Third Period Comeback Again Spoiled in Shootout Loss

Cole Schneider screens Dany Sabouin during the third period (Photo via @BSens_Hockey)

Friday night the Hershey Bears looked for a win against their divisional foes from Binghamton, New York. Three third period goals by the Bears sent the game to overtime tied at 4-4, but Dany Sabourin again could not contain a the B-Sens in the skills competition and dropped a 5-4 shootout decision.

Hershey’s leading scorer Jeff Taffe opened the game’s scoring at the first period’s 10:43 mark. It turned out to be the Bears lone goal throughout the first 40 minutes of the hockey game. The Chocolate and White successfully killed off three first period minors scattered throughout the frame and halted Binghamton’s surging power play.

Coaches often believe goals against in the beginning or end of any 20 minute period is one of the biggest confidence deniers in hockey. The Bears yielded two quick goals in the final minute of the first to give the Senators a 2-1 lead heading into intermission.

First Darren Kramer scored his first goal of the season for the Sens just two seconds following the one minute remaining announcement. Then with 21 seconds left in the stanza, Wacey Hamilton also hit pay-dirt for his first time this season to give his club the late lead.

The Bears’ lack of discipline resulted in four more minor infractions during the middle period. But this time early on in the second, Binghamton capitalized with their first PPG of the night to open a two-goal lead.

Only 2:40 into the second period, Cole Schneider tallied his team’s only power play goal of the night out of ten opportunities.

Into the third period, the word “comeback” began to quickly creep into the minds of the Bears. A weird explosion of three goals in just 64 seconds put Hershey down 4-3 entering the midway mark of the final frame in regulation.

First Peter LeBlanc tallied his first goal with the Chocolate and White to cut Bingo’s lead back to a one-goal margin at the 7:19 mark. But suddenly 45 seconds later, Binghamton answered with a shorthanded goal against Sabourin. Dustin Gazley became the third Senator of the night to score his first goal of the season.

To drive the Senators’ Public Address Announcer even more insane, 19 seconds following the Sens’ fourth goal, Taffe scored his second of the night on the power play to make it a 4-3 hockey game.

In regulation, however, Jon DiSalvatore would get the final laugh for Hershey. He tied the game on his team’s second power play goal of the contest with 6:46 left in regulation to send the game into overtime.

Extra time has been no stranger when the Bears and Senators meet this season and it continued on Friday night. Following a sudden death overtime period where Binghamton out shot Hershey 9-2, the Sens again defeated the Bears in the skills competition to ice a 5-4 shootout victory.