Tag Archives: Tyler Nasca

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Garbe’s natural hat trick leads Titans to 4 – 2 win over Generals

Chris Garbe scored a natural hat trick in the third period to lead the visiting New Jersey Titans to a 4 – 2 win over the Northeast Generals last night at the New England Sports Village in Attleboro, MA. The victory completed the Titans weekend sweep over Northeast.

By sweeping this weekend’s series, the Titans won games number 35 and 36, the most wins in a single regular season in the Titans five-year NAHL franchise history.

Northeast’s Ethan Destefani opened the scoring at 7:34 of the first period. Destefani won the draw deep inside the Titans zone and the puck went back to Tyler Cooper at the top of the near side faceoff circle. Cooper sent a cross-ice back to Michael  Heneghan at the far side point. Heneghan made seem pass to Destefani out front in the slot and Destefani redirected the puck past Titans netminder Ryan McInchak to give the Generals a 1 – 0 lead.

Gavin Gulash tied the game at one with 1: 38 remaining in the first. After picking up the loose puck along the near side board’s Northeast’s Alexander Tertyshny was trying to bring the puck out of his own zone and he a made an errant cross-ice pass that when behind his teammate but it was picked up by Gulash at the top of the far side faceoff circle. Gulash made a backhanded pass to Jake LaRusso at the top of slot and LaRusso made an immediate return pass to Gulash who took a wrist shot that beat Generals goalie Connor Bradford through the five hole for his twelfth goal of the season.

After a scoreless second period, the Generals took a 2 – 1 lead just 2:14 into the third. Destefani picked up the loose biscuit in the Titans zone along the near side boards and cut towards the slot but was knocked off the puck by Gulash.  As Destefani was falling the puck slid to Jonathan Young who made a backhanded pass to defenseman Adam Smith.  As Smith reached the top of the near side faceoff he took a wrist shot that found its way through a screen and rolled under McInchak and into the net for his first goal of the season.

The game then was taken over by the Middlebury College commit Garbe.

Midway through the third, Garbe tied the game at two. As the Generals look to set up the play behind their own net, Smith brought the puck up through the slot, but he was stripped of the puck by Matthew Iasenza and Garbe picked it up. Garbe made a move out front and wristed the puck up high and past the blocker of Bradford for his nineteenth goal of the season.

With 7:22 remaining in the game, Cade Penney was called for tripping to give the Generals the man advantage. Fourteen seconds later Garbe gave the Titans the lead. After the ensuing draw deep inside the Titans zone, the Generals looked to set up and the puck went to Jonathan Young at the top of the slot. Young went to pass the puck but it was intercepted by Matt Cameron at the far side faceoff dot and Cameron immediately passed the puck up to Garbe who skated in all alone on Bradford and he wristed the puck past the Generals’ goalie’s glove hand to make it 3 – 2.

The shorthanded goal by Garbe was the Titans league high seventeenth shorthanded goal on the season, and it was a league best seventh shorthanded goal in a road game.

Garbe then completed the natural hat trick with two minutes left in the game.

As the Generals dumped the puck into the Titans zone, McInchak stopped the puck behind his own net and left it for Tyler Nasca. As Nasca brought the puck around the net he dropped it for Penney who wrapped the biscuit around the end boards and up to Gulash at his own near side blueline. Gulash passed the puck up to Garbe who skated along the boards and took a sharp angle shot from the outside of the faceoff circle that went through the five hole of Bradford to close out the scoring. It was Garbe’s twenty-first goal of the season, which makes him the third highest goal scorer on the team.

McInchak, who play very well, stopped 54 of 56 shots while Bradford turned aside 25 of 29. Click here for the box score.

“It was a big response by our club this weekend” stated Titans head coach Craig Doremus. “We got contributions up and down the lineup in big spots for each game. It was important for us to get back to in the win column this weekend. Our focus now shifts to a big weekend in Jamestown” concluded Doremus.

Next weekend the Titans travel to Jamestown to play the Rebels for two games at the Northwest Arena. It will close out the Titans seven game road trip.

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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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Four, second period goals propel Titans to 6 – 2 victory over Generals

The New Jersey Titans scored four, second period goals in 5:13 minutes en route to a 6 – 2 win over the visiting Northeast Generals for the team’s fifth consecutive win.

