ELMIRA, NY– In their first games in three weeks, the Maryland Black Bears faced off against the Elmira Aviators. In a back-and-forht affair, the Black Bears triumphed for four points with two 4-3 overtime victories.
FRIDAY JANUARY 2nd, 2026: BLACK BEARS (4) at Elmira (3) OT: In their first action in three weeks, the Black Bears used the first part of the period to get their legs, as each team were feeling each other out with a quality chance at each end. Elmira looked to put the pressure on Ryan Denes, but Denes was equal to the task early. Then Ryan Franks, who recently committed to Canisius University, opened the scoring short-handed, putting home his 14th of the season from a Tanner Duncan feed to make it 1-0 Maryland. The pressure wouldn’t stop there, as Franks would put home his second of the game thanks to a great cycle from Duncan and Harrison Smith to make it 2-0 Black Bears. Then with under six minutes left, Franks finished his natural hat trick as Smith picked the pocket of an Elmira defenseman and fed Franks to make it 3-0 Maryland. Elmira would then turn the tide a bit, as Jack Kohlmann scored with 4:17 remaining off a Maryland defensive turnover. With 1:33 remaining, Maryland turned the puck over on the breakout and Max McGuire made it 3-2 before the end of the first.
Defensive issues continued for Maryland, as they would have issues keeping Elmira out of the zone. In the middle part of the frame, Elmira tied it up with Jake Baratta tapping in a loose puck in the crease to make it 3-3. Maryland would go down two players, but the penalty kill was stellar and were able to keep it a tied game. There was no love-loss between these two teams, as the physicality picked up late in the period, with Brady Anes of Maryland and Andrew Piccirillo for Elmira dropping the mitts, trying to spark their teams. While Maryland had a power play, they didn’t connect. Denes made a giant save in the dying seconds of the frame to keep it a 3-3 match.
Each team tried to play it tight, but both sides had their issues in their defensive zones. Elmira had most of the chances in the early part, but Denes was solid between the pipes. In the second half of the frame, the Black Bears tried to find the game winner, but couldn’t do it within 60 minutes, pushing the game to overtime.
Maryland had an early chance, but Liam Doherty pushed it just high. Moments later, Harrison Smith ended it with a wrist shot that went through Elmira’s goalie and gave Maryland two points. Denes made 29 saves for his 16th victory of the year.
The three points for Smith put him to 112 regular season points in his time with the Black Bears, breaking the record previously held by Dimitry Kebreau. Smith also got his single-season point total to 60, breaking the single-season mark held by Christian Catalano.
SATURDAY JANUARY 3rd, 2026: BLACK BEARS (4) at Elmira (3) OT: Maryland looked to build off the overtime victory and tilted the ice in the first period. Maryland’s forecheck created plenty of chances in front of the Elmira net, but couldn’t find the back of it. Dom Gatto got the start in net and wasn’t tested much in the first, but kept a clean sheet to keep it scoreless through one.
While the Black Bears continued to press the offensive zone, a bad break allowed Elmira to open the scoring with Matt Magilo putting home his 11th of the year to make it 1-0. Maryland kept pressing and kept killing penalties to keep it 1-0. Ryan Franks continued his solid weekend, driving to the net and getting his own rebound to tie the game up at one. Another bad break happened when Magilo looked to have kicked in the puck, but after a review they allowed it and made it 2-1 Elmira. After the goal, the Black Bears went to the power play and Tanner Duncan scored just as the penalty expired to tie it up with a tap-in on a loose puck at the front of the net.
A back-and-forth third period, the Black Bears were able to break the tie late in third period when Harrison Smith got his 17th of the season to break the tie and make it 3-2 for Maryland. Elmira was pressing late with a late power play and an extra attacker with Evan Dantas notching his 10th of the year to push it to overtime for a second straight night.
In the overtime, Maryland kept possession for 90% of the period and Smith was able to pick up possession in the offensive zone and sniped his second OT winner in as many nights to give Maryland the full four points on the weekend with another 4-3 win.
The Black Bears are back home next weekend against Rochester. Tickets are available at Tickets.MarylandBlackBears.com and the Piney Orchard box office
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