The New Jersey Titans wrapped up their regular season schedule with the second of a two game series against the Maine Nordiques. A pair of goals by Dominik Bartecko and 39 saves by Dylan Krick were enough to give the Titans a 4-3 victory on Saturday night at the Middletown Sports Complex.
Bartecko opened the scoring 4:52 into the game with his 31st of the season, tying him with Dominick Rivelli for the team lead. Nikita Meshcheryakov and Jack Hillier picked up the assists as New Jersey scored the first goal of the game for the first time in their past three games. Hillier then extended the lead late in the period, with Meshcheryakov and Bartecko getting the helpers, giving Bartecko 51 assists on the season.
On the power play early in the second period, Arhip Sidarovich snapped a 12 game goal drought with his 8th of the season, from Meshcheryakov and Lucas Marshall to make it 3-0. Then, with 3:05 to go, Bartecko found the back of the net for the second time in the game to make it 4-0, again from Meshcheryakov and Marshall. A pair of goals just 1:03 apart at the end of the period by the Nordiques cut the New Jersey lead in half, and gave Maine momentum going into the final regulation period of the season.
However, Dylan Krick and the defense stood tall, limiting the Nordiques to only 10 shots in the final frame. They would add another power play goal with just over five minutes to go in regulation, but Krick would allow no more, stopping 39 of 42 shots sent his way.
With the win, the Titans finish the 2023-24 season with a record of 35-22-3, good for 73 points. They will face the Johnstown Tomahawks in the Play-In Round of the 2024 Robertson Cup Playoffs, who, even with a 4-1 win over Maryland tonight, could not surpass the Rochester Jr. Americans. Game 1 will be on Friday, April 12th, and Game 2 will be on Saturday, April 13th. Game 3, if necessary, will be on Sunday, April 14th. Start times have not been finalized, but will be announced soon.