Tag Archives: New Jersey Titans

News, Uncategorized

Weekend Preview: 12/13 – 12/14/19: Battle of the East resumes as Tomahawks visit Titans

The battle of the NAHL’s two top teams in the East Division will resume this weekend as the second place Johnstown Tomahawks visit the Middletown Sports Complex to take on the first place Titans for two games. Friday night’s contest will start at 7:30 PM while Saturday’s game will begin at 7:00 PM.

Titans vs. Tomahawks Overview
After splitting two games in Johnstown last weekend, the home-and-home series resumes this weekend at the MSC, the first time this season that the Titans have hosted the Tomahawks. Despite each team winning two games apiece, the Tomahawks have outscored the Titans by a combined score of 16 – 13.

Christian Gorscak leads the Tomahawks with six points (2 goals and 4 assists) against New Jersey. Gorscak, along with three over players, has scored two goals. Johnstown is 3 for 16 (19%) on the power play. The Tomahawks netminders have a combined .890 save percentage and 2.75 goals against average with not shutouts.

Mitch Machlitt (2 goals and 2 assists) and Kyle Jeffers (1 goal and 3 assists) each have four points against Johnstown. One of Machlitt’s goals and Jeffers lone goal came in overtime to give the Titans victories. The Titans are 4 for 19 (21%) on the power play. Goaltenders Patrick Pugliese and Arseni Sergeev have a combined .867 save percentage and 3.75 goals against average with no shutouts.

Tomahawks Overview
Johnstown currently resides in second place in the East Division with a 17-9-2-2 record for 38 points, five points behind the division leading Titans.  The Tomahawks are 6 – 4 in their last ten games and they are coming off a 4 – 2 overtime home loss against the Titans. The Tomahawks have scored 105 goals (third in the league) while they have allowed 91 (18th most in the league). Johnstown has converted on 29.2% of their chances on the power play (third best in the league) while they have prevented the opposition from scoring 74.8% of the time on the penalty kill (fifth worst in the league).

Gorscak leads the Tomahawks with thirty-one totals points (13 goals and 18 assists). Carson Gallagher has scored the most goals with fourteen. Tristan Poissant and Gorscak each have scored three game winning goals. Brendan Boyle has a team high +9. Spencer DenBeste leads the team with sixty-eight penalty minutes.

Alex Tracy and David Tomeo have a combined 2.53 goals against average and .920 save percentage with one shutout (Tracy).

Titans Overview
The Titans currently lead the East Division with a 21-4-0-1 record for 43 points. New Jersey has won seven of its last ten games, and they are coming off a 3 – 2 road win against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights.  They have scored 122 goals (most in the league) and have allowed 77 (eleventh in the league). The Titans are second in the league on the power play having converted on 30.9% of their chances while they have prevented the opposition from scoring on the penalty kill 84.1% of the time (eighth best in the league).

Machlitt leads the team in total points with thirty-five (17 goals and 18 assists) and goals (17). Michael Outzen has a team best four game winning goals. Cade Penney has a team’s best and +/- with +20 while Kyler Head has the most penalty minutes on the team with thirty-two.

The goaltending tandem of Pugliese (2.66 GAA and .918 SV%) and Sergeev (3.14 GAA and .903 SV%) have a combined 2.86 goals against average and .912 save percentage with one shutout (Pugliese).

This weekend’s promotions
Friday night is ugly sweater night. Any fan who wears an ugly Christmas sweater can save $3 off an adult ticket and be entered to win a $25 gift certificate to the Titans Café.

Saturday night is the Titans annual Teddy Bear Toss. Fans who bring a teddy will receive $3 off an adult ticket. Proceeds go the Ronald McDonald House of Central and Northern New Jersey.

News, Uncategorized

Titans edge Knights 3 – 2 in matinee game

The visiting New Jersey Titans defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights 3 – 2 today at the Revolution Ice Centre in a matinee game.

The win extended the Titans division lead to five points over the idle Johnstown Tomahawks.

After a scoreless first period, the Titans got on the board at 5:04 of the middle stanza on Cam Gendron’s fifth goal of the year. After being setup by Nick DeSantis and Kyler Head, Gendron beat Knights goalie Zach Stejskal with a wrister to give the Titans a 1 – 0 lead.

