Tag Archives: Brad Zona

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Zona named to the NAHL’s All-East Division Rookie Team

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced its All-Rookie Teams for the 2019-20 season, as voted upon and selected by the league’s 26 head coaches. The NAHL has also named All-Rookie Teams in each of the four divisions. The Titans’ Brad Zona was named as one of the two defensemen for the All-East Division’s rookie team.

The 6’1”, 205 lb. defenseman had fifteen points (1 goal and 14 assists) in forty-seven games this season. He was a +22, second best among the team’s blueliners.

The Auburn, MA native is committed to play NCAA Division I ice hockey for the United States Military Academy (Army).

This is the second time this season that Zona has received league recognition. He was named honorable mention for the NAHL’s East Division’s Star of the Week for week ending February 9.

For a complete list, please click here.

Eligibility rules: NAHL players that have not played in a junior league or team prior to the 2019-20 season (any junior league or team in any location, foreign or domestic), or entered the season having played less than 10 NAHL regular season games, are considered rookies and eligible for All-Rookie recognition and honors by the NAHL.

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Haviland scores two goals as Titans defeat Knights 5 – 2

Shane Haviland scored two goals, Mitch Machlitt had a goal and an assist while Gavin Gulash and Jake LaRusso each had two assists to help lead the New Jersey Titans to a 5 – 2 win over the visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights. It was the last regular season meeting between the teams. With the win, New Jersey defeated WBS seven out of eight times this year.

The win also increased the Titans lead in the East Division to five points.

Cam Gendron got the Titans on the board just fifty-eight seconds into the game. Gendron picked up the loose puck behind his own net and sent a pass up to Machlitt at center ice but the biscuit went by Machlitt and into the offensive zone where it was retrieved by Kyler Head. As Head reached the far side half wall, he sent a backhanded pass out front to Gendron who redirected the puck past Knights goalie Zach Stejskal to give the Titans an early 1 – 0 lead.

A minute and sixteen seconds later Haviland would score his first goal of the evening. As Jake LaRusso gained the line along the near side boards, he passed the puck to Gavin Gulash in front of him. Gulash immediately sent a cross-ice pass to Brad Zona who took a shot that went wide of the net but the puck bounced off the end boards and came right out to Haviland in the slot and Haviland buried it past Stejskal to give the Titans a 2 – 0 lead.

Haviland made it 3 – 0 at 6:46 into the second period. After the Knights dumped the puck into the Titans zone for a line change, the puck was picked up by Zona who passed it to Machlitt at center ice. Machlitt made a bounce pass off the far side boards to LaRusso. As LaRusso skated to the top of the faceoff circle, he made a centering pass out front to Haviland who one-timed it past Stejskal for eighth goal of the season.

Michael Outzen’s goal with 9:04 left in the second period gave the Titans a 4 – 0 lead. After Ole Andersen won a scrum in his own far side corner, he brought the puck up along the boards and made a cross-ice pass to Chris Garbe. As Garbe entered the Knights zone, he stopped, reversed and sent a puck in on net that was blocked out front. Nick DeSantis picked up the loose puck and took a shot from his knees that was saved by Stejskal, but the rebound came right to Outzen who buried the puck into the open net for his nineteenth goal of the season.

The Knights tried a comeback by scoring two unanswered goals early in the third period.

Just thirteen seconds into the final period, Lincoln Hatten scored his team high twenty-seventh goal of the season. After Tyrone Bronte won the draw deep inside the Titans zone, he passed the puck to Hatten to his left. Hatten took a slap shot that went off Titans goalie Ryan McInchak’s pad and into the net to make it a 4 – 1 game.

Playing four-on-four hockey, the Knights’ Anthony Mastromonica’s unassisted goal at 7:36 into the third period cut the Titans lead in half but it wasn’t enough as Machlitt added an empty net goal with 1:44 left in the game to close out the scoring.

McInchak, who won his fourth consecutive game, stopped 32 of 34 shots while Stejskal turned aside 43 of 47. Click here for the box score.

