The
Binghamton Black Bears in the 2024-25 season have now played 28 games, which is exactly half of the season. They are 23-4-1 with 65 points, which ranks them first in the league and in the Empire Division. They are 19 points ahead of the
Watertown Wolves who have played 2 less games, even if
the Wolves gain all 6 points in those games in hand, the difference is
13 points. I think the Black Bears are having a great season. This is
the second full season for Head Coach Brant Sherwood, who when he took
over the reigns of the franchise on December 29, 2022 after Gary Gill
took a leave of absence, had to make some hard decisions before a
winning culture was able to start forming. It took some time, releasing
or trading fan favorites or local players and to hearing “Fire Sherwood”
to what the franchise has became over the last season and a half, “The
Model” in the FPHL. To compare the first 28 games this season to last years start, the numbers are certainly impressive and surprising to a degree as well. In 2023-24, the first 28 games had some over-time challenges and maybe specialty teams challenges that were corrected but were evident, and the wins were there. The first half of last season saw the Black Bears win 19 games, have only 3 regulation losses but 6 losses in overtime or the shoot-out. Remember last year, C-Mac was snake bitten in the shoot-out and we didn’t know what we had at that point. A team that was going to get to the playoffs, but not disappoint. Last season’s start saw 130 goals scored and 84 goals allowed, 46 goal differential, that’s not that bad.
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