Dalton Jay scored two goals, including the game winner in overtime, as the Danbury Titans defeated the Port Huron Prowlers in a rematch of last year's Commissioner's Cup Finals on Friday night at Danbury Ice Arena.
The Danbury Titans came into the game looking to turn things around after spoiling last weekend by giving up five unanswered goals in the third period last Sunday against the Berlin RiverDrivers, after stringing together a pair of victories over the first place Danville Dashers. For Port Huron, coach Trevor Karasiewicz and his team had dropped their last two games and were looking to get back in the win column. The last time the Prowlers visited Danbury they skates away with two straight victories en route to securing their first championship.
A scoreless first period gave way to an entertaining second period with John Scully getting the Prowlers on the board first by winning a faceoff deep in Danbury's zone and deking around Titans' goaltender Nikita Ivandikov. The Titans would respond minutes later as Matt Coleman scored his 6th goal of the season after motoring around the Port Huron defense. Mike Dolman and Steve Brown received the assists. Taylor Bourne put the Titans ahead halfway through the period with Dolman and Matt Graham getting the helpers on Bourne's 6th of the year. Danbury held a 26-14 advantage in shots through two periods of play.
The Prowlers would even things up with Scott Witmyer's power play goal 2:46 into the third period. Less than two minutes later, however, Dalton Jay used a burst of speed to go on a breakaway and roof a backhand over Port Huron's Josselin St. Pierre and give the Titans a 3-2 lead. The goal was his 9th of the season and unassisted. The teams traded chances until Scully would deflect a Dmitri Parahonko shot from the point for his second of the game and tie things up with seven minutes remaining in regulation. St. Pierre would be assessed a delay of game penalty with 2:09 for deliberately dislodging the net, but the Titans were unable to capitalize before time expired.
The Titans will not have much time to celebrate the win as the teams will face off again at 7:15pm Saturday night. Danbury will then wrap the weekend up with their first trip to Ontario to face the Cornwall Nationals.
The Danbury Titans, home to hockey's most passionate fans, are entering their second season in the Federal Hockey League after finishing in first place and making a trip the the Commissioner's Cup Finals. Full season and individual game ticket plans are now on sale at DanburyTitans.com or by calling 844-DT-HOCKEY. Follow the Danbury Titans online at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.