The Titans now will play the Maine Nordiques for a two-game series beginning tomorrow night at the Middletown Sports Complex.

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Knights topple Titans 4 – 3 in matinee

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.

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Second period dooms Titans in 7 – 3 loss to Generals

The visiting Northeast Generals scored five second period goals en route to a 7 – 3 win over the New Jersey Titans. It was the first time in six games this season that the Generals had defeated the Titans. The loss also spoiled the debut of new Titans goaltender Ryan McInchak.

The Titans took a quick lead just forty-five seconds into the game. After Michael Outzen won the draw deep inside the Generals zone, the puck went back to Mitch Machlitt directly behind Outzen and Machlitt sent it back to the near side point to Danny Dimon. Dimon sent it over to  Brad Zona who took a snapshot from the top of the faceoff circle that was saved by Northeast goalie Joey Stanizzi but the rebound came right out to Machlitt who tucked it in past Stanizzi to make it 1 – 0 Titans.

It was Machlitt’s first goal in ten games.

New Jersey doubled its lead at 9:19 of the opening period. After McInchak went behind his own net to set up the puck, he passed it up along the near side boards where it was picked up by Machlitt at the half wall. Machlitt passed it up to Matthew Iasenza at the point who sent a cross-ice pass to Outzen. As Outzen gained the offensive zone line, he went to net and passed it over to Iasenza on his left and Iasenza redirected the puck passed Stanizzi for his eleventh goal of the season.

The Generals then cut their deficit in half with 3:23 remaining in the first period. After Charlie Reid won the draw deep inside the Titans zone, the puck went back to Michael Heneghan at the point who dumped into the far side corner where it was picked up by Reid. Reid passed the puck out to Ryan Kuzmich at the faceoff dot and Kuzmich passed it down low to Alexander Tertyshny who was to the right of McInchak. Tertyshny centered the biscuit out front to Reid and he backhanded it past McInchak and into the open net for his fourth goal of the season.

Trailing 2 – 1 going into the second period, the Generals would score five of their next six goals in the middle stanza to pull away from the Titans.

Tertyshny tied at the game at the 4:24 mark. The son of former Philadelphia Flyer Dmitri Tertyshny picked up the loose puck in his own high slot and passed it up to Kyle Schroeder on his left. Schroeder passed the puck over to Clark Kerner who entered the offensive zone. As Kerner reached the bottom of the near side faceoff dot, he made a centering pass out front that was redirected by Tertyshny past McInchak for his first goal as a Northeast General.

Northeast would take the lead with 9:23 into in the second on Cam Gaudette’s seventh goal of the season. Former General Joe Nagle dumped the puck into the Northeast zone where it was picked up by Stanizzi to the left of his own net. Stanizzi made a long outlet pass to Gaudette at the Titans far side blueline. As Gaudette gained the line, he moved towards the top of the slot and took a wrister that beat McInchak blocker side to make it 3 – 2 Generals.

Fourteen seconds later the Generals doubled their lead. After the ensuing faceoff, Kuzmich picked up the loose puck at center ice and dumped it into the Titans zone where McInchak stopped it behind his own net to set up the play. Hurried, McInchak sent the puck behind his own and into his near side corner where it was picked up by a hustling Kuzmich. Kuzmich sent it back Brady Hunter at the point. Hunter took a shot that went wide and hit the end boards, but the puck took a crazy bounce and came right out to the slot and Kuzmich wristed the biscuit through McInchak’s five hole for his second goal of the season.

Gavin Gulash made it a 4 – 3 game with 8:25 left in the second period. Matt Cameron intercepted a Generals pass just along the far side blue line and he sent a bounce pass off the boards where it was picked up by Gulash at the half wall. Gulash went to the net, cut across the goalmouth and backhanded the puck up high and past Stanizzi for his eleventh goal of the season.

Less than a minute later the Generals regained their two-goal lead on Reid’s second goal of the game and fifth of the season.

