The New Jersey Titans defeated the visiting Jamestown Rebels 2 – 1 to sweep the weekend series between the two teams. It also was the Titans seventh straight victory which gives them the best winning percentage in the North American Hockey League.
After a scoreless opening period, the Rebels got on the board first with their only goal of the weekend just twenty-eight seconds into the middle stanza.
With play inside the Rebels zone, the puck would come out to Titans forward Jake LaRusso at the top of the near side blue line. LaRusso took a quick shot that was saved by Jamestown’s netminder Jon Howe and the deep rebound was picked up by teammate Zach Brydges at the far side circle. Brydges cleared the puck out of the zone high off the glass as it bounced into center ice and onto the stick of Tyler German. German skated in on a breakaway and beat Titans goalie Arseni Sergeev short side to give the Rebels a 1 – 0 lead.
At 8:13 of the middle stanza, Jamestown’s Nick Siffringer was called holding to give the Titans the man advantage. Michael Outzen would win the offensive zone draw and the puck went back to captain Brody Medeiros at the near side blue line. Medeiros started to walk the line and passed the puck to Kyle Jeffers at the top of the far side faceoff circle. Jeffers sent the puck down low to Chris Garbe who was to the right of Howe. Garbe cut towards the net and backhanded a shot that was saved by Howe, but Josef Glamos tucked in the rebound to tie the game at one. It was Glamos’ fourth goal of the season.
With 6:04 remaining in the third, the Rebels’ Spencer Cosway was called for interference to put the Titans on the power play. Twelve seconds later Outzen scored his seventh goal of the season.
After Outzen won the ensuing draw, the puck went back to Ole Andersen at the top of the blue line. Andersen passed the puck over to Outzen on his left at the top of the near side circle. Outzen sent a pass down low to Matt Cameron. Cameron would skate back up the boards with the puck while Outzen went to down to the right of Howe. Cameron passed it to Outzen who took a side angle shot that beat Howe long side to give the Titans the 2 – 1 lead.
It was the Titans fifth power play goal of the weekend. The team is ranked second in the league with the man advantage scoring on 38% of their chances.
Sergeev, who had to be sharp throughout the game, turned aside 32 of 33 shots in the win while Howe stopped 30 of 32. Click here for the box score.
The Titans now will play three consecutive games against the second place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights starting on Wednesday at the Revolution Ice Centre. The two teams will meet again next weekend for a home and home series starting at the Ice Centre.