After splitting their first two home games against Rochester, the New Jersey Titans faced their stiffest test of the season so far with a pair of games against the top ranked Maryland Black Bears. Despite moments of the Titans gaining momentum, they ended up on the wrong side of both decisions.
Friday night saw New Jersey jump out to an early 1-0 lead courtesy of Ethan Wongus’s 6th goal of the season just 28 seconds into the game. As it turned out, this would be the only lead of the weekend for the Titans. The Black Bears scored twice, 41 seconds apart, halfway through the first period to take a 2-1 lead, before Kristofers Krumins retied the game with 6:15 to go in the frame. A shorthanded goal in the second period by Maryland would be the difference, and the Titans fell by a score of 3-2.
Saturday night’s game saw both teams tighten up defensively, with neither team finding the back of the net in the first period. The Black Bears again scored goals back-to-back, take a 2-0 lead into the third. In spite of New Jersey outshooting Maryland 11 to 6 in the final period, an empty net goal with 1:17 to go sealed New Jersey’s fate, and ensured a 3-0 loss.
The three game losing streak matches New Jersey’s longest of the season, and they have gone 3-7-0 in their last 10 games, being shut out twice in that span. They’ll look to turn things around this weekend with their first trip of the season to Johnstown, PA, to face the Tomahawks. The Titans had success against Johnstown last season, winning all but one game versus the Tomahawks with a record of 7-1-0. Currently in 4th place with 13 points, New Jersey can leapfrog over Johnstown in the standings by winning both games at the 1st Summit Arena at the Cambria County War Memorial. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:30PM on Friday, October 13th, and 7:00PM on Saturday, October 14th.
The New Jersey Titans, proud members of the North American Hockey League, are entering their ninth season at the Middletown Sports Complex in Middletown, NJ. The 2022 Robertson Cup National Champions, the Titans have made the playoffs in every season since their founding in 2015. Single game tickets are now on sale for the 2023-24 season home opener versus Rochester on September 29th. Season tickets are on sale here, and provide a discounted admission to attend every game at the Middletown Sports Complex. Follow the New Jersey Titans on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok today!