Tag Archives: Tyler Nasca

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Balanced attack leads Titans to 5 – 3 win over Tomahawks in playoff type atmosphere

Five different players scored to propel the New Jersey Titans to a 5 – 3 win over the visiting Johnstown Tomahawks. The victory enabled the Titans to extend their lead in the East Division by seven points over the second place Tomahawks.

It was only fitting that the Titans were wearing special uniforms to honor the brave men and women who serve this country. Because this game was a battle. Despite the calendar stating it was January 24 it felt like mid-April with two very good teams playing tough hockey and both with multiple scoring opportunities. It felt like playoff hockey between the East’s two top teams.

Shane Haviland got the Titans on the board with 6:58 remaining in the first period. After the Tomahawks dumped the puck into the Titans zone, goaltender Patrick Pugliese stopped it behind his own goal line to set up the play. He passed the biscuit it up to Danny Dimon on the near side boards who immediately sent it up to Haviland in the neutral zone and Haviland made a cross-ice pass to a breaking Matt Cameron. As Cameron started to cut towards the net, he was checked by Johnstown’s Ethan Webb. As the two went towards the back of the Tomahawks net, Cameron made a beautiful behind the back pass to Haviland and the Sea Grit, NJ native redirected it past Johnstown’s netminder David Tomeo to make it a 1 – 0 game.

Playing four-on-four hockey, the Titans doubled their lead at 4:59 into the second period with a well-executed give-and-goal play. After receiving a pass from Kyler Head, Cade Penney brought the puck up along the far side boards. As he gained the line, he dropped passed the puck to Mitch Machlitt who made a cross-ice saucer pass to Head. As Head reached the faceoff dot, he passed it back over to Penney who tapped the puck in past a sprawled out Tomeo to make it 2 – 0.

With 2:37 remaining in the middle stanza, Johnstown’s top goal scorer Christian Gorscak made it a 2 – 1 game. Matthew Doyle started the play to the left of Tomeo by sending a long outlet pass to Reed Stark along the far side boards. Stark made a cross-ice pass to Voorhees, NJ native Max Kouznetsov who broke towards the net. As Kouznetsov cut across the goal mouth, he took a backhander that was saved by Pugliese but Gorscak punched it rebound past the fallen Titans netminder for his eighteenth goal of the season.

Less then a minute later, the Titans regained their two-goal lead on Nick DeSantis’ fifth goal of the season. From center ice, Penney dumped the puck into the Tomahawks zone where it was picked up by Webb. As Webb tried to turn to his right, Cameron knocked the puck off his stick and DeSantis lifted Webb’s stick and picked up the loose biscuit. DeSantis went to the net and took a quick wrist shot that went through Tomeo’s five hole to give the Titans a 3 – 1 lead.

At 2:59 into the third period, Kouznetsov cut the Tomahawks deficit in half. After Johnstown dumped the puck into the Titans zone, Pugliese set it up for Ole Andersen behind his own net. As Andersen look to set up, he cut towards the far side boards, but was stripped of the puck by Gorscak. Gorscak passed it to Kouznetsov in the faceoff circle and Kouznetsov turned from his forehand to his backhand and shot the puck through Pugliese’s five hole to make it a 3 – 2 game.

Twenty-eight seconds later, Johnstown’s Brendan Blair was called for holding to give the Titans the man advantage. A half minute later Gavin Gulash made it a 4 – 2 game. Captain Brody Medeiros started the play behind his own goal and skated through center ice and into the Johnstown zone. As Medeiros started to go into the near side corner, he passed the puck to Chris Garbe at the top of the faceoff circle and the assistant captain passed it to Gulash on his right. Gulash one-timed it past Tomeo for his seventh goal of the season.

Almost at mid-way point of the third period, Tyler Nasca made it a 5 – 2 game. Cameron picked up the loose puck at the far side half wall and passed it over to Mitch Machlitt who brought the puck into the offensive zone on a two-on-one with Nasca. As Machlitt reached the top of the faceoff circle, he passed it over to Nasca on his right and the Wheatfield, NY buried it past a fallen Tomeo for his fourth goal of the season.

