Black Bears host championship celebration

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Binghamton is a city of champions!

The Black Bears delivered a title on Friday night, securing their first Commissioner’s Cup Championship with a 4-3 win over Carolina.

After the game on Friday, Head Coach Brant Sherwood said, “It’s a hockey town baby!”

On Monday, the team was joined by Black Bears nation, hosting a championship celebration at the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena.

With Friday’s win that completed a 3-game sweep of the Finals, the Black Bears not only won the first pro hockey championship for a Binghamton team since 2011, but the first all time to be won on home ice.

“It was great! It was super,” Binghamton hockey fan since the 1970’s, Paul Lewis said. “It was something we had never got to see before and this is the neatest thing that happened in our arena! Get to see them win right in our building!”

Black Bears nation greeted the front office, coaches, and players with loud applause and cheers.

All part of a championship celebration that Team Owner, Andreas Johansson, has enjoyed.

“Yeah, it’s been very intense, but it’s been absolutely wonderful,” Johansson said.

A team and a championship that means a lot to this community.

Binghamton Mayor, Jared Kraham, presented Johansson with a key to the city and the crowd treated their owner to a loud chorus of ‘Thank You Andreas’ chants.

“Yeah, it does give you satisfaction,” Johansson said. “But we still kinda keep in the back of our mind, we just wanna keep on moving, we got another season coming up and we wanna make sure we go back-to-back and keep advancing the product.”

Already thinking about the next championship, the Black Bears will have the eyes on their second title next year, for now, they get to celebrate their first.

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