The Titans will begin their 2021-22 season this weekend with a pair of games against the Maryland Black Bears. It will be the Titans seventh season in the NAHL, and they are one of only of the two original founding teams of the league’s East Division (Johnstown Tomahawks being the other).
Both games will be played at the Piney Orchard Arena in Odenton, MD. Friday’s contest begins at 6:30PM while Saturday’s starts at 7:00PM.
This will be the third time in the past four years that these teams have met to begin their respective season, with all three series beginning in Odenton. The Titans have swept the Black Bears both series by a combined score of 22 – 13. The second game of the 2018-19 season was highlighted by Spencer Stanley scoring a powerplay goal at 2:17 into overtime to give the Red Buckets a 1 – 0 overtime win. Matt Ladd recorded a 25 save shutout.
Two years ago, it was a high scoring series with the Titans winning by a total score of 15 – 10. Overall, the Titans are 4 – 2 in opening night games, and they are 8 – 4 in opening weekend series.
Black Bears vs. Titans
Last season the teams split their 14-game series, although New Jersey outscored Maryland by a combined score of 49 – 39. The last time they met Christian Stoever stopped all 35 shots he faced to help lead the Red Buckets to a 5 – 0 win. Each team won a game in a shootout. The Titans were 8 for 53 (15%) on the powerplay while Maryland 3 for 38 (8%) on the man advantage.
Black Bears Overview
Last season the Black Bears finished in fourth place with a 25-21-6-2 record for 58 points, and they advanced to the playoffs for their first time in their three-year history. They stunned the regular season East Division champion Tomahawks in the Division semi-final series in five games, and then they were swept three games to none in the Division finals by the Maine Nordiques.
Titans Overview
The Titans finished in third place last year compiling a 27-20-2-5 record for 61 points. They advanced to the playoffs again but fell to the Nordiques in five games in the Divisional semi-final series. Minus the 2019-20 season cut short due to COVID, the Red Buckets have qualified for the playoffs every year in franchise history.