Ben Yurchuk’s goal with 1:43 remaining in overtime gave the visiting Titans a 4 – 3 win over the Northeast Generals last night at the New England Sports Village. The Titans had overcome a two-goal deficit entering the third period. The victory enabled the Red Buckets to complete a weekend sweep between the teams; Northeast entered the series on a seven-game winning streak.
It was the Red Buckets third straight win of the season. The victory improved their record to 6 – 8 on the year with 12 points.
Northeast’s Ryan Schelling opened the scoring just 1:31 into the game. The Generals’ Bryce Cooper brought the puck out of his own zone and made a shuttle pass up to David Andreychuk at center ice. As Andreychuk gained the line, his passed the biscuit to Paul Minnehan on his right. As Minnehan reached the far side faceoff dot, he made a cross-ice pass through the slot to Schelling who redirected the backdoor pass behind Titans goalie Jacob Torgner for Schelling third goal of the season.
The Generals doubled their lead at 9:03 of the period when former Titan Joe Schubert scored his third goal of the season. With play in the Titans zone, the loose puck was picked up by Schubert at the far side half wall. As Schubert skated towards the goal line, he took a sharp angle shot that went off Torgner’s back pad and into the net to make it a 2 – 0 game.
Ryan Novo cut the Titans deficit in half with 9:32 into the second period. With play inside the Generals zone, Northeast’s Asher Wites passed the puck to Nick Ramm behind their own net. Ramm sent a return pass to Wites who went to make a clearing pass but it was intercepted by Owen Luik at the near side point. As Luik reached the top of the faceoff circle he passed the biscuit to Novo on his right and Novo took a one-timer that beat Generals goalie Toby Hopp long side to make it 2- 1.
The Generals regained their two-goal lead forty-six seconds later when former Titan Jake LaRusso scored his sixth goal of the season. Northeast’s Sixten Jennersjo was back checking on the play and picked up the loose puck in his own zone and turned to the far side half wall and made a long stretch pass to LaRusso just outside the offensive zone. As LaRusso gained the line, he took a clapper that went through Torgner’s five hole and into the back of the net to make it a 3 – 1 game.
Levente Keresztes started the Titans comeback at 4:12 into the third period. With play at the top of the blueline just inside the Northeast’s zone, the Generals’ Jacob Ierfino went to breakout of his zone but he was pickpocketed by Keresztes and the Budapest Hungry native took a snapshot that beat Hopp long side to make it 3 – 2.
Newly acquired Robert Hyde tied the game with 5:56 remaining in regulation. With play along the near side end wall inside the Generals zone, the puck scooted to Northeast’s Jackson McCarthy to the left of his net. McCarthy backhanded the puck towards the boards, but it went to Joe Harney at the point. Harney took a clapper that popped out of Hopp’s glove and to Michael Young who was on the left side of the net. Young tried to stuff it but the puck went through the goal mouth to Hyde who jammed the biscuit into the back of the net for his second goal of the weekend.
After regulation ended tied at three, the contest entered into the five minute 3 on 3 overtime. Leo Schwartz picked up the loose puck at the bottom of his own near side faceoff circle and passed it up to Keresztes. As Keresztes crossed his own blueline, he passed the puck to Yurchuk on his right. As the speedy forward skated down the near side boards, he entered the offensive zone and cut towards the net. He went through the crease and deked around Hopp and the Randolph, NJ native lifted the puck up and over the fallen Hopp and into the back of the net to win the game.
Torgner stopped 34 of 37 shots in the victory while Hopp turned aside 31 of 35. Click here for the complete box score.
The Titans will continue their four-game road swing next weekend when they travel to Swell, NJ to take on the Rebels at the Hollydell Ice Arena.