Stephen Willey scored twice, while Billy Feczko, Anthony Calafiore and Nick Ring hit the back of the net to lead the Titans to a 5 – 1 win over the visiting Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks. It was the Titans 40th victory of the season, the most in franchise history.
After a scoreless first period, Willey opened the scoring at 5:37 into the middle stanza. Danbury’s Luka Sukovic was called for interference at 5:31 and six seconds later the Titans took a 1 – 0 lead. After Willey won the draw deep inside the Hat Tricks’ zone, the puck went back to Feczko at the top of the far side faceoff circle, and he sent it back to Owen Luik at the point. Luik took a low line shot that was redirected by Willey out front and past Danbury’s netminder Adam Johnson for Willey’s first goal of the game.
With 3:25 remaining in the second, Colin Grable was called for roughing to put Danbury on the powerplay. A minute later the game was tied at one. After Titans netminder Ben Charette made a save the rebound went to the end wall where it was picked up by Sukovic who sent it back to Gabe Dombrowski at the far side point. Dombrowski made a cross-ice pass to Boris Skalos at the near side faceoff dot and Skalos took a wrist shot that beat Charette short side for Skalos’ 14th goal of the season.
The Titans then scored four unanswered third period goals to put the game in the victory column.
The Titans regained the lead at 4:12 of the third period on Feczko’s eighth goal of the season and fourth as a Red Bucket. Scott Cremen kept the puck in the offensive zone at the far side point and passed it over to Brendan Dumas on his right. Dumas took a shot that was blocked out front, but Dumas was able to pick up the loose puck and went towards the net. As Dumas went towards the net, he passed the biscuit to Feczko on his left, and Feczko took a shot that beat Johnson short side to make it a 2 – 1 game.
Calafiore doubled the Titans lead with 6:21 remaining in the period. After a Danbury turnover just inside the Titans blueline, Chris Carroll picked up the loose puck and passed it up to Calafiore at center ice. As Calafiore gained the offensive zone with a two-on-two with Ring, Calafiore went to the far side faceoff dot, stopped and took a wrist shot that beat Johnson for Calafiore’s team high 25th goal of the season.
Ring scored his ninth goal of the season (a powerplay goal) with 4:36 left in the game to make it 4 – 1, and then Willey scored an empty net goal with 2:24 remaining in the contest to close out the scoring and make it a 5 – 1 game.
Charette stopped 34 of 35 shots for his twelfth win of the season while Johnson turned aside 28 of 32. Click here for the box score.
The Titans will close out their regular season home schedule this weekend when the face the Maryland Black Bears on Friday and Saturday night at the Middletown Sports Complex.