The Titans will be traveling to Johnstown, PA this weekend to play two games against the Tomahawks at the 1st Summit Arena at Cambria County War Memorial. The first game will be held on Friday, September 27 at 7:30PM while the second game will be played on Saturday, September 28 at 7:00PM.
Titans vs. Tomahawks Overview
Last year during the regular season the Titans had a 2 – 6 record against the Tomahawks with both wins coming at the Middletown Sports Complex. The Tomahawks outscored the Titans 37 to 25 in eight games. The Titans went 7 for 30 (23%) on the powerplay while the Tomahawks went 14 for 31 (45%). There was one shutout, a 5 – 0 win for the Titans during the last regular season contest between the teams.
They would meet up again in the East Divisional finals. It was the third meeting in post season play between the teams in four years. Prior to last season’s divisional finals, the two teams had split previous playoff series.
The Titans would take a two to one game lead in the series but the NAHL’s regular season President Cup champions would come back to win game four 3 – 1 and then clinch game five 5 – 0 to advance to the Robertson Cup semi-finals where they lost to the Fairbanks Ice Dogs two games to one.
This will be the first time these teams have faced each other this season. It also will be the Tomahawks home opening weekend.
Tomahawks Overview
Johnstown currently resides in fourth place in the East Division with a 2 – 3 – 1 record for five points, five points behind the division leading Titans. The Tomahawks are coming off of a 7 – 6 overtime win against the Minnesota Magicians in the NAHL’s Showcase. Johnstown went 2 – 2 in the showcase with two of the games going to overtime while another went to a shootout. The Tomahawks have scored twenty goals (fifth best in the league) while allowing 26 (tied for first with most goals allowed) in five games. Johnstown is fourth in the league on the powerplay at 33% while they are twenty third in the league on the penalty kill (70.6%).
The Tomahawks are led by Bennett Stockdale’s nine points (3 goals and 6 assists). He is followed by Noah Basarab and Carson Gallagher’s respective seven points (both with 4 goals and 3 assists). Bassarab and Gallagher are tied for most goals on the team. Matthew Doyle has the team’s best +/- with +4. Johnstown’s goalies have a combined 3.55 goals against average and a .901 save percentage with no shutouts.
Titans Overview
New Jersey currently sits atop the East Division with a 5 – 1 record for ten points. They are coming off of a 5 – 2 win against the New Mexico Ice Wolves in the NAHL’s Showcase, where the Titans went 3 – 1. The Titans have scored 27 goals (best in the NAHL) in six games while they have allowed 17 (fifth best in the league for teams who have played six games or more). The Titans are seventh in the league on the powerplay (28%) and penalty kill (92%).
Mitch Machlitt leads the team in total points with eleven (3 goals and 8 assists). He is followed by Kyler Head (7 goals and 2 assists) and Michael Outzen’s (4 goals and 5 assists) nine points respectively. Head leads the team with seven goals. Machlitt has the team’s best +/- with a +9 (league leader). Goaltender Arseni Sergeev and Patrick Pugliese have a combined 2.85 goals against and .911 save percentage with no shutouts.