Dylan Schuett scored with forty-seven seconds left in the period to make it a 6 – 3 game. Kerner closed out the scoring with 2:17 left in the game to make it 7 – 3.

The loss ended the Titans five game win streak.

McInchak stopped 26 of 33 shots while Stanizzi turned aside 26 of 29. Click here for the box score.

The Titans now will go on a seven-game road swing with four of the games against the Jamestown Rebels beginning next weekend.

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Head and Machlitt propel Titans to 5 – 3 win over Knights

Kyler Head had a goal and an assist while Mitch Machlitt had three primary assists to help lead the New Jersey Titans to a 5 – 3 win over the visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights last night at the Middletown Sports Complex.

It was the Titans fourth straight victory and the win gave them a seven-point lead over the second place Johnstown Tomahawks in the East Division’s standings.

Cam Gendron started the scoring just 1:58 into the second period to give the Titans an early 1 – 0 lead. Cade Penney picked up the loose puck behind his own goal line and passed it up to Ole Andersen who moved it onto Kyle Jeffers at the top of his blue line. As Jeffers entered the neutral zone, he passed it over to Head on his left. Head gained a burst of speed and went around his defender and into the neutral zone. As Head reach the near side faceoff dot, he made a nice cross-ice pass to Gendron who redirected the back-door pass behind Knights netminder Alex Contey for his fifteenth goal of the year.

Thirty-four seconds later the Knights’ Anthony Mastromonica tied the game. WBS’ Christopher Rubenach kept the puck in Titans zone at the top of the near side point and passed it up to Sutton McDonald along the boards. As McDonald skated to the bottom of the faceoff circle, he made a centering pass out front that Mastromonica redirected past Titans goaltender Patrick Pugliese for his tenth goal of the season.

With 9:03 left in the opening period, the Knights’ Jordan Strand was called for holding to give New Jersey the man advantage. Twenty-four seconds later Head gave the Titans a 2 – 1 lead. As the Knights tried to clear the zone, the puck was kept in by Andersen at the top of the point. Andersen passed it down low to Machlitt who was to the left of Contey at the goal line. Machlitt made a behind the back pass out front to Head who wristed the puck past Contey for his fifteenth goal of the season.

Knights veteran Tyrone Bronte tied the game at two with 2:25 left in the second period. After Artur Turansky won the draw deep inside the Titans zone, the puck went back to the Strand at the near side point. Strand took a long wrist shot that was redirected out front and past Pugliese for his eight goal of the season.

Exactly a minute later the Titians regained the lead for good. Brad Zona picked up the loose puck at the top of the far side faceoff circle and pass it up to Machlitt at center ice and he immediately passed it over to Matthew Iasenza on his right. Iasenza returned the biscuit to Machlitt who entered the offensive zone. As Machlitt reached the top of the faceoff circle he passed it over to Iasenza on his right and the speedy forward beat Contey short side to make it 3 – 2.

At 2:13 into the third, captain Brody Medeiros would double the Titans lead. Medeiros picked up the loose puck at the top of his own slot and he passed it up to Iasenza at center ice. Iasenza chipped the puck into the offensive zone where it was picked up by Michael Outzen. The Highlands Ranch, CO native passed it over to a breaking Machlitt on his left. Machlitt fed the puck through the goal mouth and Medeiros redirected the backdoor pass behind Conety for his fifth goal of the season.

After Danny Dimon took a shot on goal that was blocked out front, he picked up his own rebound at the near side half wall. Dimon passed it Gavin Gulash in the slot. Gulash moved from his backhand to his forehand and beat Conety high glove side for his ninth goal of the season to give the Titans a 5 – 2 lead.

The Knights’ Lincoln Hatten scored with 1:16 remaining in the game to close out the score. Pugliese turned aside 27 of 30 shots while Conety stopped 21 of 26. Click here for the box score.

“Overall I thought we play pretty well” stated Titans head coach Craig Doremus. “Not our cleanest game but we found a way to get ot the net and create some offense. Out PK (penalty kill) stepped up big tonight and gave us a chance. We need to continue to improve as we prepare for a big weekend with the Generals coming to Middletown this weekend concluded Doremus.

