Binghamton Blows out Hershey After Third Period Collapse

HERSHEY, PA – Philipp Grubauer carries off his broken stick after Binghamton’s fifth goal of the night (Kyle Mace / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)

The Hershey Bears were in search of grade “A” efforts in back to back nights against the Binghamton Senators. After snapping the B-Sens’ seven game winning streak, the Senators responded with a convincing 5-1 win at Giant Center.

For the Bears in the opening period, missed passes in the offensive zone held Hershey to only ten shots on frame. Binghamton earned one power play chance in the period, and converted only eight seconds later. Off an offensive zone face off, Shane Prince fired a shot from the left circle that deflected past Philipp Grubauer.

For the remainder of the period, both Grubauer and Andrew Hammond denied the opposition of second chances off initial shots.

Patrick Wey tied the game for Hershey the next period with his first American Hockey League goal. From the right point, Wey sent a shot low to the ice that glanced off the iron and past Hammond. Nathan Walker was awarded the primary assist, his eighth point in 13 games with the Bears.

The 1-1 tie held until the third period, when the B-Sens regained the lead following a Hershey power play chance. After Casey Wellman was stonewalled with miraculous point-blank saves by Hammond, the Senators countered and scored at the opposite end of the ice.

Stephane Da Costa tipped into a wide-open net a backdoor feed, after Grubauer was pulled out of position 6:06 into the final period. It proved to be the game-winner for Binghamton, but the first of an eventual four, third period tallies to break the game open.

Mark Stone added a third Senators’ goal with 4:11 left, but only to be followed by two quick strikes in the final minute of regulation by Andre Petersson and Matt Puempel.