Game Preview: Hat Tricks vs. Binghamton Black Bears | Nov. 23, 2024

LAST TIME OUT

Nolan Egbert logged his first career shutout as the Hat Tricks were blanked by the Binghamton Black Bears, 4-0, for Danbury’s fourth consecutive loss.

The Black Bears lead the season series 3-1 with back-to-back wins coming last weekend, 2-1 and 4-0. Egbert made a career-high 33 saves and Tyson Kirkby had the go-ahead goal on the man advantage at 6:05 in the second.

The Hat Tricks finished the game 0-for-9 on the power play and are now 2-for-40 on the man advantage over the past six games.

Egbert won in his fifth start this season, tying his teammate Connor McAnanama for the FPHL’s third most. Conor McCollum had 49 saves for the Hat Tricks, marking his third start this season with at least 40.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Hat Tricks and Black Bears meet for the fifth time this season after Binghamton won both games in Danbury last weekend. On Saturday (Nov. 16) the Black Bears shut out the hat Tricks 4-0. Binghamton buried two goals in the second period (T. Kirkby and G. Yates)and added two late in the third including an empty-netter to seal the victory. The night prior (Nov. 15) Yates’ goal midway through the second period was the difference in a 2-1 Binghamton win. Despite scoring 34 seconds in, Danbury did not find the back of the net again the rest of the weekend.

The Hat Tricks secured their lone win against the Black Bears in an eight-round shootout on Nov. 2, with defenseman Josh Labelle scoring the decisive goal and Conor McCollum going 8-for-8 in the shootout and 36-for-39 in the game.

On Oct. 25, Danbury lost in overtime despite leading 2-1 after two periods. Cameron Clark, recently loaned to the Roanoke Yard Rail Dawgs, netted the game-winning power play goal in the extra frame. All five goals in that contest came on special teams, including one shorthanded tally. 

After this weekend, the Hat Tricks and Black Bears will face off six more times this season—twice in Danbury and four games in Binghamton. The Hat Tricks head to Binghamton on Nov. 27 for a pre-Thanksgiving showdown, before again hosting on Dec. 28. After that, the Empire Division foes will not meet again until March, when the Hat Tricks revisit the Black Bears on March 14 and March 28. On March 29, Danbury is back home versus Binghamton for one game until it travels to Binghamton for one final time on April 11.

Last season, the Hat Tricks went just 1-10-2-5 against the Black Bears, with three wins coming in shootouts, two in overtime, and one in regulation. Danbury allowed a combined 74 goals to Binghamton in 18 games, which held the second-highest goal differential (+106) in both the regular season and the playoffs (+13). Currently, Danbury sits at 2-2-3-1 with 11 points, 14 behind the first-place Black Bears (6-1-1-3). Last season, the Hat Tricks finished with a 22-19-6-9 record in the regular season, 30 points behind Binghamton for first in the Empire Division.

ABOUT THE BLACK BEARS

Binghamton took down the Hat Tricks in back-to-back games in Danbury last weekend, including its third shutout win of the season on Saturday.

The reigning Commissioner’s Cup champions, the Black Bears are second in the Empire Division with 28 points, one behind the Watertown Wolves who have won six games in a row. Binghamton has won 10 of their first 12 games and boasts the fourth-best goal differential (+18). The Black Bears have scored 14 combined goals during their four-game win streak and have allowed just five.

Forward Tyson Kirkby, Binghamton’s goals and assists leader, is second in the FPHL with 23 points (10g, 13a) having registered the go-ahead goal and two assists in Saturday’s win. The multi-point outing was Kirkby’s eighth of the season. 

Four skaters, Kirkby, Gavin Yates, Jesse Anderson, and Austin Thompson, each have 10 or more points through Binghamton’s first 12 contests. Clark and Yates each have a two-game point streak, their second streak this season.

The Empire Division leaders in goals scored last season (276), the Black Bears return eight skaters with 86 combined points. They are tied with Watertown for the league’s second-most power play goals (16) but have been inconsistent on the penalty kill (80.3%), allowing the fourth-most goals (12).

Second-year goalie Connor McAnanama is third in the FPHL in goals against average (2.08), third in wins (5), and remains tied for second in shutouts with two in seven starts. He collected a win with 42 saves against the Hat Tricks in their first meeting on Oct. 25 in Danbury.

HAT TRICKS HEADLINES

Instead of traveling to Hudson Valley to battle the Venom on Friday due to a postponement, the Hat Tricks try to overcome a four-game skid at home against the Black Bears. Having gone just 1-3-3-1 in its last eight games, Danbury has the chance to defeat Binghamton at home for the first time this season. With two overtime games in their last five, the Hat Tricks have picked up points in five of the previous nine contests.

Outshot by the Black Bears 53-33 on Saturday, the Hat Tricks are now 0-2-2-1 this season when recording fewer shots than their opponent. They have been outshot in each of their first four games against Binghamton and in five of the first 10 games of the season. Although Danbury kept the Black Bears scoreless in the first period, it dropped to 2-3-2-1 when entering the second in a tie and 0-4-0-0 when trailing after 40 minutes.

