The Danbury Hat Tricks open their first-ever Robertson Cup Playoffs series on the road against the New Jersey Titans in a best-of-three East Division Quarterfinal (play-in) at the Middletown Sports Complex.
Game 1 is set for Friday, April 10 at 7:00 PM, followed by Game 2 on Saturday, April 11 at 5:00 PM, and Game 3 (if necessary) on Sunday, April 12 at 4:00 PM. All games can be viewed on NAHLTV.
While this marks the first playoff appearance in Hat Tricks history, the Titans bring postseason experience, having qualified for the playoffs in every season of their existence aside from the canceled 2019–20 campaign.
Regular Season Matchup
During the regular season, the Hat Tricks took four of six meetings, outscoring the Titans 18–12. Two of Danbury’s eight road wins this season came in Middletown.
Owen Leahy led the Titans with six points (4 goals, 2 assists) in six games against Danbury, while New Jersey went 3-for-21 (14%) on the power play. Titans goaltenders posted a combined 2.52 goals-against average and .914 save percentage with no shutouts.
For Danbury, former Titan Kai Elkie led the way with four points (1 goal, 3 assists), while Matt Shpungin scored three goals against New Jersey. The Hat Tricks went 2-for-25 (8%) on the man advantage. In net, Danbury posted a 1.68 goals-against average and .941 save percentage, highlighted by Jon Dukaric’s 28-save shutout on January 28.
Titans Overview
New Jersey finishes the regular season in third place in the East Division with a 32-22-2-3 record for 69 points (12th in the league). The Titans enter the series riding momentum, coming off a road sweep of the New Hampshire Mountain Kings and winning seven of their last ten games.
The Titans scored 176 goals (21st in the league) and allowed 174 (15th). They converted on 18.34% of their power play chances and held opponents to 79.13% on the penalty kill. New Jersey recorded 42 power-play goals and five short-handed goals, while allowing 13 short-handed goals.
Skogen Schrott led the Titans with 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) and 150 penalty minutes. Jonathan Lanzia posted a team-best +23 rating, while Nikolas Doumas, Leahy, and Schrott each recorded three game-winning goals.
In goal, New Jersey goaltenders combined for a 2.73 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage with four shutouts. Andrew Bely led the team with eight wins, while Tyler Rounds posted a 2.50 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
Hat Tricks Overview
Danbury finishes the regular season in sixth place in the East Division with a 27-24-5-3 record for 62 points—marking the highest total in franchise history. The Hat Tricks enter the postseason after splitting their final series against the Maryland Black Bears and winning three of their last five games.
The Hat Tricks scored 182 goals (18th in the league, tying a franchise record) and allowed 187 (20th, also a franchise mark). They converted on 17.13% of their power play chances and held opponents to 80.87% on the penalty kill. Danbury recorded 37 power-play goals and seven short-handed goals, while allowing six short-handed goals.
Kai Elkie led the team with 59 points (19 goals, 40 assists), while Matt Shpungin scored a team-high 22 goals. Ludovik Gauvin recorded four game-winning goals, and Gavin O’Hara posted a team-best +19 rating while leading with 141 penalty minutes.
Between the pipes, Danbury goaltenders combined for a 2.95 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage with five shutouts. Jon Dukaric led the team with 22 wins and a .913 save percentage, while Luke Brassil posted a 2.72 goals-against average.
With a strong season series and confidence down the stretch, the Hat Tricks enter unfamiliar territory—but do so with belief as they take on a proven playoff opponent.