Johnstown’s Andrew Murphy closed out the scoring with 4:56 left in the game to make it 5 – 3.

Pugliese stopped 42 of 45 shots while Tomeo turned aside 26 of 31. Click here for the box score.

The two teams will finish their series tonight at the Middletown Sports Complex at 7:00 PM. Fans still have time to bid on their favorite Titans’ military jersey with proceeds going to American Legion Post 338 of Leonardo, NJ. Bids can be placed here.

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Outzen’s two goals help lead Titans to 5 – 2 win over Jamestown

Michael Outzen scored two goals and Chris Garbe had two points to help lead the visiting New Jersey Titans to a 5 – 2 win over the Jamestown Rebels.

After a scoreless first period, it was the wild west in the second where six of the games seven goals occurred with the Titans converting on their two power play chances.

Matt Cameron started the scoring just 4:13 into the middle stanza to put the Titans on the board. After Rebels forward Noah Finstrom brought the puck into the Titans zone, he reversed at the half wall and went to send the puck across ice and back to the point, but it was intercepted by Cameron. Cameron skated up along the near side boards and into the Rebels zone and behind their net. As Cameron skated around, he took a sharp angle shot that beat Jamestown’s goalie Noah West high, short side for this twelfth goal of the season.

The Rebels tied the game at 7:21 into the second period. After Tyler Nasca took a shot from the far side point that was blocked out front of the Jamestown net, the loose puck was picked up Rebels defenseman Spencer Cosway who passed it up to Nick Siffringer. Siffringer skated through center ice and into the Titans zone on an odd man rush. As Siffringer gained the line, he passed the puck to Eric Olson on his right. Olson took a shot that was saved by Patrick Pugliese, but the rebound came out to Siffringer who backhanded the puck past a fallen Pugliese and into the net.

With 10:56 left in the period, Jamestown’s Renars Karkls was called for tripping to give the Titans the man advantage. Thirty-three seconds later the Titans regained the lead on Gavin Gulash’s fourth goal of the season.

Shane Haviland picked up the loose puck along the far side half wall and brought it behind the Jamestown net and passed it up to Kyle Jeffers at the near side faceoff dot. Jeffers passed it down low to Garbe in the slot. Garbe took a quick shot that was saved by West, but the rebound came right out to Gulash who tucked in the rebound into the open net to give the Titans a 2 – 1 lead.

Just twenty-four seconds after the Titans took the lead, Karkis again was called for tripping to put the Titans back on the power play. As time was winding down with the man advantage, Outzen hit the back of the net for his first of the night.

Ole Andersen dumped the puck into the Jamestown zone where it was picked up by defenseman Seth Bergeron along the near side half wall. Bergeron went to clear the puck, but it was intercepted at the point by Outzen. The Highlands Ranch, CO native turned and lobbed a shot on net that caught West by surprise and beat him glove side to give the Titans a 3 – 1 lead.

With 7:06 remaining in the middle stanza, the Rebels cut the Titans lead in half. Karkls kept the puck in the Titans zone at the far side point and he passed it over to Nate Clark on his left, but the wayward pass bounced off the boards and down low to Liam Hansson. Hansson sent the puck back to Zach Brydges at the top of the faceoff dot and he passed it over to Karkis on his right. Karkis took a wrist shot that beat Pugliese long side to make it a 3 – 2 game.

The Titans regained their two-goal lead with 3:31 left in the period on Outzen’s second of the night. Mac Wiseman picked up the loose puck in his own zone and brought it behind his net to set up the play. Wiseman passed it up to Cam Gendron at his own near side blueline who sent a cross-ice pass to Mitch Machlitt. As Machlitt cut towards center ice and gained the line, he sent a pass back to Outzen at the far side point. Outzen took a shot on net, but the puck went off Cosway’s skate and through West’s five hole to give the Titans a 4 – 2 lead.

