Jack Hillier’s game tying goal with 2:19 to go salvaged a point for New Jersey, but the Titans fell 30 seconds into overtime on Wednesday night at the Middletown Sports Complex.
Skating a day after their originally schedule game was postponed by a snow storm, New Jersey hosted the Danbury Jr Hat Tricks for the final time this season. Looking to avenge their loss two weeks ago, the Titans came out flying, outshooting the Jr Hat Tricks by a 7-2 margin in the first ten minutes of the game. However, it was Danbury who struck first on a breakaway at 15:09 to head into the first intermission up by a goal.
In the second, again New Jersey started the period strong, peppering Danbury’s goaltender with shots. Going onto the power play, the Titans finally converted when Nikita Meshcheryakov’s pass into the slot deflected off a Jr Hat Trick’s skate and over the line to draw New Jersey level. For the Princeton commit, it was his 16th of the season, assisted by Dominik Bartecko and Dominick Rivelli. However, it was not to last, and when New Jersey took three penalties in a span of under three minutes later in the period, Danbury struck on the resulting 5 on 3 advantage, heading into the locker room for a second time with a one goal advantage.
With the offense generating chances once more to begin the third, it was the defense that tightened up and held Danbury without a shot for over a thirteen minute span, and only 5 totals shots in the period. Jack Hillier finally broke through with his 9th of the season at the 17:41 mark, tying the game with under 3 minutes to play after taking a pass from Arhip Sidarovich. The future Sacred Heart Pioneer’s goal would be enough to force overtime, but just 30 seconds in the extra frame, a Danbury breakaway led to heartbreak for the Titans, as they fell by a score of 3-2.
For New Jersey, it is the first time in franchise history that they have lost consecutive games to Danbury since that franchise’s move to the Hat City in 2021. Previously, they were known as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights, and the Titans last fell in consecutive games to them in February of 2019. New Jersey sees their record fall to 21-18-3, though with the overtime point they move into sole possession of 5th place in the division, one point ahead of the Northeast Generals. The Titans will need to defend their seeding during the upcoming weekend series against Northeast, when the Titans take to the ice again on Friday, February 16th, at 7:30pm.