At 2:36 into the third period, Chris Garbe was called for boarding to give the Knights the man advantage. Almost a minute and a half later, Jordan Strand beat Titans goalie Patrick Pugliese to tie the game at one.

At the 7:24 mark of the third, Matthew Iasenza scored his fifth goal of the season to give the lead back to the Titans. After a save by Pugliese, Cade Penney picked up the loose puck and head manned it up to Ole Andersen. As Andersen gained the line, he passed it up to Iasenza along the near side boards. As Iasenza skated to the bottom of the faceoff circle, he took a sharp angle shot that trickled through the five hole of Stejskaland into the net to make it a 2 – 1 game.

Stejskal was pulled in favor of Alex Contey.

With 4:21 remaining in the third, Matt Cameron would double the Titans lead. Again, Penney would set up the play and pass it up to Gavin Gulash along the far side boards. As Gulash reached the end of the faceoff circle, he sent a backhanded pass out front and Cameron redirected it past Contey to make it 3 – 1 Titans.

As time was running out, the Knights Christopher Rubenach beat Pugliese short side to close out the scoring.

Pugliese turned aside 29 of 31 shots while Stejskal and Contey combined to stop 41 of 44 shots. Click here for the box score.

The Titans now will play their last two home games of 2019 when the second place Tomahawks visit the Middletown Sports Complex for two critical games.

News, Uncategorized

Game Preview: Titans on the road with a matinee against WBS Knights

The Titans will travel to the Revolution Ice Centre this morning to play a matinee game against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights at 2:00 PM.

Titans and Knights Overview
This will be the fourth meeting between the two teams this season. Two of the games have been played at the Ice Center while the other was played at the Middletown Sports Complex. The Titans have won all three games by a combined score of 16 – 8. The last time these teams played was back on November 2 when Mitch Machlitt hit the back of the net with 2:31 left in overtime to give New Jersey a 4 – 3 win.

Tyrone Bronte (2 goals and assists) and Lincoln Hatten (all assists) each have four points against the Titans while Bronte and Nikita Asylaev each have two goals. The Knights are one for one on the power play. WBS’ netminders have a combined .851 save percentage and 5.33 goals against average.

Matt Cameron leads the Titans with four points (3 goals and 1 assist) against the Knights. He also has scored the most goals (three). The Titans are 3 for 6 (50%) on the power play. Goaltenders Patrick Pugliese and Arseni Sergeev have a combined .923 save percentage and 2.66 goals against average.

Knights Overview
The Knights are currently tied for third place in the East Division with a 12-11-2-1 record for 27 points (14 points behind the division leading Titans). WBS is 3 – 7 in their last ten games, and they are coming off a 4 – 0 road loss to the Maine Nordiques. The Knights have scored 77 goals (fourteenth in the league) while they have allowed 88 (also fourteenth in the league). WBS leads the league on the power play having converted on 31.5% of their chances with the man advantage while they are last in the league on the penalty kill by preventing the opposition from converting on 64.9% on their chances.

WBS is led by Hatten in every category: points (14 goals and 19 assists); goals (14); game winning goals (four); +/- +18 and penalty minutes (78).

The Knights goaltenders have a combine 3.24 goals against average and .895 save percentage with one shutout.

Titans Overview
The Titans currently lead the East Division with a 20-4-0-1 record for 41 points. New Jersey has won seven of its last ten games, and they are coming off of a 4 – 2 road win against the Johnstown Tomahawks.  They have scored 119 goals (most in the league) and have allowed 75 (eleventh in the league). The Titans are second in the league on the power play having converted on 30.9% of their chances while they have prevented the opposition from scoring on the penalty kill 85.4% of the time (eighth best in the league).

Machlitt leads the team in total points with thirty-five (17 goals and 18 assists) and goals (17). Michael Outzen has a team best four game winning goals. Cade Penney and Machlitt have a team best +/- with a +19 while Kyler Head and Mac Wiseman have a time high thirty-two penalty minutes each.

The goaltending tandem of Pugliese (2.71 GAA and .916 SV%) and Sergeev (3.14 GAA and .911 SV%) have a combined 2.89 goals against average and .911 save percentage with one shutout (Pugliese).

