The Titans four game winning streak to start the 2019-20 season came to an end today as they were upended by the Springfield Jr. Blues 3 – 2.
The Titans opened the scoring at the 7:31 mark of the first period on Michael Outzen’s third goal of the season. Playing four on four hockey due to coincidental penalties, Outzen would dump the puck to the end board inside the Jr. Blues zone. Outzen sent the puck back up along the far side boards to a trailing Shane Haviland. The Titans forward pasted it back to Mac Wiseman who immediately sent a push pass to Outzen at the bottom of the faceoff circle. Outzen completed a half circle and took a one-timer that beat Jr. Blues goalie Alex Proctor short side to make it 1 – 0 Titans.
With 5:10 remaining in the middle stanza, Kyler Head was called for tripping. Thirteen seconds later the game was tied. After the ensuing draw, the puck would go back to Jr. Blues defenseman Max Osbourne at the point. Osbourne took a shot that made its way through a maze as Andrew Malek redirected the puck past Titans netminder Arseni Sergeev to make it a 1 – 1 game.
The Jr. Blues would take a 2 – 1 lead just two minutes into the third period on Malek’s second goal of the game. With the Titans trying to set up in their own zone, defenseman Brad Zona past the puck behind his net to Mac Wiseman who was to the right of Sergeev. Wiseman tried to bring the puck through the goalmouth, but Danila Larionovs stripped him of the puck. The puck would be picked up by Ginovanni Carabelli who was to the left of Sergeev. Carabelli pasted it back to a wide open Malek who beat Sergeev to give the Jr. Blues their first lead of the game.
A little over four minutes later Head would tie the game at two. Jr Blues defenseman Noah Marino tried to skate the puck out of his own zone but as the reached the blueline, he was knocked off the puck by Cam Gendron. The puck would find its way onto Head’s stick and the Malone, NY native took a wrist shot that hit both goal posts and then fell in the net behind Proctor for Head’s sixth goal on the season.
As time was winding down in the third, Matt Matchlitt dumped the puck deep inside the Jr. Blues end boards where it was picked up by Caden Villegas. The Springfield defender would send a long outlet pass to Aaron Swanson up in the high neutral zone. Swanson would cut from his right to his left and take a wrist shot that beat Sergeev blocker side to give the Jr. Blues a 3 – 2 lead with 1: 58 left in the game.
Both goaltenders played extremely well. Proctor turned aside 26 of 28 shots while Sergeev stopped 25 of 28. Click here for the box score.
The Titans final game of the 2019 NAHL Showcase will be played tomorrow at 1:30ET against the expansion New Mexico Wolves.