Weekend Preview: 10/16 – 10/17 – Titans host Black Bears for home opening weekend

Oct 15, 2020

The Titans will be hosting the Maryland Black Bears for two games this weekend at the Middletown Sports Complex. Friday night’s game will start at 7:35 PM while Saturday night’s contest will begin at 7:05 PM.

This past Monday the Titans were able to exhale when the Governor of New Jersey signed executive order 187 which allowed the resumption of contact practices and competitions in indoor settings. While the executive order allowed the return of play, it prohibits spectators. So, all Titans fans must watch the game on HockeyTV.

Titans vs. Black Bears Overview
Last season the Titans took four of six games against Maryland by a combined score of 35 – 28. The last time these two teams met was back on November 30, 2019 with the Titans securing a 7 – 4 victory.

Black Bears Overview
Although early in the new season, Maryland is in a three-way tie for second place in the East Division with the Titans and Johnstown Tomahawks. Each team has a 1-0-1 record for three points. All three teams trail the Maine Nordiques by one point.

The Black Bears are coming off a home series split with the Tomahawks with both games going into overtime. A total of 20 goals were scored in the two contests.

Maryland is tied for second with most goals in the league with ten while they are tie for second in the league for allowing the most with ten. The Black Bears are second in the league on the power play having converted on 30% of the chances while they are seventh in the league on the penalty kill preventing the opposition from scoring on 83.3% of their chances.

Reid Leibold (3 goals and 1 assist) and Garrett Szydlowski (1 goal and 3 assists) lead the team in total points with four while Leibold leads the team in goals (three). Jack Hillman and Aidan McDowell each have four penalty minutes. Leibold and Szydlowski each lead team with a +2.

Maryland’s netminders Michael Morelli and Isaiah DiLaura have a combined 4.73 goals against average and .865 save percentage.

Titans Overview
The Titans are coming off an opening weekend split against the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks, although New Jersey picked up three out of four points. Their last game was a 4 – 3 win over the Tricks.

New Jersey is currently fifth in the league in goals scored with six while they are fifth in goals allowed for teams who have played with six goals. The Titans are fifth in the league having converted on 14.3% of their chances on the power play changes while they are eighth in the league shorthanded killing off 72.7% of the opposition’s chances.

Tyler Nasca leads the team with three total points (1 goal and 2 assists). Six different players have scored a goal. Max Bronstine leads the team in penalty minutes with six. Nick Seitz and Nasca each have a +3 +/-.

Titans goalies Berk Berkeliev and Louden Hogg have a combined 2.96 goals against average and .915 save percentage.