News, Uncategorized

Jeffers and Pugliese named honorable mention for NAHL’s Stars of the Week

The North American Hockey League announced its Bauer Hockey Divisional Stars of the Week for week ending December 8 and Titans forward Kyle Jeffers and goaltender Patrick Pugliese were named honorable mention for the East Division.

Jeffers had two points (1 goal and 1 assist) in Saturday’s 4 – 2 win over the Johnstown Tomahawks. His lone goal was the game winning goal, his third of the season. The American International College commit is second on the team in total points with thirty-four (14 goals and 20 assists).

This is the fourth time this season that Jeffers has received league recognition. He was second star of the week for week ending December 1, honorable mention for week ending November 17, and he was the star of the week for week ending October 6.

Pugliese stopped 35 of 37 for a .945 save percentage and 2.00 goals against average in Saturday’s win. Pugliese has a 12 – 2 record on the season with a 2.71 goals against average and .917 save percentage with one shutout.

This is the fifth time this season that Pugliese has received league honors: honorable mention for goalie of the month for October and honorable mention for star of the week or weeks ending October 27, October 20 and September 22.

News, Uncategorized

Titans defeat Tomahawks 4 – 2 to split weekend series

Kyle Jeffers scored the game winning goal with 4:11 left in the third period to give the visiting New Jersey Titans a 4 – 2 victory over the Johnstown Tomahawks. The win enabled the Titans to split the important weekend series between the teams.

The victory extended the Titans lead over the Tomahawks by three points in the East Division standings. It also was New Jersey’s twentieth win of the season – second most in the North American Hockey League.

Defenseman Cade Penney scored at the 5:57 mark of the first period to give the Titans an early 1 – 0 lead. After a scrum along the far side boards, Jeffers picked up the loose puck and head manned it up to Nick DeSantis who skated through center ice and into the Johnstown zone. As DeSantis cut across the goal mouth, he took a shot that was saved by Tomahawks netminder Alex Tracy, but Penney was on the doorstep and tucked in the rebound for his first ever NAHL goal.

After back-and-forth action throughout, the Tomahawks tied the game with 1:18 left in the second period. Playing 4-on-4 hockey, Johnstown’s Bennett Stockdale brought the puck through the neutral zone and dumped it to the end boards to the right of Titans goalie Patrick Pugliese. After making a couple of reverse moves, Stockdale was able to break free from Tyler Nasca and he passed the puck to Carson Gallagher who shot it passed Pugliese to make it a 1 – 1 game.

Despite only having two goals scored through the first two periods, the third period was different, with a total of four goals hitting the back of the net.

Matthew Iasenza scored just 1:46 into the third period to give the Titans a 2 – 1. Danny Dimon picked up the loose puck in his own zone and sent a long stretch pass up to Iasenza at the Tomahawks blue line. The speedy Iasenza walked in all alone on Tracy and beat the Johnstown goalie through the five hole for his fourth goal of the season.

Johnstown’s Pavel Kharin would tie the game at two with 8:55 remaining in the third. Iasenza picked up the loose puck in his own zone along the far side boards and sent it over to Shane Haviland at the top of the near side circle. The puck went off Haviland’s stick and bounced directly to Kharin who took a wrister that beat Pugliese high, glove-side.

Jeffers then would score his fourteenth goal of the season to give the Titans a 3 – 2 lead. After Tracy make a save, the rebound went to the far side boards where Johnstown defenseman Jack Therrien kicked the puck up along the boards, but it was kept in by Dimon. The assistant captain passed it up to DeSantis who immediately the biscuit to Chris Garbe at the top of the circle. Garbe took a shot that was saved by Tracy, but Jeffers buried the rebound into the open net for eventual game winner.

With six seconds remaining in the game, Cam Gendron made a very unselfish play and passed the puck up to Mitch Machlitt who shot it into the empty net to close out the score.

Pugliese, who kept the Titans in the game, stopped 35 of 37 shots while Tracy turned aside 21 of 24. Click here for the box score.

The two teams will conclude their mini four game series next weekend with two games being played at the Middletown Sports Complex. Friday night’s game is ugly sweater night while Saturday’s game is the Titans annual teddy bear toss with donations going to the Ronald McDonald House of Central and Northern New Jersey.