The Titans will have a lite practice today and begin preparing for this weekend’s series against the visiting Northeast Generals.

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Gendron and Zona named honorable mention for NAHL’s East Division’s Star of the Week for week ending February 9

The North American Hockey League announced its Bauer Hockey Divisional Stars of the Week for week ending February 9 and Titans forward Cam Gendron and defenseman Brad Zona were named honorable mention for the East Division.

Gendron had four points (3 goals and 1 assist) during this past weekend’s sweep of the Maryland Black Bears. He had a hat trick (his second of the season) in Friday night’s 6 – 4 win, and he posted an assist in Saturday’s 7 – 2 victory.

Gendron has twenty-nine points (14 goals and 15 assists) in forty-one games this season. This is the second time this season that the Wilmington, MA native has been recognized by the league. He was honorable mention for week ending October 27, 2019.

Zona had five points (all assists) this past weekend. He had two assists in Friday’s game (both on two of Gendron’s goals) and three is Saturday’s win.

The Auburn, MA has eleven points (1 goal and 10 assists) in thirty-seven games. He is second among the team’s defensemen with a +18. This is the first time Zona has received league honors, making him the thirteenth member of the team to do so this season.

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Garbe’s hat trick helps leads Titans to weekend sweep over Black Bears

Chris Garbe scored three goals, including two in the first period, to help lead the New Jersey Titans to a 7 – 2 victory over the visiting Maryland Black Bears to complete a weekend sweep between the teams.

It was Garbe’s first hat trick of the season and the Titans second one in two games.

The Titans scored early and often in the first period and it all started at 1: 39 into the opening period on Tyler Nasca’s seventh goal of the season. After a shot was blocked out in-front of the Titans net, captain Brody Medeiros picked up the loose puck along the far side half wall and he passed it up to Nick DeSantis who sent a backhand pass to Josef Glamos. As Glamos enter the neutral zone he passed it up and over to a breaking Shane Haviland along the far side boards. As Haviland gained the line, he made a cross-ice pass over to Nasca and the defenseman took a wrist shot from the top of the circle that beat Black Bears goalie Cooper Black to give the Titans a 1 – 0 lead.

Less than a minute and a half later, the Titans doubled their lead on Garbe’s first goal of the game. After Garbe won the draw deep inside the Black Bears zone, the puck went to Matt Cameron who was to the left of Garbe. As Cameron circled to the top of the near side faceoff circle, he went to pass the puck over to Brad Zona but it was deflected and bounced off the far side boards where Zona ultimately picked it up at the bottom of the faceoff circle. Zona threw a pass on net that was saved by Black but Garbe tucked in the rebound past the goalie to make it 2 – 0.

Matthew Iasenza made it 3 – 0 with 7:05 remaining in the first period. After Iasenza won the draw deep inside his own zone, the puck went back to Zona who wrapped it around the end boards and up to the far side half wall to Friday night’s star of the game Cam Gendron. Gendron sent a bounce pass off the boards to Iasenza who skated through center ice and into the Black Bears zone. As Iasenza was driving towards the net, he passed it off to Kyler Head on his right who immediately sent it back to Zona at the point. Zona took a wrist shot that was saved by Black but Gendron, who was to the left of Black, circled around the net and passed it out front to Iasenza  and he buried it into the open net for his ninth goal of the season.

Garbe scored his second goal with 2:21 left in the first. With the puck inside the Titans zone, Maryland’s Aiden McDowell took a shot from the top of near side point that was blocked out in front and picked up by Gavin Gulash. As Gulash reached his own blue line, he head manned the puck to Garbe who skated in all alone on Black and Garbe beat him far side to give the Titans a 4 – 0 lead.

