FHL Game Recaps

Published on March 25, 2016 under Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) News Release

Titans Fall to Dayton 4-3

By Zak McGinniss

DANBURY, CT -- A third period comeback again fell short for the Danbury Titans as they lost their second in a row to the Dayton Demolition by a score of 4-3. Aaron Atwell, in his first game back from a concussion, would put the Titans on the board first with his 4th goal of the season, assisted by Mike Henderson and Razmuz Waxin-Engback. The Demolition would respond 4 minutes later as Robert Vanwysberghe was able to put one past Danbury Nikita Ivandikov to tie things up. The Demolition would take a lead they would not relinquish later in the period courtesy of Brad Townsend's shot over the glove of Ivandikov. The Titans would outshoot the Demolition 12-7 in the period.

Between periods the Danbury medical staff would be ushered to the Dayton locker room to attend to an overheated Cory Giroux. He would refuse medical attention and eventually returned to the game. Each team would get their first opportunities on the power play in the second period, but neither team could convert. The only goal of the period was from Dayton's Jacques Lamoureux, as he slid the puck between Ivandikov's legs as the Danbury goaltender attempted to cover both posts. Danbury would manage to kill off a 5-3 power play, but could not harness the momentum into anything offensively. Again the Titans would outshoot Dayton, but went into the second intermission trailing 3-1.

Martin Uhnak would score what proved to be the game winning goal less than 3 minutes into the period off a net mouth scramble. Danbury would mount a late comeback with goals from Mike Henderson and Tyler Gjurich, but it would prove to be too little, too late. For Gjurich, it was his league leading 48th goal of the season, and marked his 59th point in a scoring streak that has now lasted 25 straight games.

Coupled with a loss by the Danville Dashers, the Titans remain in first place with 105 points. The team has 4 games remaining in the regular season, and 5 points earned in any fashion will clinch first place and home ice advantage throughout the playoffs. The Danbury Titans will be in action again tomorrow night, hosting the rival Brewster Bulldogs for the last time this season. Tickets remain on sale based on availability. For more information, contact the Titans by calling 844-DT-HOCKEY.

Bulldogs Victorious In Inaugural Home Finale, 4-1

By: Tommy Pecoraro

It's been a season of ups and downs for the Brewster Bulldogs. In fact, it's been a similar year for their opponent, the Berlin River Drivers. With playoff implications on the line, these two teams would meet for the final time of the season, and the packed Brewster crowd was treated to a great game and a Bulldogs victory to keep playoff hopes alive still.

The Bulldogs came out firing on all cylinders, outshooting Berlin 18-8. Bobby Bowden, in his first start with Brewster, was sharp on all opportunities and Ryan Donovan played very well in net for Berlin. The lone goal of the game would go to Brewster, as Alex Johnson held up at the side of the net on the rush and fed a waiting Jan Salak on the doorstep, who rang the puck off the post and into the net for his 10th goal of the season. The goal at the 3:39 mark would also earn an assist from fan favorite player, Sean Maktaak.

In the 2nd period the barrage continued, as Brewster outshot the River Drivers by a 18 to 5 margin. The Bulldogs were able to score twice in the period, at the 8:06 mark as Nikolai Okhlobystin would score his 30th goal of the season, from Jan Salak and MJ Graham. They would strike again at the 11:21 mark, as Jay Croop buried a puck through Donovan's 5-hole, scoring his first goal as a Bulldog, and against his former club. The game's only fight would occur in the 2nd period, prior to the Okhlobystin goal, as Anthony Lobianco and Berlin newcomer John Celli would drop the gloves, and both would earn 5 minutes in the box for their bout.

In the 3rd period it would be John Celli once again mixing things up for Berlin, this time challenging Sean Maktaak. Neither side dropped gloves, but both exchanged facewashes and heated words and would each get 2 minutes for roughing. After a penalty to MJ Graham at the 5:08 mark, it would be Brewster who would benefit, and one of the best goals of the year shorthanded, as Alex Johnson would take the puck off the faceoff in his own zone, speed through the neutral zone, dangle Andre Niec and finally Ryan Donovan for a beautiful goal and his 20th of the season at the 5:32 mark, with an assist going to John Scully. This would be Berlin's best period, outshooting Brewster 18-9. Bobby Bowden held on however lost the shutout with only 4:19 remaining as Curtis Warren found the back of the net off a mad scramble, his 11th of the season from Stephen Gallo and Andre Niec. The final score would be 4-1 for Brewster

For Brewster, Jan Salak had a goal and assist, Nikolai Okhlobystin, Jay Croop and Alex Johnson had a goal each and MJ Graham had 2 assists. Bobby Bowden stopped 30 of 31 shots for the victory. For Berlin, Curtin Warren had the lone goal and Ryan Donovan stopped 41 of 45 for the loss. Attendance for tonight's game was 329.

Tagoona's Name Added to List of Prowlers' Late Game Heroes

(Port Huron, MI) Add Roger Tagoona's name to the list of late game heroes, for the Prowlers, this season. Tagoona's hustle paid off in final seconds of the third period. He beat out an intentional icing from Paul Falco that ricocheted off the boards right to Tagoona's stick and he found twine with less than a second left to go in the third period for the game winner.

Roger's game winning goal puts the Port Huron one point away from 2nd place in the F.H.L. First period Danville would score on their first shot attempt of the game from Gehrett Sargis from Dustin Henning 1:48 into the first period.

After more than 15 minutes with no goals, Port Huron would take a one goal lead into the locker room on back to back goals 1:39 apart. Chris Leveille would tie the game from Paul Falco and Matt Beer would get the go ahead goal with two and a half minutes left to go in the first. Jared Hicks and Scott Witmyer would assist on Beer's goal.

Second period it was newly acquired Dasher Brian Soskin that would give his team a shot of adrenaline. Soskin would score two consecutive goals (one shorthanded)to put the Dashers back up top 3-2. A.J. Tesoriero assisted on Soskin's short-hander. Justin Levac would record an apple on Soskin's go-ahead goal, with eight minutes left to play in the second period.

It would be short lived as Roger Tagoona would tie the game, on the power play, from Justin Alonzo and Jared Hicks, with six minutes left to go in the second period. That's how the second period would end, deadlocked at 3.

In the third period, it would be the Prowlers who struck first. Scott Witmyer got the go ahead goal almost eight minutes into the third, from Chris Leveille and Len Pelletier, but the Dashers had too much time left to respond. Justin Levac would fire a wrister right by the blocker of Di'Cristofaro with four minutes and change left to go in the third period.

In what seemed to be a forgone conclusion of overtime being inevitable, was snatched away at the last possible second. Paul Falco would intentionally ice the puck with 3.5 seconds left to go and the puck magically found its way to the stick of Roger Tagoona who blasted the rebound off the boards, just underneath the glove hand of Dalton McGrath for the game winner with no time left on the Clock.

Mcgrath would finish with 28 saves on 33 shots and DiCristofaro gets another win with 28 saves on 32 shots. DiCristofaro's win gives him 23 on the season which is good for 2nd in the F.H.L. behind Matt Anthony.

Federal Prospects Hockey League Stories from March 25, 2016

• FHL Game Recaps - FPHL
• Titans Fall to Dayton 4-3 - Danbury Titans

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