The Danbury Hat Tricks fell in both games this weekend to the Northeast Generals, 6-2 on Friday night and 4-1 on Saturday, falling to 1-3 on the young season before heading out to Blaine, MN, for the 2026 NAHL Showcase.
On Friday, Kristof Krnac made his first NAHL start for Danbury, but got off to a rough start, as a loose puck bounced from the Zamboni door, right to Kody Moyer, 34 seconds into the game, putting it into the empty net.
Owen O’Rear was sprung free on a breakaway with under five minutes to go in the period to make it 2-0 heading into the first intermission. Logan Poulin scored a similar goal in the second to make it 3-0 after two.
In the third, Tristan Konobelj tipped home a Brent Beswick pass to get Danbury on the board with their first power-play goal of the year. Northeast answered with a power-play goal of their own by Braydon Hudtloft to make it 4-1 Gens. Gus Rabe got a PPG of his own right back to make it 4-2 late.
But Northeast got two more late, one from Dominic Pajkic, and one from former Hat Trick Emil Szespi, to make it 6-2. Keagin Wilson made 33 saves in the win for Northeast. Kristof Krnac made 24.
On Saturday, Ty Ferguson returned to the crease for Danbury, while Gavin Weeks made his Gens debut.
After a back-and-forth first period, Danbury got on the board first nearly 19 minutes in; Alex Nurhan split through a pair of defenders in the zone and lifted a backhander over Weeks. 32 seconds later, Wyatt Ezman found a loose puck on the back post to beat Ferguson and tied the game at one heading into the intermission.
Logan Poulin forced a Danbury turnover nearly eight minutes into the second, while on the penalty kill, and beat Ferguson on the breakaway for a shorthanded goal. Braydon Hudtloft took care of business on another turnover two minutes later to make it 3-1.
Northeast got one more in the third from Kyle Moyer, his first junior goal, and that left the score at 4-1.
Ty Ferguson made 42 saves, while Gavin Weeks made 13.
The Hat Tricks will be back in action on Wednesday night in Blaine as they will take on the Grand Junction River Hawks for the first time in franchise history. Puck drop will be scheduled for 5:15 PM EST/4:15 PM CST.