Maryland got on the board at 4:05 in the second period on Jackson Sterrett’s seventeenth goal of the season. The Black Bears entered the offensive zone on a three-on-two rush. As Aaron Swanson gained the line, he passed the puck over to Sterrett on his right. Sterrett took a shot that was saved by Titans goaltender Patrick Pugliese but Sterrett picked up the rebound and sent it around the end boards and up along the near side half wall to Jack Hillman. Hillman took a shot that went wide but the puck took a strange bounce off the end boards and right to Sterrett who buried it past Pugliese to make it 4 – 1.

Three and a half minutes later, Swanson cut the Black Bears deficit in half. With the puck in the Titans zone along the far side boards, Medeiros sent a high clearing pass off the glass, but it was kept in the zone at the point by Garrett Szydlowski who passed it up to Swanson. At the top of the faceoff circle, Swanson circled and passed it back to Szydlowski on his right. Szydlowski made a cross-ice pass but it bounced off the near side boards where it picked up by Tim Organ. Organ lobbed a shot on net that was redirected out front by Swanson and past Pugliese for his thirteenth goal of the season.

Michael Outzen scored with 2:23 left in the middle stanza to make it 5 – 2. DeSantis picked up the loose puck at the top of his own slot and passed it over to Outzen. The Highlands Ranch, CO native skated through center ice and into the offensive zone. As Outzen reached the top of the far side faceoff circle, he curled and took a long wrist shot that found its way through a screen and past Aaron Randazzo, who replaced Black between the pipes, for his sixteenth goal of the season.

Head scored a power play goal with six seconds remaining in the middle stanza and Garbe finished his hat trick with thirty-eight seconds remaining in the game to close out the scoring.

Pugliese stopped 29 of 31 shots while Maryland’s goaltender combined to stop 22 of 29. Click here for the box score.

The Titans next game will be on Wednesday, February 12 against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights at the Middletown Sports Complex. Puck drop is 7:35pm.

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Gendron and Pugliese help lead Titans to 6 – 4 win over Black Bears

Forward Cam Gendron scored three goals while goaltender Patrick Pugliese made several Grade A saves to help lead the Titans to a 6 – 4 win over the visiting Maryland Black Bears in a seesaw game. It was Gendron’s second hat trick of the season, and three of the Titans goals were shorthanded

“It wasn’t the prettiest of efforts but nevertheless I was happy that our group was able to find a way to win” stated head coach Craig Doremus.

Gendron got the Titans on the board just eighteen seconds into the game. After the Black Bears Hunter Brackett brough the puck out of his own zone, he tried to make a cross-ice pass, but it deflected and went to Danny Dimon at his own near side blue line and the assistant captain made a bounce pass off the boards up to Matthew Iasenza. As Iasenza gained the line, he made a behind the back pass to Gendron who skated in all alone on Maryland’s goalie Aaron Randazzo and beat him through the five hole to give the Titans an early 1 – 0 lead.

At 2:15 of the opening period, Josef Glamos was called for slashing to give the Black Bears the man advantage. With time winding down on the power play, Gavin Gulash scored the Titans first shorthanded goal of the game. After the Titans dumped the biscuit deep inside the Black Bears zone, Randazzo picked up the loose puck near his net and passed up into the neutral zone where it was intercepted by the newest Titan Joe Nagle. As Nagle skated to the far side half wall, he was hit from behind but was able to send the puck to the end boards where it was picked up by Gulash. The Red Bank, NJ native avoided a check and skated towards the net to the left of Randazzo. As Gulash reached the goal line, he took a sharp angle shot that beat Randazzo high, short side for his eighth goal of the season.

The Titans took a commanding three goal lead just forty-eight seconds into the middle stanza on Tyler Nasca’s sixth goal of the season. Gendron picked up the loose puck at the top of the slot and took a shot that was saved by Randazzo, but the rebound came out to Gendron but between his skates. Gendron circled to the near side half wall and passed the biscuit back to Brad Zona at the top of the circle. Zona passed it down low to Kyler Head who was behind the Black Bears net. Head skated up along boards and as he reached the blueline, he passed it over to Nasca at the top of the far side circle and Nasca one-timed it past Randazzo far side to make it a 3 – 0 game.

