Hat Tricks Strike Late in Binghamton, Secures First Place

Binghamton, NY- The Danbury Hat Tricks hit the road for the most important road trip of the season and emerged from a physical and contentious battle with the Binghamton Black Bears with a 3-2 win and a more secure hold on first place in the FPHL's Empire Division. 

The game started slowly for the Hat Tricks. Binghamton controlled the shot counter 16-13 in the opening stanza and scored the frame's only goal on a power play following a Michael Marchesan high stick penalty. Gavin Yates did the honors, scoring at the 11:20 mark of the frame, and the Black Bears took the lead into the intermission. 

Danbury notched the second period's only goal when Daniel Amesbury benefited from a bizarre bounce. He fired a puck into the corner and it careened on net, sneaking through Binghamton goaltender Talor Joseph for Amesbury's first goal with the Danbury Hat Tricks and evening the game up at 1-1. 

The game's intensity, physicality, and pressure cranked up in the third and final period of the game. Binghamton struck first with a Mathieu Boislard power play goal at the 2:18 mark of the stanza. Danbury ratcheted up the offense in the rest of the third period, outshooting the Black Bears 17-7 and controlling the pace and rhythm of the frame. They also benefited from a tripping penalty against Kyle Powell at the 16:55 mark of the third. John MacDonald capitalized with the power play tally to tie the game with 2:16 left to play. In a game that felt bound for overtime, Danbury ripped that possibility away from the packed Binghamton house. 

The recently returned Xavier Abdella shot a puck toward the net and Lucas DeBenedet got a stick on the puck to redirect it into the net with four seconds left to secure the 3-2 final. 

Danbury improves to 27-6-5, good for 80 points, now five points clear of the Black Bears, who fall to 25-9-2 and 75 points. Danbury's point total sits in second place in the FPHL overall, only sitting behind the Columbus River Dragons by three points. 

Danbury's Brian Wilson stopped 35 shots of 37 shots faced in net. Binghamton's Talor Joseph stopped 37 of 40 shots faced. 

The Hat Tricks complete their five game road trip with a return to Watertown to face the Watertown Wolves on Saturday night. Puck drops at 7:30 PM.