After what was their best performance of the season on Saturday, Binghamton followed up with a disappointing 6-3 loss to the Hershey Bears at Giant Center. It’s hard enough to win games on the road and especially when you give up four goals in six attempts on the PK, while pulling a 0’fer on the PP in five attempts, including several five on three situations.
But that’s the way it went on Sunday in Chocolate Town.
The Devils (10-11-3-0) came out on a roll and took the lead on a tip-in from Nathan Bastian on a shot by Michael McLeod past Hershey goalie Vitek Vanecek. But it was short lived as 50 seconds after Riley Barber tied it on a rebound one-timer by netminder Cam Johnson of the Devils. That would then trigger a massive rain of teddy bears thrown onto the ice of all shapes and sizes on the annual Teddy Bear Toss at Giant Center. The two teams would have a 15-minute intermission and resumed play with the game tied at one apiece.
Shane Gersich would regain the lead for the Bears as Johnson misplayed the puck from behind the net and Gersich was there for the empty netter.
Both clubs exchanged goals in the second as Binghamton’s forward John Quenneville recorded his sixth of the season and Nathan Walker scored on the power play with 1.7 seconds left for Hershey.
In the final twenty minutes, the Bears upped their lead to two on a goal by Liam O’Brien but the Devils again bounced back with one of their own that made it a 4-3 affair as Marian Studenic recorded his ninth with the help of a screen in front of Vanecek from defenseman John Ramage.
Hershey was able to score the next two on a five on three power play and an empty-netter with Johnson pulled. Shots ended up in favor of the Bears by a 35-32 margin to end Binghamton’s modest two-game win streak.
Line-Up, Game #24
Forwards: Quenneville - Sharangovich - Studenic, Pietila - Rooney - Lappin, Baddock - McLeod - Bastian, Gignac - Schmelzer - Speers
Defensemen: White - Gryba, Ramage - Kapla, Sissons - Jacobs
In Goal: Cam Johnson, Mackenzie Blackwood
Scratches: Brian Strait, Tariq Hammond, Kurtis Gabriel, Eddie Lack and Eric Tangradi
Post Game Notes
- Johnson looked nervous for the Devils with his first outing since the beginning of the season as he is here serving as a pinch role for the injured Eddie Lack. Eric Tangradi sat in what to be a risk in playing back to back games after missing so much time before Saturday’s game.
- Devils controlled play in the second period but found themselves down 3-2 with a late goal and a missed defensive assignment as Johnson had no chance with the re-direct tip-in by Walker with 1.7 seconds left.
- Special team play continues to hurt with such a lopsided difference as if Binghamton could have done a better job they should’ve won this one. Hershey such a tough place to play in for the BSens and the Albany Devils.
- JQ looked great tonight (2 points, and a game-high 9 shots) as well as that first line with Marian Studenic (2 points) and Egor Sharahgovich
- A fight broke out between Brandon Baddock and Riley Barber in the third period after a hit on Colby Williams as Baddock won easily with the height advantage over Barber.
- A new record of 34,798 teddy bears was tossed onto the ice causing the extended delay in the first period.
Three Stars
#1. Riley Barber (1g. 2a), #2. Aaron Ness (1g, 2a), #3. Beck Malenstyn (0g, 0a)
Video Highlights
Upcoming Games
BDevils are off until next weekend where they will have three games in three days starting on Friday with the Crunch in Syracuse.