Second Period Dooms Titans in 5-2 Loss to Rebels
October 23, 2022 – North American Hockey League (NAHL) – New Jersey Titans News Release
The Rebels scored four unanswered second period goals en route to a 5 – 2 win over the visiting Titans last night at the Hollydell Ice Arena to earn the weekend split between the teams. The defeat also ended the Titans four game win streak.
Ben Muthersbaugh scored a powerplay goal with 1:32 remaining in the first period to give the Red Buckets a 1 – 0 lead. Less than a minute earlier, the Rebels’ Brock Jones was called for holding to give the Titans the man advantage. After Muthersbaugh received a pass from Ben Yurchuk at the top of the near side faceoff dot inside the offensive zone, Muthersbaugh sent a pass back to Leo Schwartz at the point, who made a cross-ice pass to Robert Hyde at the far side circle. Hyde sent a cross-ice pass through the slot to Muthersbaugh at the near side faceoff dot and the Gilford, NH native took a one-timer that beat Rebels netminder Jakub Krbecek near side for Muthersbaugh’s third goal of the series.
The second period was all Rebels who scored four unanswered goals to take control of the game starting at 6:11 into the middle stanza. The Rebels’ Luke deVries picked up the loose puck along the far side wall at center ice and passed it up to Matt Lewis. As Lewis gained the line, he took a wrist shot from the faceoff dot that beat Titans netminder Jacob Torner long side to even the score at one.
The Rebels took the lead for good less than a minute later. With play inside the Titans end, Brendan Dumas started to skate the puck up along the far side boards and was stripped of it by the Rebels’ Brogan Shea at the half wall. As Shea cut towards the net, he sent a cross-ice pass through the slot to Matt Lewis who took a one-timer that beat Torgner high glove to make it a 2 – 1 game.
The Rebels doubled their lead with 8:16 remaining in the period. With play inside the Titans zone, the Rebels’ Otto Pauls Polakovs took a wrist shot from the top of the slot that was blocked out front but the rebound came right back to Polakovs who took a shot that was saved by Torgner but rebound came off the netminder’s left pad right to Shea who backhanded the biscuit over the fallen goaltender and into the net the for Shea’s first goal of the season.
Connor Sedlak scored with 6:45 remaining in the second to make it 4 – 1 Rebels.
Hyde scored just 2:46 into the third period to cut the Titans deficit in half but Max Hamsted scored a shorthanded, empty net goal with twenty-two seconds remaining in the game to close out the scoring
Torgner stopped 27 of 31 shots in defeat while Krbecek turned aside 28 of 30. Click here for the complete box score.
Last night’s game concluded a Titans four game road trip. Their next four games will be held at the Middletown Sports Complex starting next weekend against the Northeast Generals. It will be breast cancer awareness weekend in which the Titans will be wearing special jerseys which will be auctioned off online with proceeds going to Breast Intentions.
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