Garbe closed out the scoring with an empty net, shorthanded goal with fifty-seven seconds remaining in the game.

Pugliese, who played very well and kept the Titans in the game in the first period, stopped 23 of 25 shots while West turned aside 21 of 25. Click here for the box score.

The two teams will meet again tonight at 7:05 PM at the Northwest Arena.

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Power play propels Titans to 6 – 2 win over Tomahawks

The New Jersey Titans scored three power play goals en route to a 6 – 2 victory over the visiting Johnstown Tomahawks last night at the Middletown Sports Complex. In all, the Titans went three for four with the man advantage.

Assistant captain Chris Garbe, who had made an NCAA commitment to Middlebury College earlier in the day, had three points (2 goals and 1 assist).

In the blink of an eye, the Titans took a 1 – 0 lead just fourteen seconds into the game on Kyle Jeffers fifteenth goal of the season. After Jeffers won the opening draw, the puck went back to Brody Medeiros at the top of his own far side faceoff circle. The Titans captain passed it over to Tyler Nasca on his left. Nasca sent the puck up to Gavin Gulash at center ice and he redirected the biscuit through his legs and onto the stick of a breaking Jeffers. The American International College commit skated up along the near side boards and into the offensive zone. As Jeffers reached the high slot, he started skating towards his right and took a wrister that beat Johnstown’s goaltender David Tomeo blocker side to open the scoring.

The Tomahawks tied it at 4:13 into the second period. After Johnstown’s Max Kouznetsov was called for tripping Garbe, the penalty negated the man advantage for the visitors to make it four on four hockey. After the draw was won deep inside the Johnstown zone, the puck went Spencer DenBeste who skated up along the far side boards and into the offensive zone. As DenBeste was driving to the net, he cut across the goal mouth and lifted the puck past a sprawling Patrick Pugliese to make it 1 – 1 game.

As time was running out on the Kourznetsov’s penalty, the Titans scored their first power play goal of the evening. Jeffers picked up the loose puck along the offensive zone’s far side boards. As Jeffers went to pass the puck out front to Gulash it was tipped back to Josef Glamos at the top of the near side faceoff circle. Glamos sent the puck down low to Jeffers, who was to the left of Tomeo. Jeffers passed it out to Garbe who was in the slot and the assistant captain took a shot that hit the post and it bounced into the net and past Tomeo to give the Titans a 2 – 1 lead.

With 9: 46 remaining in the second, the Titans would double their lead on Glamos’ seventh goal of the season. After Tomeo made a right pad save, the rebound came out to Glamos who skated behind the Tomahawks net and sent the puck back to Cade Penney at the point. As Penney started to walk the line, he passed it back to Garbe at the top of the near side circle. Garbe took a shot that was redirected out front by Glamos and past Tomeo to make it a 3 – 1 game.

With 3:14 left in the second, the Tomahawks were called for too many men on the ice to give the Titans the man advantage. A minute later Matthew Iasenza lit the lamp for his sixth goal of the season. After Michael Outzen took a shot that went wide of the net, the puck rolled up the far side boards where it was picked up by Mac Wiseman at the point. Wiseman passed it down to Matt Cameron who immediately passed the puck to Outzen in the far side corner. Outzen drove to the net and took a shot that was saved by Tomeo but Iasenza tucked in the rebound to give the Titans a 4 – 1 lead.

Garbe would score his second goal of the game just 3:16 into the third period. Penney picked up the loose puck along the far side boards and pass it down to Mitch Machlitt who skated behind the Tomahawks net and sent a backhand pass out to Garbe at the top of the slot. Garbe took a howitzer of a shot that beat Tomeo top shelf to give the Titans a 5 – 1 lead.

