Game Recap: Hat Tricks Erase Three Goal Deficit in Third, Win Fifth Straight

DANBURY — For the third consecutive game against Binghamton, the Hat Tricks overcame a three-goal deficit to edge out a 5-4 shootout win Friday night. The Hat Tricks extended their winning streak to five and have victories in six of the last seven games.

The Hat Tricks entered the third period in a three-goal hole but right out of the locker room the momentum completely changed. At 1:43, forward Chase Harwell snapped a pass from Nick DiNicola into the back of the net to bring the Hat Tricks within two. Minutes later, Harwell picked up his second tally of the night when he redirected a netside feed into the goal to make it a one goal contest. The comeback was capped off when forward Jonny Ruiz, sprung on a breakaway, backhanded the puck inside the far post to tie the game. 

Despite the Black Bears getting two man advantages during the extra period, the score remained the same. For the third time this season, the two sides headed to a shootout. After trading goals in the first round of the shootout, Hat Trick netminder Conor McCollum stopped Tyson Kirkby and Corey Cunningham netted the go-ahead score for the Hat Tricks. Fowarward Andrew Logar appeared to have kept the shootout alive, however, the referee immediately waved the goal off stating that Logar shifted the puck backwards. The Hat Tricks have defeated the Black Bears four times this season, all of them in extra time.

Prior to the Hat Tricks comeback, Binghamton was up one in the second period and took advantage of a power play when forward Nikita Ivashkin backhanded the puck in from the slot. 36 seconds later, forward Gavin Yates fired a wrister into the far side to extend the Black Bears lead to three. 

Midway into the period, Ruiz and Logar found themselves in a scuffle that resulted in both players getting five minutes for fighting, but it woke up the marginally silent crowd of the Danbury Hat Tricks fans.   

At 2:29 into the first period, forward Don Oliveri sniped the puck past McCollum to give Binghamton an early lead. Moments later, Cunningham slid the puck through Black Bears goalie Connor McAnanama five goals to knot things up at one. The forward has been red hot since returning from suspension, tallying ten points (5g 5a) in four games. With time running down Black Bears forward Kirkby snuck up from behind and found the back of the net to put Binghamton back on top. 

The Hat Tricks go for the weekend sweep of the Black Bears, Saturday, Jan. 12. Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm. 

The Hat Tricks' cup defense is underway and we want you to be a part of it! Season and single-game tickets are available for purchase. Full and partial season packages can save fans up to 30% and include benefits such as FREE parking and season passes to the Danbury NAHL/NA3HL Hat Tricks games. Call Herm Sorcher at (973) 713-7547 to secure yours today or press here to learn more. To buy single-game tickets press here.

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