DANBURY, CT – Danbury hosted Maryland for the second day in a row on Saturday and could not overcome a four-goal first-period deficit, eventually falling 5-0
The first two minutes of the contest saw the Hat Tricks go down a player when Boris Skalos was issued a major penalty for head contact.
“Obviously it’s tough to go down a guy that early in the game,” commented head coach Billy McCreary.
After Skalos left the game the Hat Tricks were four on four for two minutes, then had a three-minute penalty to kill. Danbury killed over two minutes of the penalty before Maryland broke through when Conor Cole scored and netted his third of the season.
Maryland would continue on this offensive attack, with goals from Elliot Lareau (3), Jesse Horacek (2), and Ryan Bottrill (6). Bottrill added two assists in the first period and one in the third to give him 24 points (6G + 18A) on the year, good for tops in the NAHL.
“We took a period off tonight and it cost us,” continued McCreary. “The game we played in the second and third was solid, but we can’t take any time off out there.”
After the first the Hat Tricks made a change in net, sending Josh Seeley in relief of Adam Johnson. Seeley was solid the rest of the way amassing 30 saves on thirty-one shots.
The Hat Tricks outshot the Black Bears throughout the rest of the contest surrendering a lone goal in the third en route to a 5-0 loss.
The Hat Tricks will take the week before embarking on a road trip to Middletown for a weekend tilt with the New Jersey Titans. The Hat Tricks will be home next on 11/17 and 11/18 against the same New Jersey Titans.