Time Sports Complex.

The Venom outshot the Hat Tricks 33-28 but never held a lead in the game. Danbury scored a pair of first-period goals and didn't relinquish its advantage.

Reese Tamburo opened the scoring 8:01 into the first for the Hat Tricks, and Bohdan Zinchenko netted an unassisted breakaway goal to make it 2-0 at the 12-minute mark.

Kodiak Whiteduck got the Venom on the scoreboard 7:40 into the second, scoring against his former team. But less than two minutes later, William Chateauvert restored Danbury’s two-goal lead at 9:04.

Again, the Venom cut into the deficit, this time in the third period. Quinn Chevers scored off the rush with a snipe from the left circle to make it 3-2 at 7:20. Zinchenko answered back for Danbury with his second goal of the game at 13:15.

An apparent goal scored by Hudson Valley’s Eimantas Noreika was later overturned because the net was off its stanchion, and the Venom ended up losing 4-2.

Danbury goalie Taylor Schwandt was outstanding stopping 15 of 16 shots, playing the opening 30:24. Mike Love finished up and made 17 saves the rest of the way.

Former Hat Tricks goalie Parker Butler started for the Venom and allowed three goals on 13 shots in 31:02. John Moriarty replaced him and made 15 saves.

The Venom open their regular-season schedule next Friday, Oct. 18, when they host the defending Commissioner’s Cup champion Binghamton Black Bears. Puck drops on Hudson Valley’s inaugural season in the FPHL at 7 p.m.

PORT HURON PROWLERS at MOTOR CITY ROCKERS Exhibition

Prowlers Lose Lead in Exhibition Loss

by Will Wiegelman

Fraser, MI - After holding a two-goal lead heading into the third period, the Port Huron Prowlers settled for a 5-4 shootout loss to the Motor City Rockers in their exhibition game at Big Boy Arena on Oct. 12. Motor City scored in all four rounds to win the skills competition.

Port Huron opened the scoring 2:40 into the game when Daniel Chartrand’s long-range shot deflected off of Tucker Scantlebury on the doorstep and bounced home. Midway through the first frame, the Rockers answered when Clayton Hightower slid a loose puck over to Ryan Rotondi on the back door and he put home a one-timer. In the final minutes of the period, Scantlebury slid a pass to Gavin Fleck heading down the slot and his shot was partially stopped by Bryn Sommerfeldt but slipped just over the goal line to give the Prowlers a 2-1 lead through 20 minutes.

The lead went to 3-1 in the second as Isiah Parris found Chartrand in front and his backhander found the cage. A few minutes later, Mike Winn drove the net and powered the puck through Yoshihiro Kuroiwa to pull Motor City within one. Port Huron again pulled ahead by two when Elliot Van Orsdel put a turnaround shot through traffic and into the back of the net.

The third period belonged to the Rockers’ power play as they mounted the comeback. Wil Campbell made it 4-3 with a wrister from the point that found twine and then, with under five minutes to play, Hightower pushed home the puck on a net-mouth scramble to tie things up.

Overtime didn’t produce a winner despite Motor City beginning the extra session with 28 seconds of power play time. Hightower, Winn, Josh Colten and Rotondi scored for the Rockers in the shootout while Chartrand and Van Orsdel converted for Port Huron.

Chartrand and Scantlebury notched a goal and an assist apiece for the Prowlers. Kuroiwa played the first two periods and stopped 17 of 19 shots while Patrick Aalto played the rest of the way and took the shootout loss with 13 saves on 15 shots.

Hightower led the way for Motor City with a goal and a helper while being named the game’s first star. Sommerfeldt made 27 stops on 30 shots in just over 30 minutes of action while Noah Maikisch kept 13 of 14 Prowler shots out of the net while saving two shootout attempts to get the win.

Port Huron opens the regular season at home against the Carolina Thunderbirds on Oct. 18 and 19. Tickets are available at phprowlers.com/tickets.