The Maryland Black Bears used a pair of second-period goals less than two minutes apart to break open a close game and defeat the visiting Danbury Hat Tricks 6–2 in Game 1 of the East Division Semifinals.
Matt Dabrowski and Kai Elkie each found the back of the net for Danbury, but it wasn’t enough as Maryland’s offensive surge proved to be the difference.
Maryland opened the scoring late in the first period while on the power play. With Tanner Terranova in the box for hooking, Sam Osei carried the puck from the near-side faceoff circle, cut across the slot, and slipped a shot through the five-hole of Hat Tricks netminder Jon Dukaric with 5:10 remaining in the period.
The Black Bears struck again minutes later when Owen Drury collected a loose puck behind the Danbury net and fed Kristofers Krumins out front for a redirection goal, giving Maryland a 2–0 lead with 4:26 left in the opening frame.
Danbury answered before the intermission. On a delayed penalty, Dabrowski ripped a shot from the top of the far-side faceoff circle past Maryland goaltender Ryan Denes to cut the deficit to 2–1 with 1:51 remaining in the first. The goal was Dabrowski’s second of the postseason.
Maryland regained control early in the second period. After winning a draw deep in the offensive zone, Krumins fired a shot that Dukaric turned aside, but the rebound came directly to Drury, who buried it to make it 3–1 at 6:54 of the period.
Less than two minutes later, Harrison Smith capitalized on a two-on-one rush to extend the lead to 4–1, shifting momentum firmly in Maryland’s favor.
Elkie added a power play goal with just under two minutes remaining in regulation to close out the scoring at 6–2.
Dukaric finished with 32 saves for Danbury, while Denes stopped 16 shots for Maryland.
The Hat Tricks will look to regroup as the best-of-five series continues with Game 2.