The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights defeated the visiting New Jersey Titans today 4 – 3 in a matinee game held at the Revolution Ice Centre. It was the first time this season that the Knights had beaten the Titans.
Michael Outzen opened the scoring at 5:44 into the first period. Tyler Nasca picked up the loose puck at the near side half wall and passed it down low to Outzen who was to the right of Knights goalie Zach Stejskal. Outzen passed it out to Brad Zona at the top of the circle and the Titans defenseman passed it down low to Shane Haviland who was caddy corner to Stejskal. Haviland immediately sent a pass across the slot to Outzen who one-timed it past Stejskal to give the Titans a 1 – 0 lead.
The Knights tied it at 9:02 of the first period. Lincoln Hatten intercepted an errant Titans pass along the near side half wall and brought the puck into the offensive zone on a 3-on-1 rush. As Hatten cut across the goal mouth, he took a shot that was saved by Titans goalie Ryan McInchak but the rebound came out to Shane Murphy who knocked into the net past a sprawled out McInchak.
The Knights Caydon Meyer was called for a ten-minute misconduct and a match penalty with 7:07 left in the period to give the Titans the man advantage. New Jersey regained the lead with four minutes remaining in the first. Jake LaRusso intercepted Anthony Mastromonica’s outlet pass along the near side half wall and cut across the slot. LaRusso took a shot that beat Stejskal long side for his fifth goal of the season.
The Knights then scored two, second period goals twenty-two seconds apart to take control of the game.
At 9:28 into the middle period Nikita Asylaev scored his sixth goal of the season to tie the game at two. After a scrum in front of the net, Asylaev picked up the loose puck to the left of McInchak. Asylaev then went behind the net tucked in a wraparound past McInchak.
Twenty-two seconds later the Knights took the lead for good. The Knights’ Johnny Kaljian picked up the loose puck in the offensive, far side corner and passed it out to Michael Sacco at the faceoff dot. As Sacco went to the net, he took a shot that was saved by McInchak but the rebound came out to Kalifian who beat McInchak high, short side to give WBS a 3 – 2 lead.
Tyrone Bronte picked up the loose puck along the far side boards and entered the offensive zone on a 3 – on – 2 break. As Bronte reach the top of the slot, he passed the puck to Hatten who was to the right of McInchak. Hatten passed it out front to Artur Turansky who put it past McInchak to make it 4 – 2.
Matt Cameron scored his seventeenth goal of the season to bring the Titans within one at 7:32 of the third period but it wasn’t enough as the Titans lost their fourth straight loss.
McInchak stopped 15 of 19 shots while Stejskal turned aside 32 of 35. Click here for the box score.
The Titans will continue their road swing this weekend for two games as they play the Northeast Generals in Attleboro.