David Posma, Rocco Testa-Basi and Tommy Bannister scored to lead the Titans to a 3 – 1 win over the visiting Maine Nordiques. The victory was the Red Buckets seventh out of their last eight games.
Posma opened the scoring with 5:44 remaining in the first period. After Chris Carroll won the draw deep inside the Nordiques zone, the puck went back to Anthony Calafiore at the far side point. Calafiore passed the biscuit to Posma on his right, and the Titans defenseman took a howitzer of shot that beat Maine’s goaltender Avery Sturtz glove side for Posma’s eighth goal of the season.
After a scoreless second period, the Titans doubled their lead at 3:15 into the third period. Tyler Sanborn picked up the loose puck at his own far side half wall and carried it through the neutral zone and just at the Maine blueline. Right before he was about to enter the offensive zone, Sanborn passed the puck to Testa-Basi at the near side point. As Testa-Basi gained the line, he took a snapshot from the top of the circle that beat Sturtz long side for Testa-Basi’s eighth goal of the season as well.
Maine’s Tyler Gaulin cut the Nordiques deficit in half just sixteen seconds later. Ryan Coughlin, who earlier in the day made his NCAA Division 1 commitment to Mercyhurst, picked up the loose puck at his own near side corner. As Coughlin went to make a clearing pass, it was intercepted by Gaulin at the point. Gaulin turned to his left and took a shot on net that handcuffed Titans goalie Ben Charette and went into the net for Gaulin’s fourth goal against the Red Buckets this season.
At the seven-minute mark of the Stephen Willey was called for hooking to give the Nordiques the man advantage. Just twenty-six seconds later, the Titans regained their two-goal lead on Bannister’s 16th goal of the season made by a beautiful pass by Carroll. Bannister picked up the loose puck at his own far side half wall and passed it up to Carroll at the Titans blueline. Carroll dumped the puck into the Nordiques zone. Carroll out hustled the Nordiques defenders and reached the puck first and took into Maine’s far side corner. As Carroll started to bring the puck up the wall, he made a backhanded pass to Bannister in the slot. Bannister went from his forehand to his backhand and slid the puck between Sturtz’s pads for the Titans fifth shorthanded goal of the season (eighth in the league).
Charette, who was playing in his first game since November 18, 2021 against Danbury, stopped 30 of 31 shots in the victory while Sturtz’s turned aside 46 of 49. Click here for the box score.
The two teams will close out the two-game series tonight at 7:00 PM at the Middletown Sports Complex.