Ice Dogs defeat Titans in first game of weekend

Dec 18, 2015

MIDDLETOWN, N.J. – The Fairbanks Ice Dogs defeated the Titans 3-1 after a fast paced defensive battle.

It looked like it would be a slugfest as four goals between the two teams were scored in the first period. However, it changed into a physical game that saw 66 penalty minutes between them.

The Titans got off to a good start and nearly capitalized on several chances. After they couldn’t covert three scoring chances on their first power play, they found themselves down a man just 14 seconds after it expired.

Then just eight seconds into the power play, league leading scorer Todd Burgess scored his 21st of the season. The goal came at 8:25 of the first period.

Then Ryner Gorowski snuck one by Titans’ goalie Spencer Wright five-hole. While on a rush, Tyler Tomberlin snapped a shot that was initially stopped by Wright, with the rebound left Gorowski. Wright’s pads opened up, allowing the puck to get by him.

The Titans got on the board not long after. Darren Brady skated from the Fairbanks bench to slot. Then from the right circle, the defenseman put a shot on net that was stopped by the right pad of Ice Dogs’ goalie Gavin Nieto. Andrew Durham was right there in the blue pain and buried the rebound top shelf.

However it didn’t take long for Fairbanks to regain the two-goal advantage 52 seconds later. Down a man again, the Titans couldn’t defend against tic-tac-toe passing between Josef Ingman, Jakob Stridsberg, and Gorowski. It came on the power play at 13:53 of the first period.

The Ice Dogs finished the night 2-for-8 on the power play while New Jersey didn’t capitalize despite five opportunities. Wright finished the night with 27 saves on 30 shots while his counterpart finished with 22 saves on 23 shots.

Both teams will return to the ice Saturday night, as Titans will finish up the 2015 calendar year. The opening faceoff is set for 7:30 p.m.