The Black Bears then scored their first of three straight goals to tie the game starting at 3:20 in the second period.

Dimon knocked down a pass at the top of his own zone and cleared it to the near side half wall towards Michael Outzen. Maryland’s Garrett Szydlowski knocked Outzen off the puck, and he passed it down low to Jackson Sterrett. As Sterrett reached the end boards he passed it out front to Aaron Swanson who took a wrister that beat Pugliese through the five hole to make it a 3 – 1 game.

Luke Mountain cut the Black Bears deficit in half at 7:55 of the second. Hampus Rydqvist picked up the loose puck at the top of the slot in his own end and he head manned it up to Reid Leibold who chipped it into the Titans zone. As the puck reached the bottom of the far side faceoff circle, it was picked up by Leibold who took a backhand shot towards the net that was blocked out front, but the rebound came back to Leibold who centered it out front and Mountain redirected it past Pugliese to make it a 3 – 2 game.

With 5:30 left in the second, Szydlowski tied the game at three. As Ole Andersen picked up the loose puck behind his own net, he came out and cut through the goalmouth, but Logan Kittleson stripped him of the puck and it redirected into the far side corner where it was picked up by Aaron Swanson. Swanson came up along the boards and made a pass back to the point to Mikhael Gonchar who took a shot that was deflected out front by Szydlowski past Pugliese for his eighth goal of the season.

Less than a minute later, the Titans regained the lead on Gendron’s second goal of the game. As the Black Bears looked for a line change, Shane Haviland picked up the loose puck at his own blueline and sent it back to Zona. Zona looked to set up and skated behind his own net and sent a bounce pass off the far side boards to Haviland at center ice. Haviland passed the puck up to Gendron. As Gendron gained the line, he cut towards the center of the slot and took and shot that beat Randazzo long side to make it 4 – 3 Titans.

The Black Bears tied it at 4:40 into the third on Jack Smiley’s seventh goal of the year. After Maryland won the draw just outside the Titans blueline, the puck would go into their zone where it was picked up by Smiley who took a shot that went high and wide of the net. Maryland’s Hunter Brackett picked up loose puck and centered it out front to Smiley who lifted it past a fallen Pugliese to make it a 4 – 4 game.

Mitch Machlitt was called for tripping with nine minutes remaining to give the Black Bears the man advantage. Eight seconds later Gendron completed his hat trick. After Maryland called a time out, Gendron won the ensuing faceoff deep inside his own zone and the puck would go to Andersen who was to the right of Gendron. Andersen came up along the far side boards and cut across the middle. As Andersen gained the line, he passed it over to Gendron on his right. Gendron skated to the slot went from his forehand to his backhand and lifted the puck past a sprawled out Randazzo to give the Titans a 5 – 4 lead.

Nick DeSantis was called for cross-checking 2:51 left in the game to put Maryland back on the power play. The Black Bears pulled Randazzo for the additional attacker but Chris Garbe short an empty net goal from center ice with 1:26 remaining in the game to close out the scoring.

“I thought our start was excellent but then we took our foot off the gas and Maryland really played well” stated Doremus. “We got some timely goaltending and Cam Gendron had a special effort to help carry us. We need to tighten up our structure and execution as we prepare for another game” concluded Doremus.

Pugliese stopped 36 of 40 shots while Randazzo turned aside 17 of 23. Click here for the box score.

The Titans go for the weekend sweep as the two teams meet again at 7:00pm at the Middletown Sports Complex.

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Grimshaw and Kane are able in Nordiques 7 – 3 win over Titans

Maine’s Trent Grimshaw had two goals and an assist while Noah Kane scored to two goals to lead the Nordiques to a 7 – 3 win over the visiting New Jersey Titans last night. It was the first time this season that the Titans had lost consecutive games.

