The New Jersey Titans failed to ring in the new year with a victory, surrendering the game tying goal with under 5 minutes to play in the 3rd period, and the game winner with 10.1 seconds to go in overtime, as they lost to the Johnstown Tomahawks on Friday night at the 1st Summit Arena at the Cambria County War Memorial.
The Titans started the game on the wrong foot, giving up the first goal less than 5 minutes into the game when a Tomahawk defenseman snuck through the slot and put a one timer past Titans’ starting goaltender Dylan Krick. Johnstown would then extend their lead off a goalmouth scramble with 4:31 to go making it 2-0. New Jersey would go on the power play shortly thereafter, and Logan Renkowski went high to the glove side to get the Titans on the board. Matej Teply and Dominik Bartecko assisted on the Harvard commit’s 4th of the season, sending New Jersey into the first intermission trailing by one.
In the second, the Titans drew even when Arhip Sidarovich sniped a wrist shot short side for his 3rd of the year at 6:24 of the period. Fellow Titans 18U AAA product Ethan Wongus getting the lone assist. New Jersey would then take the lead at 14:23, when captain Dominick Rivelli put home a one timer on the power play for his team leading 12th goal of the season. Bartecko and Renkowski provided the helpers on the Titans’ second power play goal of the game, and New Jersey went into the second intermission leading by a score of 3-2.
However, that’s all the offense New Jersey could muster. Generally outplayed in the third period, the Tomahawks were able to tie the game with 4:29 remaining in regulation. Despite spirited offensive chances by the Titans, 60 minutes would not be enough, and the Titans found themselves in overtime for the sixth time this season. Going on the power play for the 6th time in the game, New Jersey was unable to find the game winner in the extra session. Dominick Rivelli had the Titans’ best opportunity, but a referee initiated review after more chaos in from of the Johnstown net did not go New Jersey’s way. Skating three a side after the expiration of the power play, a defensive miscommunication allowed the Tomahawks to fly down the ice and pot the final goal with only 10.1 seconds to go, sending the Titans to a 4-3 defeat.
With the loss, the Titans remain in 5th place in the division with a record of 17-13-2. The teams will skate again for the final time in Johnstown this season tomorrow, Saturday January 6th, with a scheduled 7:00pm faceoff. Join NAHLtv and select the away broadcast to catch all the action.