Gavin Gulash and Ole Andersen scored to give the visiting New Jersey Titans a 2 – 1 win over the Jamestown Rebels last night at the Northwest Arena. The win enabled the Titans to split the weekend series between the two team as well as stay three points ahead of second place Johnstown for the division lead.
Last night’s game ended a seven-game road stretch in which the team went 3 – 4, with three of the losses against the Rebels. The Titans have nine games remaining in the season with seven of them at home where New Jersey has an 18-4-0-1 home record this season.
Gulash opened the scoring for the Titans at 9:45 into the first period. With a scrum taking place in the Titans near side corner, Jake LaRusso came away with the puck and passed it up to Shane Haviland at the top of the faceoff circle and he immediately passed it over to Gulash on his left. After Gulash skated out of his own zone, he sent a return pass to Haviland who was skating down the near side boards. As Haviland gained the line, he passed the biscuit to LaRusso on his left. LaRusso turned and made a backhanded pass to Gulash who took a wrist shot that beat Rebels goalie Noah West long side to give the Titans a 1 – 0 lead. It was Gulash’s thirteenth’ goal of the season.
After Andersen (roughing) and Cade Penney (interference) were called for penalties twenty-two seconds part with under five minutes remaining in the period, the Titans were playing on a 5 on 3 disadvantage. Fourteen seconds after Penney’s penalty with 4:29 left in the first, the Rebels tied the game.
With Jamestown’s Spencer Cosway and Renars Karkls looking to set up the play at the top of the faceoff dots, Cosway sent one final return pass to Karkis at the top of the near side faceoff circle. Karkis sent a pass down low to Liam Hansson who sent a pass back to Cosway at the top of the point. Cosway took a shot that was saved by Titans netminder Ryan McInchak but the rebound came right out to Noah Finstrom and he tucked it past McInchak and into the net to make it a 1 – 1 game.
Andersen would score the eventual game winner at 4:54 into the second period. After the Rebels looked to clear the puck, Andersen kept it in the zone at the near side blue line and passed it down to Gulash at half wall. Gulash passed it down to LaRusso in the corner who immediately passed it out front to Haviland. Haviland sent a return pass to LaRusso who sent it right back out front to a breaking Andersen in the slot and the Hamar, NO native tapped in the backdoor pass to give the Titans a 2 – 1 lead. It was Andersen’s seventh goal of the season.
McInchak, who played very well, stopped 26 of 27 shots while West turned aside 36 of 38. Click here for the box score.
The Titans will begin a five game homestand on Wednesday night at 7:00 PM against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights on half-price hump day.