Defenseman Ole Andersen and forward Shane Haviland each had a goal and an assist.

After a scoreless opening period, Northeast got on the scoreboard first just 1:23 into the middle stanza. The Generals’ Gerard Marretta picked up the loose puck in his own zone along the near side boards and sent a long stretch pass across to a breaking Ryan Kuzmich. After gaining the line, Kuzmich took a shot from the faceoff dot that was saved by Titans goalie Patrick Pugliese but the deep rebound came right out to Charlie Ried in the slot and Ried one-timed it past the fallen Pugliese to give Northeast a 1 – 0 lead.

The Titans then countered by scoring four, unanswered goals in 5:13 minutes.

At 6:58 of the second Tyler Nasca tied the game at one. Haviland picked up the loose puck in his own zone at the high slot and passed it to Nasca on his right. As Nasca reached center ice, he passed the puck to Nick DeSantis on his right. After entering the offensive zone along the near side boards, DeSantis circled around his defender and centered the puck out front to Nasca in the slot and the Wheatfield, NY native one-timed it past Northeast’s goalie Connor Bradford for his eighth goal of the season.

Thirty-four seconds later the Titans doubled their lead on Kyle Jeffers twenty-first goal of the season. Kyler Head intercepted a Generals pass at the top of the slot in his own zone and he skated to the near side boards and entered the offensive zone on a 2 on 2 rush with Cam Gendron. As Head gained the line, he drop pass the puck to Jeffers.  As the American International College commit reached the faceoff dot, he took a shot that beat Bradford short side to make it 2 – 1 Titans.

Andersen gave the Titans a 3 – 1 lead at 8:51 of the second. After Pugliese made a save on Northeast’s Clark Kerner, the rebound came out to Cade Penney at the near side faceoff dot and he passed the puck up and over to Michael Outzen at the top of his own zone. As Outzen entered the Generals’ zone on a 3 – 2 rush, he stopped and reversed at the top of the far side faceoff circle and he sent a long, cross-ice pass to Andersen who took a snapshot that beat Bradford long side for his sixth goal of the season.

The Titans scored their fourth straight goal with 7:51 remaining in the period. Penney picked up the rebound at his own goal line to the left of Pugliese and he passed it up to Jeffers at the bottom of the far side faceoff circle. Jeffers made a long stretch pass up to Mitch Machlitt at the top of the Generals blueline. After gaining the line, Machlitt reversed at the top of the far side faceoff circle and made a backhand pass to Andersen in the slot. Andersen immediately passed it back to Gavin Gulash who went from his forehand to his backhand and he lifted the puck up high and past Bradford for his tenth goal of the season.

Bradford was replaced by Joey Stanizzi.

Kuzmich cut the Generals deficit in half with 5:03 left in the second. With a delayed penalty being called on the Titans, Northeast’s Cam Gaudette made a long stretch pass from the top of his own far side faceoff circle to Jonathan Young at the Titans blueline. As Young reached the faceoff dot, he reversed and made a centering pass to Kuzmich in the slot and Kuzmich one-timed it past Pugliese for his first goal of the season.

Haviland made it 5 – 2 just 1:08 into the third period. DeSantis picked up the loose puck at the top of his own near side faceoff circle and passed it over to Penney on his right. Penney found a breaking Haviland at center ice. As Haviland gained the line, he cut towards the near side boards and went around his defender towards the end boards. Haviland circled around the Generals net and wrapped the puck around and into the net past Stanizzi for his sixth goal of the season.

Head lit the lamp for his sixteenth goal of the season with 2:14 left in the game to close out the scoring.

Pugliese stopped 32 of 34 shots while Bradford and Stanizzi combined to stop 25 of 31. Click here for the box score.

The two teams will meet again tonight at 7:00pm at the Middletown Sports Complex. It’s Bogo and Skate night. First, anyone who brings their significant other can get one ticket for free if they purchase an adult ticket. Then it’s Skate Night with the Titans immediately following the game for all fans.

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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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Titans rout Nordiques 9 – 2 to split weekend series

Matt Cameron and Kyle Jeffers each scored two goals and had an assist while Chris Garbe and Michael Outzen had a goal and an assist respectively to help lead the visiting New Jersey Titans to a 9 – 2 win over the Maine Nordiques. The victory enabled the Titans to split the weekend series between the teams.

