Forward Cam Gendron scored three goals, goalie Patrick Pugliese turned aside all 25 shots he faced and the special teams’ units scored five goals to power the New Jersey Titans to a 7 – 0 victory over the visiting Jamestown Rebels.
It was the Titans first shutout on the season and sixth consecutive win.
Jamestown’s defenseman Seth Bergeron was called for interference just thirteen second into the game to give the Titans the man advantage. Nine seconds later Matt Cameron scored his sixth goal on the season to open the scoring.
Michael Outzen won the draw deep inside the Rebels zone and the puck went back to Kyler Head at the top of the far side circle. Head sent a cross-ice back over to Oli Andersen who fed a breaking Cameron going to the net. After making a few moves, Cameron took a wrist shot that beat Rebels goalie Noah West, high blocker side to make it 1 – 0 Titans.
Thirty seconds later Jamestown’s Valerii Rykov was called for tripping to put the Titans back on the powerplay.
After the Titans won another draw inside the Rebels zone, Brody Medeiros would set up the play at the top of the far side blueline and pass the puck down to Gavin Gulash at the top of the circle. Gulash passed the puck down low to Mitch Machlitt who immediately sent a pass back to Gulash. The Red Bank, NJ native sent a cross-ice pass over to Kyler Jeffers. After settling the puck, Jeffers sent a cross-ice pass to a wide open Gulash who took a one-timer that beat West high, short side to give the Titans a 2 – 0 lead just 1:12 into the game.
With eight minutes remaining in the opening period, Gendron would score his first goal of the evening.
Assistant captain Danny Dimon would set up the play at center ice and pass the puck up to Kyler Head. As Head brought the puck into the offensive zone, he passed the biscuit to Matthew Iasenza on his left. Iasenza skated through the slot and took a shot that was saved by West but the rebound out to Gendron who hit the back of the net to give the Titans a 3 – 0 lead.
At 4:26 into the middle period, New Jersey’s Shane Haviland was called for tripping to give the Rebels the man advantage. With time running out on the power play, the Rebels looked to set up one more time. As Jamestown’s Spencer Cosway went to send a bounce pass into the offensive zone, it was intercepted by Dimon at the far side red line. Dimon passed it over to Gendron who cut across the neutral zone and into the offensive zone. As Gendron gained the line, he avoided a Rebels’ hip check and walked in all along on West and beat him long side to make it 4 – 0 Titans.
In addition to scoring his second goal of the game, it also was Gendron’s second shorthanded goal on the season.
With 8:40 left in the second, Andersen was called for Interference to put the Rebels back on the powerplay. After the Titans won the draw deep inside their own zone, defenseman Brad Zona dumped the puck all the way to the end boards where West came out of his net to set up the puck. As West passed it up to teammate Nick Siffringer, Head knocked Siffringer off the puck and walked in all alone on West and beat him on the breakaway to give the Titans a 5 – 0 lead.
Gendron would complete the hat trick at 4:24 into the Third and Machlitt would convert on another powerplay opportunity to close out the scoring and give the Titans the 7 – 0 victory.
In all, the Titans scored three powerplay goals and two shorthanded goals.
Despite the score, Pugliese had to be sharp during the game to prevent the Rebels from getting on the board. He had to make a few Grade A saves to preserve the shutout. West turned aside 28 of 35 shots. Click here for the box score.
The two teams will be back at it tonight at 7:05 PM at the Middletown Sports Complex. There will be a meet and greet with the Titans immediately following the game.