News, Uncategorized

Two second period goals doom Titans in 4 – 1 loss to Tomahawks

The Johnstown Tomahawks scored two second period goals in four minutes to defeat the visiting New Jersey Titans 4 – 1 in the first of four straight games between the East Division’s top two teams. The loss moved Johnstown one point behind New Jersey in the standings, although the Titans have five games in hand.

At 8:25 into the opening period Kyle Jeffers was called for tripping to give the Tomahawks the man advantage. With time winding down on the power play, Tristan Poissant won the draw deep inside the Titians zone. The puck went to Christian Gorscak on his right who sent it back to Malik Alishlalov at the far side point. Alishlalov sent a return pass to Gorscak who took a shot from the top of the faceoff circle that founds its way through a screen and off the body of Titans netminder Arseni Sergeev and into the net to give the Tomahawks a 1 – 0 lead.

With 8:36 left in the second period, Shane Haviland’s third goal of the season tied the game. As Gorscak brought the puck in the Titans zone, he tried a centering pass, but it went off Tyler Nasca’s skate and Brody Medeiros redirected the puck to the far sideboards where it was picked up by Kyle Jeffers. The AIC commit out hustled Alishlalov to the puck and went to the net. He took a shot that was saved by Johnstown’s goaltender David Tomeo but Haviland tucked in the rebound to me it a 1 – 1 game.

Almost a minute and a half later Johnstown regained the lead. After Tomeo made a save, the rebound came out to Pavel Kharin who was to the left of Tomeo. Kharin sent an outlet pass up to Andrew Murphy who brought the puck into the Titans zone and met at the end boards by Danny Dimon. After the scrum, Murphy was able to come away with the puck and skate around the net and slightly out front and he took a shot that beat Sergeev short side for a 2 – 1 lead.

With four minutes left in the middle period, the Tomahawks doubled their lead. Kyler Head picked up the loose puck in his own zone along the near side faceoff circle. He sent the puck behind the net and up along the boards where it was intercepted by Poissant. Poissant passed it back to Brendan Blair at the top of the point. Blair took a shot that was saved by Sergeev but Gorscak tucked the rebound into the back of the open net to make with 3 – 1 Johnstown.

With a little over three minutes remaining in the game, Sergeev was pulled for the extra attacker but Johnstown’s Spencer DenBeste scored an empty net goal to close out the scoring.

Sergeev stopped 17 of 20 shots while Tomeo turned aside 27 of 28. Click here for the box score.

The Titans will look to even the weekend series against the Tomahawks tonight at 7:00 PM at the 1st Summit Arena at Cambria County War Memorial.

News, Uncategorized

Machlitt named honorable mention for forward of the month for November

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced its monthly player awards for the month of November, and Titans forward Mitch Machlitt was named honorable mention for forward of the month.

Machlitt had twelve points (7 goals and 5 assists) in eight games, including a hat trick on November 22 against the Maine Nordiques.

The Army commit leads the Titans in total points with thirty-four (16 goals and 18 assists) and goals (16).

This is the fifth time this season that Machlitt has receive recognition from the league: honorable mention for weeks ending September 30 and November 24; Star of the Week for week ending September 15 and runner up for forward of the month for September.

News, Uncategorized

Weekend Preview: 12/6 – 12/7/19 – Titans travel to Johnstown for two key games

The first place Titans travel to Johnstown this weekend to play two important games against the second place Tomahawks. This will be the first of two straight weekends that the teams will face each other. The first two games will be played at 1st Summit Arena at Cambria County War Memorial on Friday at 7:30 PM and Saturday at 7:00 PM.

Games three and four of this four game series will be played next weekend (December 13 and 14) when the Tomahawks visit the Titans at the Middletown Sports Complex.

Titans and Tomahawks Overview
This will be the second time this season that the teams have met. They played at the end of September in Johnstown with each team winning a game. The Tomahawks won the first contest 5 – 2 while the Titans won 6 – 5 on Mitch Machlitt’s goal in a shootout in contest two. In those two games, the Tomahawks have outscored the Titans 10 – 8.

Christian Gorscak has the most points against the Titans this year so far with four (all assists) while Tristan Poissant has scored two goals against New Jersey. The Tomahawks are 2 for 8 (25%) on the power play. Alex Tracy played between the pipes in both games against the Titans earning a 3.36 goals against average and .854 save percentage.

