Comeback Effort Falls Just Short Against Austin
September 16, 2022 – North American Hockey League (NAHL) – Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks News Release
Blaine, MN- After a disappointing first two games at the NAHL Showcase, the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks regrouped and put together a spirited effort against the Austin Bruins on Day Three of the showcase. Danbury showed their best scoring output of the season, but fell just short, 5-3.
Austin outshot the Hat Tricks 11-1 in the opening stanza. Goaltender Adam Johnson (’02) stopped all but one of the eleven shots faced in the frame. That lone goal belonged to defenseman James Goffredo at the frame’s 10:42 mark. Goffredo led off the second period with another goal, his fourth in three games, only 1:07 into the period.
Danbury rallied and notched their first power-play goal of the season at the frame’s 10:25 mark. Nash Jacobsma (’03) did the honors for his first NAHL goal and point. Walter Zacher replied about four minutes later to make the score 3-1 ahead of intermission.
The Bruins played a good game of keep-away with the lead against the Hat Tricks in the final period. Early in the frame, Luka Sukovic (’03) played a puck out of the air clean on a bounce off the end boards into the net to make the difference 3-2 at the 2:27 mark. Dylan Cook notched his first goal as an NAHL player to increase the difference back to two about six minutes later. Sukovic rocketed home a power play tally to cut the difference to 4-3 at the frame’s 12:16 mark. Danbury pulled Johnson from the goal to get the equalizer but fell short. Austin Salani scored the empty netter to end the scoring at 5-3 and deal Danbury their fourth consecutive loss.
Johnson stopped 23 of 27 shots faced. His counterpart, Trent Wiekman, stopped 7 of the 10 shots he faced in his first game of the season.
Liam Varmecky (’03) recorded two assists for his first two points of the season. Sean Matthews (’02) and Wyatt Stefan (’05) each recorded assists as well.
The Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks will conclude their showcase time on Saturday morning against the El-Paso Rhinos. Puck drops at the Super Rink at 10 AM CT, 11 AM ET.
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