Roland Ponechal scored a natural hat trick in the third period to give the visiting Titans a 4 – 1 win over the Bay State Bobcats to split the two-game series between the teams. The win also snapped a Titans six game losing streak.
After a scoreless first period, Brian Lupo broke the Titans 170 minute (8 and a half periods) scoreless drought to make it a 1 – 0 at 4:50 into the middle stanza. Assists came from Aidan Cook and Parker King. It was Lupo’s seventh goal on the season.
Bay State tied the game a minute and twenty seconds later when Will Cormie beat Titans netminder Colin Freitas for his 13th goal of the season.
Ponechal then scored three consecutive goals in the third for a natural hat trick. His unassisted goal at 5:46 into the third period game the Titans a 2 – 1 lead. Two-minutes later Ponechal made it a 3 – 1 game with an assist from Jacob Renbarger. Ponechal completed the natural hat trick with an empty net goal with a minute remaining to close out the scoring to give the Titans a 4 – 1 win.
Freitas stopped 31 of 32 shots while Bay State’s Ben DiFiore turned aside 38 of 41. Click here for the box score.
The Titans next game will be on Wednesday at home against the Norwich Sea Captains.