Binghamton's power-play goal sets tone to even finals. Now, IceCats get ready for NY

FLORENCE, S.C. - Pee Dee trailed 2-1 Saturday with less than a minute left. But this IceCats record crowd of 7,867 wasn't going anywhere.

They're all too familiar with the IceCats' heroics against Athens in the previous round when Pee Dee tied the final two games during the final minute - and won both in overtime.

But this time, a "Cardiac Cats" reprisal was not to be at the Florence Center. Two-time defending league champion, Binghamton, won 2-1 to even this FPHL Commissioner's Cup finals at one win apiece in the best-of-5 series.

Pee Dee, which won 5-2 in this past Friday's Game 1, will now hop on a bus and drive to upstate New York for at least two games - Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.

Maybe three - Sunday, if necessary, at 6 p.m.

Just as a power play sparked Pee Dee this past Friday, it did the same Saturday for the Black Bears in a 5-on-3 matchup that resulted in a Austin D'Orazio goal. A short time later, with both teams at full strength, teammate Daniel Stone made it 2-0 by first period's end.

Binghamton registered 22 of its 40 shots during the first 20 minutes.

Early in the second period, Pee Dee's Alex Legkov fired a crisp cross-ice pass to Dennis Zaichyk, who scored on a shot from the right wing just inside the near post to beat goalkeeper Dominik Tmej (24 saves).

Tmej, however, had the final laugh in front of the crowd that also set the attendance record once again for a league playoff game.

Later in the second period, the IceCats' Drew Welsch was awarded a penalty shot after being hauled down on a breakaway. Tmej blocked it, and the Black Bears never looked back.

IceCats coach Gary Graham was not available for comment after the game.

NOTE: Legkov now leads all playoff scorers with 13 points after registering his ninth assist of the post-season on Zaichyk's goal.

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This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 12:11 PM.