A minute later Johnstown’s Matthew Doyle was called for holding to give the Titans the man advantage. Just eighteen seconds after Doyle started serving his penalty, Machlitt scored his eighteenth goal of the season and the Titans third power play goal of the evening.

After being hit hard behind the Tomahawks net, Cameron would set up the play in the far side corner. He passed it back to Machlitt at the top of the circle who immediately sent a return pass to Cameron. The Niagara University commit sent a cross-ice pass to Outzen who took a low line shot that was redirected by Machlitt and past Tomeo to make it a 6 – 1 game.

Johnstown’s Carson Grainer scored at the 5:40 mark of the third period to close out the scoring and make it a 6 – 2 game.

Pugliese stopped 30 of 32 shots while Tomeo turned aside 25 of 31. Click here for the box score.

The two teams will meet again tonight at 7:00 PM. It will be the Titans annual Teddy Bear Toss. All fans who bring a teddy will receive a $3 discount off an adult ticket price. After the Titans score their first goal of the game, the teddies will be thrown onto the ice, collected and donated to the Ronald McDonald House of Central and Northern New Jersey.

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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.

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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.

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Jeffers four points help lead Titans to 7 – 4 win over Black Bears

Kyle Jeffers had two goals and two assists to help lead the visiting New Jersey Titans to a 7 – 4 win over the Maryland Black Bears last night at Piney Orchard Arena. The victory enabled to the Titans to split the weekend series between the teams. The win was New Jersey’s nineteenth of the season.

Kyler Head and Jake LaRusso each had a goal and an assist while Mitch Machlitt had two assists.

Maryland took an early lead just twenty-five seconds into the game on Hampus Rydqvist’s fifth goal of the season. Jackson Sterrett brought the puck into the Titans zone along the near side boards. As he gained the line, he left a drop pass for a trailing Andrew Remer. As Remer got down low, he took a shot that Arseni Sergeev made a left pad save on, but the rebound came right out to Rydqvist who buried it into the open net.

Jeffers scored his first goal of the game with 1:18 left in the opening period to knot the score at one. As Jeffers penalty for slashing was about to expire, Cade Penney picked up the loose puck in his zone and passed it over to Tyler Nasca at his own near side faceoff circle. Nasca sent a long bounce pass off the boards up to Machlitt. As Machlitt gained the line he passed the puck up to Jeffers who had just stepped onto the ice. Jeffers took a wrist shot from the circle that beat Black Bears goalie Andrew Takacs long side.

The Black Bears would take their second lead of the game at 5:03 into the middle stanza. After Maryland won the draw in deep inside their own zone, the puck came out to forward Filip Jakobsson who sent the puck up the ice and into the Titans zone where it was picked up by Sergeev to the right of his net. Sergeev went to play the puck and wrap it around the end boards but it was intercepted by Sterrett behind the goal line. Sterrett simply threw the puck on net and but it hit Sergeev’s stick and into the net for his eleventh goal of the season.

The Titans then took control of the game by scoring five unanswered goals, four of them in the second period.

At 6:20 into the second, LaRusso scored his fourth goal of the year to tie the game at two. As the Black Bears cleared the puck deep inside the Titans zone, it was picked up by Penney who skated towards the near side boards and sent a cross-ice pass to Head at his own blue line. Head sent a long bounce pass off the boards that appeared to be icing but Cam Gendron simply out hustled Logan Kons for the puck. As Gendron got to the end boards, he sent a backhanded pass towards the net and LaRusso one-timed it passed Takacs short side.

Twenty-four seconds later David Parker scored his first North American Hockey League goal. After the ensuing draw that went into the Black Bears zone, Maryland tried to clear the puck up along the near side boards, but it was intercepted by Gavin Gulash at the point. The Robert Morris University commit took a long shot that was saved by Takacs and the puck came out along the far side circle to Jeffers who immediately sent a pass back to Penney at the point. Penney one-timed it and Takacs made the save but the deep rebound came out to Parker who buried it past Takacs to give the Titans a 3 – 2 lead.

