A game which saw multiple five on three power plays did not go New Jersey’s way on Saturday night, as they lost to the Northeast Generals by a score of 4 to 1 at the New England Sports Village in Attleboro, Massachusetts.
New Jersey found themselves down two players just 4:04 into the game, and the Generals were able to take advantage with a power play goal 43 seconds into the 2-man advantage. The Titans were then assessed another penalty immediately after the goal was scored, and Northeast would score on that five on three to double their lead at 6:40. Zak Brice, fresh off his first shutout of the season, stopped 16 of 18 in the first, but the Titans went into the first intermission trailing by two.
The Generals would add to their lead 81 seconds into the second, but New Jersey’s defense was able to tighten up after that, even if the penalties continued. The Titans would receive their first power play to begin the third period, after a scrum at the end of the second. It was a five on three power play, and Ryan Friedman snapped a wrist shot low to the glove side to get New Jersey on the board. Leo Schwartz picked up the lone assist on Friedman’s 5th of the year, but that’s all the offense the Titans could muster. An empty net goal from 170 feet away would salt the game away with 18 seconds to go, and the Titans fell by a score of 4-1.
With the loss, New Jersey’s record falls to 14-13-1. They remain tied with New Hampshire for the 6th and final playoff spot, and hold the tiebreaker with one more win. The game concludes the Titans’ road schedule for the 2023 calendar year, as they will play three more times at home before the holiday break. The homestand begins with the first Tuesday night game in Middletown of the year on Tuesday, December 12th, with a 7:00pm faceoff.