A fiery evening ended with an eruption.
Levi Stauber potted the game-winner in overtime as the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks topped the New Jersey Titans 5-4 at Danbury Arena.
Though the first period would end scoreless, the second featured seven goals traded by each team. Nick Seitz opened the scoring for the New Jersey Titans with a powerplay goal just 23 seconds into the frame. Danbury rallied back in short order, with Gabe Dombrowski and Jason Kleinhans tallying to give the Jr. Hat Tricks the lead. Alexi Van-Houtte Cachero would extend that lead to 3-1, tipping in a shot on the powerplay for his first NAHL goal.
Special teams would bring the New Jersey Titans back in the game, as Seitz wired a wrister past Danbury netminder Edvard Nordlund for his second powerplay goal of the period. Though Stauber would add a goal of his own, Anthony Calafiore converted on a back-door past for yet another goal on the man advantage for the Titans.
The Jr. Hat Tricks would kill off three penalties to start the third period, yet fell victim to a Calafiore shorthanded goal to knot up the score.
Danbury used the open space to their advantage in 3-on-3 overtime, as a power move by Porter Schachle led to a juicy rebound for Stauber.
Seventy-eight penalty minutes were assessed throughout the game, including a bout of fisticuffs between Danbury’s Robert Hyde and Jersey’s Jake LaRusso midway through the third period.
"LIGHT THE LAMP, BABY!" Levi Stauber called GAME! @NAHLHockey #NAHLTricks #PoundtheRock pic.twitter.com/BQmyxTLQBS
— Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks (NAHL) (@JrHatTricksNAHL) March 11, 2021
“They’re really buying in,” head coach Billy McCreary said of his lineup. “Everybody pulling on the rope at the same time. I can’t say enough good things about those guys. Alexi [Van-Houtte Cachero] hasn’t seen the lineup in weeks, and for him to get the limited opportunity that he got tonight…it just shows the maturity of our guys. It’s great to see.”
The Jr. Hat Tricks set their sights now on a triple-header with the Maine Nordiques this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
“It’s a big weekend for us,” commented Levi Stauber. “Maine’s a good team, but so are we.”