With 5:16 left in the second, Head would double the Titans lead. After the Titans won the draw deep inside their own zone, Mac Wiseman wrapped the puck around the end board and up along the far side boards where it was picked up by LaRusso at the top of the circle in the offensive zone. LaRusso passed the puck out front to Head who went to the net on his backhand and he put it past Takacs to give the Titans a 4 – 2 lead.

With 1:28 remaining in the period, Michael Outzen made it 5 – 2 Titans. Machlitt picked up the loose puck just outside the Black Bears blueline. As Machlitt entered the offensive zone, he made a beautiful move around Maryland’s Logan Kittleson by bringing the puck through his own legs onto his backhand then onto his forehand as he went to the net and took a shot that was saved by Takacs but Outzen knocked in the rebound for his ninth goal of the season.

With Maryland’s Brayden Stannard and Rydqvist called for penalties, the Titans were on a 5-on-3. As time was winding down on the two-man advantage, the puck went back to Penney at the point who sent it over to Mac Wiseman on his left. Wiseman passed it down low to Jeffers who sent a return pass back to Wiseman and the Haymarket, VA native took a clapper that beat Cooper Black short side to make it a 6 – 2 Titans lead.

The Black Bears would make it 6 – 3 on an almost end-to end goal by Reid Leibold at 5:15 in the third. Then midway through the third Aden Bruich stuffed in a goal to make it 6 – 4 but Jeffers scored an empty net goal with a second remaining to close out the scoring.

Sergeev stopped 35 of 39 shots while Takacs and Black combined to turn aside 32 of 39. Click here for the box score.

The Titans now will travel to Johnstown next weekend to play two very important games against the Tomahawks.

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Cameron helps lead Titans to 5 – 2 win over Nordiques

Matt Cameron had a goal and two assists to help lead the Titans to a 5 – 2 win over the visiting Maine Nordiques and complete a weekend sweep.

The Titans had a huge first period scoring three unanswered goals. It all started at 8:49 of the opening period when Cameron scored his tenth goal of the season.

As the Nordiques tried to set up in the Titans zone, an errant pass went back to center ice where Maine’s Casper Söderling picked up the puck and tried to send it over to Stefan Owens on his right. Gavin Gulash was able to distract Owens from the puck with Cameron trailing. Cameron picked up the biscuit at the top of the Nordiques blue line and he cut towards the net and took a low far side shot that beat Maine’s goaltender Connor Androlewicz to make it a 1 – 0 game.

With 9:19 left in the first, Titans defenseman David Parker was called for kneeing to give the Nordiques the man advantage. With time running out on the power play, Cameron intercepted a pass at the top of his own zone and sent a quick pass to Kyle Jeffers on his left and the American International College commit entered the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 with Mac Wiseman.  Jeffers made a centering pass to Wiseman who was stoned by Androlewicz. Cameron picked up the rebound but Androlewicz made a stick save prone on the ice but Jeffers came in and jammed home the rebound into the back of the net to double the Titans lead.

The Titans would make it 3 – 0 with six seconds remaining in the first period. With Jeffers digging for the puck in the far side corner, he sent a quick pass to Cameron out front. Cameron immediately passed the puck to Tyler Nasca on his left and Nasca beat Androwlewicz short side for his third goal of the season.

Maine’s Kevin Pitts was called for interference with 9:21 left in the second period to put the Titans on the power play. Forty seconds later Chris Garbe made it a 4 – 0 game. After Jeffers took a shot from the top of the far side faceoff circle that went wide, the puck went behind the Nordiques net and wrapped around the near side boards where it was picked up by Gulash. Gulash sent a pass down low to Garbe who skated towards the net and took a sharp angle shot that beat Androwlewicz high, short side.

