Ryan Kenna had three points (2 goals and 1 assists) and Alex Blaszak had two goals to help lead the Titans to a 6 – 2 win over the visiting Norwich Sea Captains.
Roland Ponechal got the Titans on the board first just 1:49 into the game on a nice feed from Teito Ishigaki. With play deep inside the Titans zone, Kenna sent a bounce pass high off the near side glass where it was picked up by Ishigaki at center ice. As Ishigaki gained the line, he made a tape-to-tape pass to Ponechal in the slot and Ponechal when from his forehand to his backhand and lifted the puck past Norwich netminder Andrew Yocum for his fifth goal of the season.
The Sea Captains even the score at one just a minute and fifteen seconds later. Teagan Beier picked up his own rebound after Titans netminder Logan Hensley made the save and Beier sent it back to Darrell Smith and the near side point. Smith took a clapper that was saved by Hensley, but a deep rebound went right to Jameson Bain who wristed the biscuit past Hensley and into the open net for his first goal of the season.
The Red Buckets regained the lead mid-way through the opening period. After Brian Lupo won the draw deep inside the Norwich zone, he picked up the loose puck to the right side of Yocum. Lupo can from the side of the net and cut across the goalmouth and backhanded a shot that dribbled past Yocum and into the net to make it a 2 – 1 game.
The Titans took a two-goal lead at 9:39 into the middle stanza. With play inside the Norwich zone, the puck went back to Noah Scherff and the near side point. Scherff took a shot on net that was redirected by Kenna out front and past Yocum to make it a 3 – 1 game.
Yocum was replaced between the pipes by Brendan Pellerito.
Norwich’s Nicholas Sachs was called for tripping at 3:53 into the third period to give the Titans the man advantage. Eight seconds later the Titans went up 4 – 1. After the ensuing draw inside the Sea Captains zone, Ryan Miller picked up the loose puck at the near side corner and made a cross ice pass to Aiden Cook at the point. Cook took a shot that was blocked out front, but Kenna picked up the rebound and tucked past Pellerito for his second goal of the game.
Blaszak scored his first goal of the game, and season on a breakaway to make it a 5 – 1 game at 7:22 into the final period.
Norwich’s Cam Hultin scored midway through the third to make it a 5 – 2 game but Blaszak closed out the scoring with under three minutes to play to make it a 6 – 2 game.
Hensley turned aside 48 of 50 shots while Yocum and Pellerito combined to stop 30 of 36. Click here for the box score.
The Titans will play the East Division leading Long Beach Sharks tomorrow at 12:30 PM at the Middletown Sports Complex.