Rollercoaster of Emotions: Binghamton Hockey Fans Witness Epic Comeback and Loss in Southern Division Final Series

Binghamton hockey fans experienced a rollercoaster of emotions during the American Hockey League’s Southern Division final series. The Binghamton Rangers took a commanding 2-1 lead in the series with a thrilling 3-1 victory over Rochester in Game 1. Fans were on the edge of their seats as second-period goals from Rob Zamuner and Mike Stevens, as well as an empty-netter from Jody Hull, left Rochester struggling to keep up. Goaltender Mark Laforest made an impressive 23 saves to secure his sixth playoff start and cement Binghamton’s early advantage.

However, fate had other plans for the Rangers. Despite their lead, Rochester rallied from a 3-1 deficit to eliminate Binghamton in a nail-biting Game 7 with a score of 4-2. This was the first time in 19 seasons of professional hockey that a Binghamton team lost a decisive Game 5 or Game 7.

Meanwhile, on a softball afternoon in Johnson City, defending state champions continued their winning streak with a stunning 6-1 victory against Vestal. The Wildcats, ranked as Class B No. 1, extended their win streak to an impressive 16 games thanks to Charlene Cook’s three-hit pitching and Chris Dyman’s strong hitting performance. In another game that day, Union-Endicott’s Jennifer Fitzgerald nearly achieved perfection with her second consecutive shutout in a dominating 15-0 win against Susquehanna Valley.