Like Friday night’s contest, Maine attempted a comeback. Brad Zona was called for interference with 9:35 remaining in the third period to give the Nordiques the man advantage. Nine seconds later Timmy Kent put the visitors on the board. After the ensuing draw, the puck went back to Maine’s Ethan Prout at the point. Prout passed it slightly up to Noah Kane at the top of the near side faceoff circle. Kane passed it down low to Cannon Green who immediately passed the puck through the goalmouth to Kent who beat Patrick Pugliese to make it a 4 – 1 game.

Five minutes later Prout cut the Nordiques deficit in half. Green brought the puck out of his own zone and head manned the puck up to Kent up along the far side boards. As Kent skated to the faceoff dot, he sent a cross-ice pass to Prout who redirected the puck passed Pugliese to make it 4 – 2.

Josef Glamos would close out the scoring twenty seconds later after a giveaway in the Nordiques zone and Glamos beat Androwlewicz long side for his sixth goal of the season.

Pugliese stopped 38 of 40 shots while Androlewicz turned aside 21 of 26. Click here for the box score.

After Thanksgiving, the boys will take an early bus on Friday to take on the Maryland Black Bears for two games.

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Machlitt’s hat trick leads Titans to 7 – 5 win over Nordiques

Mitch Machlitt scored three goals, including two in the third period, to lead the Titans to a 7 – 5 win over the visiting Maine Nordiques. In all, it was a five-point game for the Maple Grove, MN native.

Mac Wiseman scored his fifth goal of the season at 9:50 into the first period to open the scoring for New Jersey. As Michael Outzen carried the puck up through the neutral zone and gained the line, he passed the puck to Machlitt on his left. Machlitt took a shot that was blocked out front, but the puck went into the near side corners where it was picked up by Outzen. Outzen sent it back to the point to Wiseman who took a clapper that beat Nordiques netminder Marco Duronio long side to make it 1 – 0.

Less then two minutes later, Gavin Gulash would double the Titans lead. Wiseman brought up the puck up along the near side boards and behind the Nordiques net. As he tried to make a centering pass, the puck went off the cage and back to Cade Penney at the far side blueline. Penney would bring the puck up along and around the boards. As he got slightly to the left of Maine’s net, he passed it to Kyle Jeffers out front who took a shot that was saved by Duronio but Gulash tucked in the rebound for his third goal of the season.

Kyler Head gave the Titans a 3 – 0 lead just 2:25 into the second period. Ole Andersen brought the puck out of his own zone and passed it up to Head who was waiting at the far side blue line. Head chipped the puck deep into the Nordiques zone where it as picked up by Cam Gendron. As Gendron circled behind Maine’s net, he passed the puck out front to Head who took a shot that was saved by Duronio but he couldn’t control the biscuit and Head knocked in his own rebound for his eleventh goal of the season.

Brody Medeiros was called for boarding at 9:15 of the second period to give Maine the man advantage. Less then a minute later Noah Kane got the Nordiques on the board. Maine’s Casper Söderling had the puck in the near side corners and passed it back to Trent Grimshaw at the top of the face off circle. Grimshaw sent a cross-ice pass to Kane who took a shot that went off Titans goalie Arseni Sergeev’s chest and into the net to make it 3 – 1 Titans.

Machlitt scored his first goal of the game with 3:54 left in the second. After Maine won the draw deep inside their own zone, the puck went back to Cale Dubrul. The Nordiques defenseman backhanded the puck high off the glass, but it hit a stanchion and took a funny bounce and dropped at the top of the faceoff circle where it was picked up by Outzen. Outzen sent a cross-ice pass over to Tyler Nielsen in the slot. Nielsen turned halfway around and passed the puck to a trailing Machlitt who buried the puck past Duronio to give the Titans a 4 – 1 lead.

Just nineteen seconds later, Isaiah Fox made it a 4 – 2 game. Fox brought the puck into the Titans zone and passed it over to Kane at the top of the far side faceoff circle. As Kane approached the net, he was unable to take a shot and passed the puck back into to the slot to Fox. While Fox was being knocked off the biscuit by Nielsen, Fox took an off balance shot that beat Sergeev for his eighth goal of the season.