Grimshaw got the Nordiques on the board just 2:38 into the game to start the scoring. Maine’s Stefan Owens picked up the loose puck along the far side half wall and passed it back to Kylar Fenton who passed it up to Cole Ouellette. Ouellette would send a bounce pass off the boards to Grimshaw who entered the offensive zone. As Grimshaw headed towards the Titans net, the puck was poked off his stick by Mitch Machlitt but Grimshaw picked up the loose puck and skated along for boards and back to the far side point. Grimshaw circled and took a shot that found its way through a maze and past Titans goalie Arseni Sergeev to make it 1 – 0 Nordiques.

Danny Dimon was called for hooking at 5:04 of the period to give the Nordiques the man advantage. As the power play was winding down, Michael Outzen tied the game at one. Brad Zona picked up the rolling puck in his own near side corner and sent a bounce pass off the boards to Cam Gendron. The recently named Top Prospects Tournament participant skated down the ice and into the offensive zone on an odd man rush with Outzen.  As Gendron reached the top of the faceoff circle, he passed the puck to Outzen on his left and Outzen one-timed it past Maine’s Wesley Mankowski for his fourteenth goal of the season.

It was the Titans’ league leading thirteenth shorthanded goal of the season and Outzen’s fifth shorthanded point this year which makes him tied for most shorthanded points in the league.

With 4:28 remaining in the opening period, Maine regained the lead on Filip Löfdahl’s third goal of the season. Grimshaw blocked a shot at the near side half wall and passed the puck over to Fenton who immediately passed it up to Owens. As Owens skated towards the Titans goal line, he reversed and sent a bounce pass off the far side boards to Löfdahl and the Stockholm, SWE native took a shot from the point that beat Sergeev to give the Nordiques a 2 – 1 lead.

Kane doubled the Nordiques lead just 3:38 into the second period. Cannon Green picked up the loose puck along the boards and sent it back to Jacob Crespo at the point. The Mt. Holly, NJ native passed it down low to Timmy Kent who was to the left of Sergeev. Kent skated behind the Titans net to the corner, reversed and passed it back to Kane. As Kane circled around the net, he took a low wrist shot that went through Sergeev’s five hole for his sixteenth goal of the season.
Grimshaw scored his second goal of the night with 7:19 left in the middle stanza. Kent picked up the bouncing puck just outside the Titans zone and circled towards the near side boards. Kent passed it over to Grimshaw who skated along the near side boards and into the offensive zone. As Grimshaw reached the faceoff dot, he took a wrist shot that went through Sergeev’s five hole to make it a 4 – 1 game.

Maine made it 5 – 1 with 6:03 left in the second. Crespo picked up the loose puck behind his own net and passed it up along the far side boards to Green who looked to his right and passed it over to Isaiah Fox. As Fox entered the offensive zone, he was knocked off the puck by Tyler Nasca but it was picked up by Kevin Pitts who took a long shot that beat Sergeev for his twelfth goal of the season.

Sergeev was replaced by Patrick Pugliese.

With 2:29 left in the second, Crespo was called for a high-sticking double minor to give the Titans the man advantage. With seventeen second remaining in the period, Ole Andersen made it a 5 – 2 game.  Matt Cameron looked to set up the play at the top of the near side faceoff circle and passed it back to Andersen at the point. Andersen passed it to down Outzen at the half wall. Outzen sent a return pass to Andersen and the Hamar, NO native took a bomb that found its way into the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season.

The Nordiques would score two goals in the third, including a penalty shot, while Josef Glamos hit the back of the net to close out the scoring to give Maine the 7 – 3 victory.

Sergeev and Pugliese combined to stop 32 of 37 shots while Mankowski turned aside 30 of 33. Click here for the box score.

“Just overall we didn’t execute nearly enough to win the hockey game” stated Titans head coach Craig Doremus. “I thought Maine competed well and played fast. We struggled with our puck movement and decision making. We need to make some corrections as we prepare for a big game Saturday night” concluded Doremus.

The two teams will meet again tonight with the puck drop scheduled for 7:00PM at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

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Titans fall to Tomahawks 5 – 3 to split weekend series

The visiting Johnstown Tomahawks scored three unanswered third period goals en route to a 5 – 3 win over the New Jersey Titans to split the weekend series between the East Division’s top two teams. Despite the loss, the Titans remain five points ahead of the Tomahawks in the standings with four games in hand.

