The New Jersey Titans prevailed on the road last night, defeating the Maryland Black Bears by a score of 4 to 2. It is the first victory of the year for New Jersey against Maryland, the top team in the NAHL for the first third of the season.
Cooper Eberhardt set the tone for the Titans, scoring 1:08 into the game, assisted by Matt Henry and former Black Bear Leo Schwartz. It was the rookie’s 2nd goal of the season. With 8.2 seconds remaining, Riley Fitzgerald doubled the lead for New Jersey for his 3rd of the season. Jack Hillier picked up the lone helper, and despite being outshot 12-7, the Titans went into the locker room for the first intermission with a 2-0 lead.
Maryland pulled within one with a goal halfway through the second period, but Hillier found the back of the net at 13:13 to restore the two goal lead. Johnny McMahon and Christian Wood got the assists on Hillier’s second of the season. The Black Bears would answer a minute later to send the teams into the second intermission with New Jersey still clinging to a 3-2 lead even though the Titans were outshot for the second period in a row.
New Jersey continued to weather the storm in the third, but found themselves short handed with 5:04 to go. It was then that the captain stepped up, and Dominick Rivelli gave the Titans the insurance marker they needed with his first shorthanded goal since March 25th, 2022. Reece Brednich got the assist on Rivelli’s 7th of the season, and the Titans skated away with an important two points. Dylan Krick was solid in goal, stopping 38 of 40 shots sent his way for his 6th win of the season.
With the victory, New Jersey’s record improves to 11-10-0 on the season, and they are currently in 4th place in the division. The teams will get right back to action tonight, with a 7:30pm faceoff scheduled at the Piney Orchard Ice Arena in Odenton, MD.