Machlitt scored his second goal of the game with 8:28 remaining in the third period. After Duronio made a blocker save on Tyler Nasca, the puck was picked up by Fox at the near side corner. Fox sent the puck behind his own net to Cole Ouellette, who tried to turn but he was stripped off the puck by Outzen. Outzen passed the puck out to Machlett who buried a wrister past Duronio shot side to make it 5 – 2 Titans.

Then the fireworks began with the teams scoring a combined five goals in five minutes.

Cannon Green picked up a loose rebound and tucked it past Sergeev to make it a 5 – 3 game with 5:54 left in the third.

A minute later Outzen scored his eight goal of the season when he tucked in the loose rebound passed a sprawled out Duronio, who had just made a 10 bell save on Machlitt in close.

Leading 6 – 3 with 3:39 left in the game, Nick DeSantis was called for cross-checking to put the Nordiques on the power play. Twenty-four seconds later Sergeev was called for tripping to give Maine a 5 on 3 advantage.

Tim Kent beat Sergeev to cut the Titans lead to two with 2:57 after receiving a nice feed from Ouellette.

Still on the power play, Maine scored their third goal of the night with the man advantage to make it a 6 – 5 game. Green scored his second goal of the game after he picked up the rebound from a Dubrul shot that hit the post and Green put it past Sergeev to give the Nordiques a one goal deficit.

With under a minute to play, Maine chipped the puck into the Titans zone. While the puck was in the air, the Nordiques attempted to pull the goalie for the extra attacker. As the puck bounced into the Titans Andersen picked it up and head manned the biscuit up to Machlitt at center ice. Realizing that he had to get back to his net, Duronio wasn’t fast enough as Machlitt scored his third goal of the game to close out the scoring with fifty-one seconds left in the game.

Sergeev stopped 25 of 30 shots while Duronio turned aside 33 of 40. Click here for the box score.

The two teams will close out their weekend series tonight at 7:00 PM at the Middletown Sports Complex. Any fan who brings a non-perishable food item will receive $3 off an adult ticket with all donations going to Lunch Break of Red Bank. Immediately following the game will be Skate Night with the Titans.

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Nasca named East Division’s Second Star of the Week; Jeffers is honorable mention

The North American Hockey League announced its Bauer Hockey Divisional Stars of the Week for week ending November 17 and Titans defenseman Tyler Nasca was named the East Division’s second star while forward Kyle Jeffers was named honorable mention.

Nasca had three points (1 goal and 2 assists) in this weekend’s split with the Maryland Black Bears. He had an assist on Mitch Machlitt’s game tying goal with thirty-five seconds remaining in an eventual shootout loss. He scored a pivotal goal in Saturday’s game in which it was the Titans fourth unanswered goal in the critical second period. He also set up Nick DeSantis’ first goal as a Titan. The Wheatfield, NY native has seven points (2 goals and 5 assists) in eighteen games.

Jeffers also had three points (2 goals and 1 assist) this past weekend. He scored the Titans first and fourth goals in Saturday’s 8 – 6 win. The American International College commit is second on the team in total points with twenty-four (10 goals and 14 assists). Jeffers was named the East Division’s Star of the Week for week ending October 6.

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Four second period goals propel Titans to 8 – 6 win over Black Bears

Down 3 – 1 entering the second period, the New Jersey Titans scored four unanswered goals en route to an 8 – 6 win over the visiting Maryland Black Bears to split the weekend series between the teams.

Aden Bruich opened the scoring for the Black Bears at 5:32 of the first period. After Tyler Nasca’s shot from the point was block out front, the puck was picked up by Bruich  by his own beach. Bruich passed it up to Jude Kurtas who skated into the offensive zone. As soon as Bruich reached the top of the near side faceoff circle, he passed the puck to Bruich slightly to his left and Bruich took a one-timer that beat Titans netminder Patrick Pugliese to make it 1 – 0 Black Bears.

