Game Recap: Hat Tricks Split Home-and-Home Weekend Series with Binghamton, Fall to 0-2 on Road

by Doug Lattuca

DANBURY — The Hat Tricks (2-2-0-0) were dropped by the Black Bears (2-0-0-1) 3-1 Saturday night in Binghamton’s Home Opener.

Hat Tricks goalie Conor McCollum stopped 35 shots in his second consecutive start and forward Bohdan Zinchenko scored a short-handed goal in his Hat Tricks debut.

The Black Bears wasted little time getting their home opening crowd involved. Captain Tyson Kirkby opened the scoring at 7:48 tapping home a cross-slot feed from forward Mac Lewis past the outstretched stick of McCollum.

At 10:55 in the second, forward Connor Smith, who didn’t play in the first game of the weekend due to personal reasons, extended the Black Bears lead to two.

The Hat Tricks pulled within one at 12:58 in middle frame. Bohdan Zinchenko forced a turnover at the defensive blueline, came in on a breakaway and backhanded it off the left post and over the line to get the Hat Tricks on the board. The Hat Tricks netted 13 shorties last season, more than double any other team in the league.

Despite some early chances in the third period, the Hat Tricks couldn’t beat netminder Sam Livecchi in his professional debut. At 12:54, Binghamton forward Andrew Logar stole the puck from Danbury defenseman Zach Pamaylaon and scored an insurance tally to make it 3-1.

The Hat Tricks come out of the weekend with three of a possible six points and are two points behind Binghamton for first place in the Empire division. The Hat Tricks and Black Bears play each other 16 more times this season.


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