The Titans will play the Northeast Generals in a best of three series beginning tomorrow night with the winner being crowned the East Division champion and advancing to the NA3HL’s Fraser Cup tournament beginning on April 15. The league will crown a new champion on April 19 in St. Peters, Missouri.
The Generals, entering this series as the number one seed in the division, will be the home team and will host game one on Friday, April 9 at 7:00 PM at the New England Sports Village in Attleboro, MA as well as game 3 at 7:30 PM on Sunday, April 11 should it be necessary. The Titans, entering this series as the number three seed, will host game two on Saturday, April 10 at 7:00 PM at the Middletown Sports Complex.
Generals and Titans Overview
During the regular season the teams played each other ten times with the Generals winning seven of them by a combined score of 47 to 30, including a 6 – 0 shutout back on November 7, 2020. The last time these teams met was back on March 26 with the Generals winning 5 – 3. It was the last regular season game for Northeast.
Ben Pizzimenti led the Generals in scoring with fifteen total points (7 goals and 8 assists) against the Titans and James Clarke led Northeast with eight goals against New Jersey. Northeast went 15 for 43 (35%) on the powerplay against the Red Buckets while their goaltenders had a combined 3.00 goals against average and .871 save percentage with one shutout (Espen Reager) against the Titans.
Brandon Avezov led the Titans with fifteen total points (5 goals and 10 assists) against Northeast while Philippe Doucette had the most goals (eight) against them. The Titans went 6 for 39 (15%) on the powerplay against the Generals while New Jersey’s goaltenders had a combined 4.60 goals against average and .890 save percentage with no shutouts.
Generals Overview
Northeast won the regular season East Division championship with a 32-9-0-1 record for 64 points. They entered the playoffs winning nine of their last ten games. The Generals scored 245 goals (second best in the league) and allowed 108 (ninth in the league). Northeast was 35% on the powerplay (fourth best in the league) and did not allow a shorthanded goal. The were 84% efficient shorthanded (fifth best in the league).
Clarke led the team with 59 total points (27 goals and 32 assists) and goals (27). Deacon More has a team best +50. Tyler Kaminski led Northeast (and the NA3HL) with 208 penalty minutes.
Northeast’s goalies had a combined 2.63 goals against average and .903 save percentage with four shutouts (Reager had three).
The Generals advanced to the East Division finals by defeating the fourth seed Long Beach Sharks two games to one in the Divisional Semi-finals by a combined score of 12 to 5. Northeast has scored twelve goals in the playoffs (sixth in the league) and have allowed five (ninth in the league). They have converted on 44.4% of their chanced on the powerplay and have been 93.3% efficient shorthanded (eighth in the league).
Clarke picked up where he left off in the regular season. He leads the Generals with five total points (all assists) while three players (Nicklaus Obourn, Kaminski and More) each have two goals. Nick Ramm has a team best +3. Jake Hosszu leads the team (and NA3HL) in penalty minutes with 44.
Patrick Colburn has played in all three of the Generals playoff games posting a 1.67 goals against average and .907 save percentage with one shutout.
Titans Overview
The Titans advanced to the Divisional Finals by sweeping the third seed Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks 2 games to none by a combined score of 10 to 7. Their ten goals are seventh in the league in the playoffs while their seven goals allowed are eleventh in the league. The Titans did not convert on their lone powerplay opportunity while they allowed Danbury to score on all three of their chances being shorthanded.
Avezov leads the Titans with seven total points (3 goals and 4 assists) and goals (three). Brett Bell and Philippe Doucette each have a game winning goal. Avezov and Bell each have a team best +5. Justin Cohn and Bell each have a team high four penalty minutes.
Ethan Kavanagh has played in both games for the Titans posting a 3.50 goals against average and .914 save percentage with no shutouts.