After Kyler Jeffers was sent to the box for tripping to give Maryland the man advantage, Bruich would double the Black Bears lead with 9:48 remaining in the opening period. Setting up the play at the top of the point, Logan Kons passed the puck over to Kyle Oleksiuk at the near side face off circle. Oleksiuk feed it over to Brayden Stannard on his left and Stannard took a shot that was saved by Pugliese, but the puck came right out to Bruich who tucked in the rebound behind the fallen Titans goaltender to give Maryland a 2 – 0 lead.

Two minutes after the Black Bears went up by two, Jeffers cut the Titans deficit in half. As Bruich broke out of his own zone, the newest Titan Nick DeSantis stripped him off the puck and brought it back Maryland’s zone.  DeSantis left a drop pass to Cade Penney who rushed towards the net. After Penney took a shot that was saved by Black Bears netminder Andrew Takacs, the loose puck came out to Jeffers who tucked in the rebound to make it a 2 – 1 game.

With 4:41 left in the first, the Black Bears took another two-goal lead on Garrett Szydlowski’s fourth goal of the year. Wilmer Skoog picked up the puck behind the Titans net. As he waited for his line mates to join the play, he reversed and left the puck for a trailing Cameron Recchi. Recchi circled around the net to the right of Pugliese and took a sharp angled shot that was saved by the Titans netminder but Szydlowski buried the rebound to make it 3 – 1 Maryland.

Trailing 3 – 1 entering the second, Chris Garbe would cut the Black Bears lead to one just thirty-eight seconds into the middle stanza.

After Takacs made a save, the rebound came out to Gavin Gulash who was along the far side boards and sent the puck back to Ole Anderson back at the point. The defenseman took a shot that was defected by Jeffers out front but Garbe tucked in the rebound to make it 3 – 2 Maryland.

At 4:49 into the second, Kons was called for tripping to put the Titans on the power play. Twenty-one seconds later the game was tied. Michael Outzen set up the play at the middle of the far side boards. Outzen sent the puck back to Mac Wiseman at the top of the point who immediately passed it over to Mitch Machlitt. As Machlitt took a stride, he sent the puck back to Wiseman, who stepped up and took a wrister that beat Takacs short side to make it 3 – 3.

The Titans took their first lead of the game less then a minute later. As Maryland’s Kyle Oleksiuk tried to break out of his own zone, he was stripped off the puck by Jeffers. The American International College commit went to the net and took a shot that was saved by Takacs but as Jeffers was falling over Takacs, Jeffers was able to slip the rebound into the net to make it 4 – 3 New Jersey.

With 2:24 left in the second, the Titans took a two-goal lead on Nasca’s second goal of the year. After a scrum occurred in the Black Bears near side corner, the loose puck would come out to Skoog. As Skoog looked to set up, he was knocked off the puck, which went directly to Nasca. The Titans defenseman took a shot that beat Takacs blocker side to make it 5 – 3.

The teams then went onto score a combined six goals in the third period.

Maryland cut their deficit by one just 3:59 into the third when Stannard score his fourth goal of the season to make it 5 – 4 Titans.

Thirty seconds after Stannard made it 5 – 4, the Titans scored two goals in less then a minute to put the game out of reach.

With the puck down low in the Titans zone, DeSantis picked up the loose puck out of a scrum and skated down the far side boards. As DeSantis reached the slot, he took a shot that beat Cooper Black long side to give the Titans a 6 – 4 lead.

Thirty seconds later Shane Haviland put the game out of reach with his second goal of the season to give the Titans a 7 – 4 lead.

The teams then would exchange goals with Matthew Iasenza scoring his second goal of the season to close out the Titans scoring.

Pugliese stopped 23 of 29 shots while Maryland’s netminders Takacs and Black stopped a combined 21 of 28. Click here for the box score.