The New Jersey Titans split their weekend home and home series with Philadelphia for the second consecutive week, falling in overtime on Friday night before rallying for a 5-1 victory on home ice Saturday. Jack Hillier led the way for the Titans with 2 goals and 3 assists on the weekend.
Friday night saw the Rebels begin quickly with a pair of goals in the first period at the Hollydell Ice Arena. Alex Papaspyropoulos found the back of the net for his 9th of the year halfway through the second period. JP Saddy, the rookie defenseman, recorded his first point in the NAHL with the primary assist. Philadelphia regained the 2 goal lead early in the third, but goals in the final 2:26 of play drew the Titans level. First, with goaltender Charlie Mistretta on the bench for an extra attacker, Jack Hillier potted his 10 of the year, before Owen Leahy chipped a shot under the crossbar for the tying goal with 8.3 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime. Salvaging a point, it was Philadelphia who found the winning goal in the extra frame, sending the Titans to a 4-3 defeat.
Back on home ice in Middletown, Saturday night saw New Jersey tighten up in front of Mistretta. Leahy scored his 8th of the year halfway through the first period, assisted by Hillier. In the second, James Schneid scored on the power play for his 4th of the season, followed by Renkowski’s 9th less than three minutes later. Lachlan Haeger scored his first in the NAHL to open the third, with Hillier adding the exclamation mark 34 seconds later with his 11th of the season. The Rebels would ruin Mistretta’s bid for his first shutout with 2:21 to go, but the Pittsburgh native still stopped 33 of 34 shots on goal as the Titans skated away with a 5-1 victory.
With the win, the Titans remain in 4th place in the division with a record of 11-10-2. They will be in action again with a pair of games at home against the first place Maine Nordiques next weekend, with start times of 7:30pm on Friday, and 7:00pm on Saturday.