Olivieri's Hat-Trick Propels Black Bears Against Motor City

Binghamton, NY — The Motor City Rockers started the Empire State weekend trip off with a 6-3 loss to the Binghamton Black Bears on Friday night at Visions Veteran Memorial. 

Binghamton took the lead early thanks to two goals and a little bit of puck luck. 

The first goal came from a blast from JT Walters from the point that was turned away by Trevor Babin. But Donald Oliveri picked up the rebound in the slot and fired a lazy back-hand that slid under the pads of Babin for a 1-0 lead with 12:59 to play in the opening period. 

22-seconds later Liam Anderson fired a hard shot from the point that was stopped by Babin with his blocker but ricocheted into the net for a 2-0 lead. 

Motor City was able to chip into the lead while attempting to kill a power play. 

TJ Delaney picked up a loose puck in the Rockers D-Zone and started an attack with Jonathan Juliano. After a drop off pass to Juliano, and shot on goal, Delaney pick up the rebound on the far side post and put in the rebound that cut into the lead 2-1 with 7:59 to play in the first period. 

The Black Bears converted the power play 24 seconds later when Oliveri scored his second of the game for a 3-1 lead. 

Binghamton added to its lead with the lone goal of the second period when the puck was fed from the right circle from Austin Thompson to Andrew Logar who was all alone in between the hash marks and fired the puck in from point blank range for a 4-1 lead. 

Oliveri completed his first FPHL hat-trick in the first 5:22 of the third period when he roofed a back-hand for a 5-1 lead. 

Motor City earned a goal on the power play, as the Rockers went 1-for-4 on the man advantage when Josh Colten fired the puck from the point that beat Connor McAnanama for a 5-2 game. It was Colten’s first goal since the Rockers played Binghamton on January 6th. 

Binghamton got one back off the stick of Connor Smith from the right circle for a 6-2 lead, before Erik Oganezov’s first goal as a Rocker with 38 seconds left in the game for a 6-3 final. 

Motor City will now travel for two games against the Watertown Wolves on Saturday and Sunday before heading home to play the Binghamton Black Bears at Big Boy Arena next weekend.