In another playoff type atmosphere, it was a back-and-forth game with the Tomahawks taking an initial two goal lead.

Pavel Kharin scored at 2:54 into the opening period to give the Tomahawks and early 1 – 0 lead. After Johnstown’s goaltender Alex Tracy made a save, the rebound went out to the near side half wall where it was picked up by Andrew Murphy who skated up along the boards and into the offensive zone with Kharin. As Murphy reached the top of the faceoff circle, he sent a cross-ice pass to Kharin who redirected the puck past Titans netminder Patrick Pugliese for his sixth goal of the season.

With 2:35 into the middle stanza, Nick DeSantis was called for tripping to give the visitors the man advantage. As time was winding down on the power play, Ryan Poorman set up the play at the top of the point. He passed the puck down to Bennett Stockdale at the top of the circle. Stockdale circled back towards the top of the slot and took a long wrist shot that was deflected by Murphy past Pugliese to make it a 2 – 0 game.

It was then the Titans turn to score three unanswered goals in the second period.

At 7:28 of the period, Michael Outzen put the Titans on the scoreboard. After a faceoff deep inside the Tomahawks zone, the puck went back to Johnstown’s Brendan Blair who sent a high clearing pass off the glass, but it was gloved down by Danny Dimon at the far side point. Outzen picked up the loose puck and went to make a centering pass, but it hit Johnstown’s Tristan Poissant in the leg. As the puck fell, DeSantis picked it up and passed it to Dimon breaking along the boards. As Dimon reached the goal line, he made a centering pass out front that Outzen redirected past Tracy for his thirteenth goal of the season.

Johnstown’s Ethan Webb was called for interference at 8:16 of the period to put the Titans on the power play. Nineteen seconds later Kyler Head tied the game. Ole Andersen picked up the loose puck at the top of the near side faceoff circle and made a backhand pass towards the net that hit a Tomahawks’ defender. Matt Cameron picked up the puck and skated towards the goal line. As Cameron took a shot, it was blocked out front and picked up by Dimon. The assistant captain took a turnaround shot that was blocked but Head slapped it in past Tracy to make it 2 – 2.

With 3:12 left in the period, Brad Zona was called for interference to give the Tomahawks the man advantage.  Halfway through the power play Poissant took a quick shot from the top of the near side faceoff circle that went wide of Pugliese and rolled up along the boards. As Johnstown’s Max Kouznetsov tried to keep the puck in the zone, he lost control of it and Cade Penney picked it up and entered the offensive zone on a two-on-one with Cam Gendron. As Penney reached the faceoff dot, he sent a cross-ice pass to Gendron who redirected the puck past Tracy to give the Titans their first lead of the game with 2:21 remaining in the second.

Johnstown’s Matthew Doyle would knot the score at three just 1:53 into the third period. Webb picked up the loose puck at the top of his own faceoff circle and passed up to Kouznetsov who entered the offensive zone along the near side boards. As Kouznetsov skated across the goal mouth, Pugliese made the save but Doyle jammed in the rebound for his second goal of the year.

Gendron was called for high sticking at 6:09 of the third to give the Tomahawks the man advantage. Less than a minute later the Tomahawks regained the lead on Carson Gallagher’s seventeenth goal of the season. After Gallagher took a shot that was blocked out front, the puck went to the far side half wall where it was picked up by Stockdale. Stockdale passed it over to Gallagher at the top of the slot and he took a shot that found its way through a maze and past Pugliese to give the Tomahawks the 4 – 3 lead.

Johnstown’s Poorman scored a power play goal with 7:14 left in the game to close out the scoring.

Pugliese stopped 32 of 37 shots while Tracy turned aside 35 of 38. Click here for the box score.

The loss ended a Titans five game win streak also concluded a five game homestand in which they went 4 – 1. They now will travel to Maine for the second time three weeks to play the Nordiques next weekend.