With just three wins in its first 10 games, Danbury has struggled at home with just one victory in six games (1-4-1-0), on Oct. 19 against Motor City, the first of the Ruiz-Gonzalez coaching era. The Hat Tricks have yet to score six goals at home in multiple contests and have been shut out twice.

Forward Chase Harwell has scored five goals over the past eight games and leads the team in scoring. Forward Aleksandr Gamzatov has three combined points over the past three contests — eight total — and trails forward Jacob Ratcliffe by one for the team lead.

ROAD CONTEST POSTPONED

Friday’s road game against Hudson Valley was postponed due to unforeseen arena logistical and personnel issues at the Ice Time Sports Complex. The postponement is Danbury’s first of the season and the matchup’s makeup date has not yet been determined. Hudson Valley had another game postponed on Nov. 2 because of bus issues for their opponent, Watertown. On Oct. 26, the Hat Tricks recorded their first road win of the season, 9-3, against the Venom for their largest margin of victory this season.

SECOND ALL-TIME HOME SHUTOUT 

The Hat Tricks were shut on Saturday for the second time this season, having also lost to Watertown, 6-0, at home on Nov. 8. Scoring just one goal in two games against Binghamton last weekend, the Hat Tricks have been held scoreless for the past five periods (119:26). Gleb Bandurkin is Danbury’s most recent goal scorer, having gotten the Hat Tricks on the board 34 seconds into Friday’s 2-1 loss. The Hat Tricks’ first of three all-time shutout losses dates back to Dec. 3, 2022, against the River Dragons in Columbus.

POWER PLAY INCONSISTENCIES

Over the past six games, the Hat Tricks are just 2-for-40 on the power play (5.0%). In its two losses to Binghamton last weekend, Danbury went a combined 0-for-14 on the man advantage. With no power play scoring since the second period of their loss to Watertown on Nov. 9, the Hat Tricks have scored the league’s fifth-fewest power play goals with nine with five of them coming in one game (Oct. 25 at Hudson Valley). Last season, they logged 54 for the league’s fourth most.

EARLY-SEASON ADDITIONS

In their first trade of the regular season, the Hat Tricks acquired defenseman Charlie Bedard and forward Noah Robinson from the Monroe Moccasins on Thursday in exchange for future considerations. The two skaters arrive having each played in four games this season. A native of Southampton, N.Y., Bedard, 25, appeared in 20 games for Danbury last season and supplied three assists. Robinson, 27, totaled 40 points (22g, 18a) in 52 contests for the Baton Rouge Zydeco last season. Additionally, defenseman Jeremy Rottke, 23, signed with Danbury after playing in two games this season for the Hudson Valley Venom.

MC SHINES IN NET DESPITE LOSSES

For the third time this season, Conor McCollum stopped 40 shots in Danbury’s loss on Saturday. The 27-year-old kept the reigning Commissioners Cup champion Black Bears to a combined five goals in two games and finished the weekend with 99 combined saves. McCollum’s starts on Nov. 2 in Binghamton and at home against Motor City on Oct. 19 are his current wins since leading the FPHL with 24 wins last season.

LOW-SCORING THIRD PERIODS

The Hat Tricks did not score in the third period in their past five losses to Binghamton and Watertown and have found the back of the net in just two of the 10 third periods this year. When trailing after the second, Danbury is 0-4-0-0 following its scoreless third in Saturday’s loss to Binghamton. The Hat Tricks’ fewest shots in a third period this season came in their 4-3 shootout win at Binghamton on Nov. 2, when they had six.

GAUNTLET OF THE SEASON

To open the season, the Hat Tricks face first-place Binghamton and second-place Watertown nine times in the first 13 games of the season (Oct. 25–Nov. 27), the most frequent they will see the two teams in a six-week stretch. Following its two straight home losses against Binghamton, Danbury holds just one combined win against the two division foes, a 4-3 shootout win in Binghamton on Nov. 2. Last season, the Hat Tricks posted a combined 10-12-4-2 record against the Black Bears and Wolves.

Single-game tickets and full/partial season membership plans are still available for purchase. If you are interested, email herm@danburyhattricks.com or go to Tixr.

To stay up to date on all things Danbury Hat Tricks hockey, go to danburyhattricks.com and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok (@DanburyHatTricks).

ABOUT DANBURY HAT TRICKS:

The Danbury Hat Tricks are a professional hockey team based in Danbury, Connecticut, competing in the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL). Since their founding in 2019, the Hat Tricks have brought thrilling, hard-hitting hockey to the Danbury Ice Arena, earning a reputation for their fierce competitive spirit and strong community presence. The team is dedicated to providing an exciting game-day experience for fans of all ages, with a focus on building long-lasting connections within the local community.

Proudly representing Danbury, the Hat Tricks are committed to excellence both on and off the ice. In addition to developing top-tier hockey talent, the team engages in numerous community outreach programs, fostering relationships with local schools, businesses, and charities. The Hat Tricks aim to continue growing the sport of hockey in the area and provide entertainment that brings the community together.

Whether you're a die-hard hockey fan or new to the sport, the Danbury Hat Tricks promise an unforgettable experience every time they take the ice.