The nine goals were the most the Titans scored in a game this season and it was the second time this year that they had won by seven goals (7 – 0 on October 25 against Jamestown).

The Titans scored early and often in the first period having scored four goals with the first one coming at 3:59 off the stick of Cameron. Ole Andersen picked up the loose puck at center ice and passed it up to Gavin Gulash. As Gulash gained the line, he passed it over to Garbe on his right. Garbe took a shot from the top of the near side faceoff circle that was initially stopped by Maine’s netminder Wesley Mankowski but the puck trickled through his pads and Cameron tapped it into the open net.

At 8:29 of the opening period, the Nordiques’ Tristan Thibeault was called for holding to give the Titans the man advantage. Forty-four seconds later Outzen scored his fifteenth goal of the season. After Mankowski made a save, the rebound went behind his net where it was picked up by his defenseman Jacob Crespo. Crespo tried to clear the puck along the near side boards, but it was intercepted by Kyler Head at the point. Head passed it down low to Mitch Machlitt who was to the left of Mankowski. Machlitt passed it out front to Outzen who one-timed it passed Mankowski to give the Titans a 2 – 0 lead.

A little over two minutes later Shane Haviland made it 3 – 0. Josef Glamos took a sharp angle shot that was saved by Mankowski but the rebound was picked up by Nick DeSantis who skated behind the Nordiques net. As he went to the far side corner, he drop passed the puck to Cade Penney who passed it up to Haviland at the bottom of the faceoff dot. Haviland took a one-timer that beat Mankowski short side for his fifth goal of the season.

Avery Sturtz replaced Mankowski between the pipes.

With eighteen seconds remaining in the period, Tyler Nasca gave the Titans a 4 – 0 lead. Machlitt picked up the loose puck at the side of the Nordiques net and tried to center it out front but it hit a Nordiques defender and the puck bounced to the far side half wall where it was picked up by Jeffers. Jeffers sent it back to Penney at the point who immediately sent a return pass to Jeffers. Jeffers made a cross-ice pass to Nasca who one-timed it passed Sturtz for his fifth goal of the season.

Maine got on the board just 1:40 into the middle stanza on Luke Antonacci’s first goal of the season. Antonacci took a shot from the far side point that was blocked out front by Garbe. As the puck slid towards the point, Antonacci picked it up and passed to Cannon Green at the half wall. Green passed it over to Antonacci on his right and the defenseman beat Titans netminder Patrick Pugliese short side to make a 4 – 1 game.

Jeffers scored his first goal of the night at 7:42 of the second. Head picked up the loose puck just outside the Nordiques zone and passed it back to Brody Medeiros near the far side boards who looked to reset the play. Medeiros made a cross-ice pass up to Jeffers at the Nordiques line. As Jeffers entered the zone, he skated to the hash mark and took a shot that beat Sturtz short side to make it a 5 – 1 game.

After multiple penalties were called with 2:40 remaining in the second, the Titans went on the power play. With time winding down on the man advantage, Outzen had the puck at the near side half wall and went to throw it on net, but it was knocked away and picked up by Machlitt at the far side boards. Machlitt passed it down low to Cameron who was to the left of Sturtz. As Cameron skated towards the slot, he backhanded a shot that beat Sturtz high, long side to make it a 6 – 1 game with forty-nine seconds remaining in the period.

The Nordiques added a goal from Kevin Pitts in the third while Jeffers, Glamos and Garbe finished out the scoring for the Titans. Glamos’ goal was the Titans third power play goal of the evening.

Pugliese, who had to make several key saves, stopped 28 of 30 shots while Mankowski and Sturtz combined to turn aside 28 of 37. Click here for the box score.

“I was really please with our response tonight” stated Titans head coach Craig Doremus. “It was a complete effort from our goaltender out. We have a lot of pride in our dressing room and the guys have high standards for our culture. Losing is not acceptable with this team and I am proud of the group. Onto Maryland” concluded Doremus.

The Titans will be back home next weekend for a two-game series against the Maryland Black Bears. It will be part of a five-game home stand.

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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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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.