New Jersey captain Jake Suede had a goal and two assists and rookie Connor Pelc had a goal and assist to help lead the Titans to a 6 – 1 win over the Northeast Generals. It was the Titans fifth straight victory.
At 3:08 into the opening period Suede was called for crosschecking to give Northeast the man advantage. As the powerplay was about to expire, the Generals gave up their eighth shorthand goal of the season to give the Titans a 1 – 0 lead.
As the Generals were trying to breakout of their zone, Jack Ford pressured a Northeast defender to lose the puck along the far side half wall where it was picked up by Jake LaRusso. As LaRusso went to the net he took a shot that beat Northeast goalie Anton Castro short side for his ninth goal of the season.
Jack Ring would double the Titans lead just 1:14 into the second period. As Brad Zona skated through his own goalmouth and up through center ice, he head manned the puck to Stephen Willey who entered the offensive zone. As Willey was checked at the half wall, he sent the puck back to a trailing Zona. The assistant captain sent a cross-ice pass to Ring who took a wrist shot the beat Castro long side for his fifth goal of the season.
Josh Rule, who just celebrated his nineteenth birthday on Wednesday, scored his first goal at 8:37 into the middle stanza. After Titans goalie Christian Stoever made a save, the rebound came out to Suede who skated through center ice and entered the offensive zone on a three-on-one. As Suede gained the line, he passed the puck to Rule on his left. Rule took a shot that was saved by Castro but Rule followed up his own rebound and shot the biscuit through Castro’s five hole to make it a 3 – 0 game.
With 4:42 left in the second, Northeast’s Dylan Schuett was called for slashing to give the Titans the man advantage. A little over a minute later Suede scored for the fifth time this season. As Suede reached the top of the far side faceoff circle, he passed it down low to Levente Keresztes who was to the left of Castro. Keresztes tried to stuff the puck past Castro but the puck came out to Anthony Calafiore. The Staten Island, NY native took a shot that was saved by Castro, but Suede tucked in the rebound to make it a 4 – 0 game.
Jonathan Young scored at 7:26 into the third to put Northeast on the board but Caleb Price and Pelc hit the back of the end to close out the scoring and make it a 6 – 1 game.
Stoever, who played very well, stopped 33 of 34 shots while Castro turned aside 26 of 32. Click here for the box score.
The two teams will meet again tonight at 9:15 PM to close out the series.