While seven different Titans’ players have scored a goal, Machlitt has the most points against the Tomahawks with three. New Jersey is 4 for 9 (44%) against the Tomahawks on the power play. Netminders Patrick Pugliese and Arseni Sergeev have a combined 4.32 goals against average and .836 save percentage.

Tomahawks Overview
Johnstown currently resides in second place in the East Division with a 16-8-2-2 record for 36 points, three points behind the division leading Titans.  The Tomahawks are 6 – 4 in their last ten games and they are coming off a 3 – 1 road win against the Jamestown Rebels. The Tomahawks have scored ninety-nine goals (third in the league) while they have allowed 86 (16th most in the league). Johnstown has converted on 30.6% of their chances on the power play (third best in the league) while they have prevented the opposition from scoring 72% of the time on the penalty kill (fourth worst in the league).

Gorscak leads the Tomahawks with twenty-nine totals points (11 goals and 18 assists) and game winning goals (three). Carson Gallagher has scored the most goals with thirteen. Spencer DenBeste and Matthew Doyle each have a team high +9. DenBeste leads the team with sixty-eight penalty minutes.

Tracy and David Tomeo have a combined 2.57 goals against average and .920 save percentage with one shutout (Tracy)

Titans Overview
The Titans currently lead the East Division with a 19-3-0-1 record for 39 points. Despite only being three points ahead of the Tomahawks in the standings, they have five games in hand. New Jersey has won eight of its last ten games, and they are coming off of a 7 – 4 road win against the Maryland Black Bears.  They have scored 114 goals (most in the league) and have allowed 69 (tenth in the league). The Titans also lead the league on the power play having converted on 35.2% of their chances while they have prevented the opposition from scoring on the penalty kill 85.1% of the time (eighth best in the league).

Machlitt leads the team in total points with thirty-four (16 goals and 18 assists) and goals (16). Michael Outzen has a team best four game winning goals. Cade Penney has a the team’s best and +/- with +19 while Kyler Head has the most penalty minutes on the team with thirty-two.

The goaltending tandem of Pugliese (2.76 GAA and .914 SV%) and Sergeev (3.05 GAA and .909 SV%) have a combined 2.88 goals against average and .912 save percentage with one shutout (Pugliese).

News, Uncategorized

Teddies from Titans Annual Teddy Bear Toss to be donated to The Ronald McDonald House of Central & Northern New Jersey

The New Jersey Titans are pleased to announce that teddies received from its annual Teddy Bear Toss will be donated to the Ronald McDonald house of Central and Northern New Jersey.

Fans will be able to throw the Teddy Bears onto the ice immediately after the Titans score their first goal of the game. The Ronald McDonald House will disburse the teddies to children undergoing treatment.

The Teddy Bear Toss will be held at the Middletown Sports Complex on Saturday, December 14 at 7:00 PM against the Johnstown Tomahawks.

Any fan who brings a teddy bear will save $3 off an adult ticket.

The goal of the Ronald McDonald House of Central and Northern New Jersey is to provide a true “home away from home” for families of seriously ill children receiving care at medical facilities near its locations in Long Branch and New Brunswick. The Ronald McDonald house also offers Family Rooms and a Hospitality Suite in the pediatric units of four hospitals in Monmouth and Middlesex County.

The Ronald McDonald House of Central and Northern New Jersey offers a welcoming, supportive environment for families during a time of uncertainty and stress. Family members can stay together in a comfortable home with private rooms and many amenities, helping them to remain strong throughout the course of their child’s treatment.

To learn more about the Ronald McDonald House of Central and Norther New Jersey, please contact Lynne Siedentop,Interim Executive Director at  732-222-8755 or click here.

News, Uncategorized

Jeffers named East Division’s Second Star of the Week for week ending December 1

The North American Hockey League announced its Bauer Hockey Divisional Stars of the Week for week ending December 1 and Titans forward Kyle Jeffers was named the East Division’s second star.

Jeffers had four points (2 goals and 2 assists) in this past Saturday’s 7 – 4 win over the Maryland Black Bears. Jeffers is second on the team with thirty-one total points (13 goals and 18 assists). He also is second on the team with most goals scored (13).

This is the third time this season that Jeffers has received league recognition. He was honorable mention for week ending November 17, and he was the star of the week for week ending October 6.