The New Jersey Titans began last week riding high off victories against Danbury by scores of 5-1 and 10-1, setting a season high. However, the Philadelphia Rebels did not let that affect them last Tuesday. The Rebels would get on the board first, but Dominik Bartecko knotted the game with his 19th of the season in the final 2:03 of the first period. Things looked even better for the Titans when Logan Renkowski scored just 1:26 into the second period, but that would be the high water mark of the game, as the Rebels proceeded to score 5 straight goals to finish the period holding a commanding league, and added one more in the third for good measure as they beat New Jersey by a score of 7-2. It is the worst loss the Titans have suffered at the hands of the Rebels organization since their relocation from Jamestown, New York.
Looking to turn things around and back on home ice, the Titans then turned their attention to the first place Maryland Black Bears in the last regular season meetings between the two teams. Friday night saw Jack Hillier get the Titans on the board 4:07 into the game for his 11th goal of the season. Dominik Bartecko made it 2-0 half way through the period, replicating the score that marked the beginning of the teams’ last two matchups in Maryland, both games ultimate won by the Black Bears. Changing the script, Logan Renkowski potted his 10th of the year with under 2 minutes to play in the period, sending the Titans into the first intermission up 3-0. Maryland scored twice in the second to draw within one, but Renkowski connected again in the final minutes of the period for his second of the night to restore the 2 goal lead. A defensively responsible third period saw no goals scored, and the Titans secured an important two points with a 4-2 win.
Maryland jumped on New Jersey to begin Saturday’s game, scoring 20 seconds in. Dominick Rivelli tied the game at 12:14, and Reece Brednich scored his 8th of the year on the power play under two minutes later to give New Jersey a lead they would not relinquish. Cooper Eberhardt and Hillier stretched the lead to three before the Black Bears got one back, but Bartecko on the power play and Nikita Meshcheryakov’s 17th of the year gave the Titans a 6-2 lead going into the third. Again the Black Bears would score twice, but an empty net goal from Rivelli and an exclaimation mark from Bartecko gave the Titans their biggest win over Maryland since January 9th, 2021 by a score of 8-4. It is the second weekend sweep of the season by New Jersey over Maryland, after taking both games on the road in November.
With the victories, New Jersey moves within 4 points of 4th place Johnstown, with 11 games remaining in the regular season. The schedule begins to get crowded, with three games on tap for this week. First, the Titans will look to avenge last Tuesday’s loss against the Philadelphia Rebels by returning to the Hollydell Ice Arena for the final time in the regular season tomorrow, March 5th, for a 7:30pm faceoff. Returning home after that game, New Jersey will then trek to Lewiston, Maine, to visit the second place Maine Nordiques on Friday, March 8th, at 7:30pm and Saturday, March 9th, at 7:00pm at The Colisee. All games will be available to watch live on NAHLtv.