Hat Tricks Strike Early, Top Black Bears 6-3 to Split Weekend Series
NAHL Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks

Hat Tricks Strike Early, Top Black Bears 6-3 to Split Weekend Series

Published on November 3, 2025 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks News Release


Four first-period goals powered the Danbury Hat Tricks to a 6-3 victory over the division-leading Maryland Black Bears on Sunday evening at the Danbury Ice Arena, snapping the Rabbits' five-game losing streak and earning a weekend series split.

Willem Kerr, Luke Melnik, Ben Dempster, and Peter Freel all scored in the opening period, while Matt Dabrowski and Tanner Terranova added goals later to seal the win. Goaltender Parker Stockseth, making his NAHL debut, turned aside 33 shots in a strong first appearance between the pipes.

The victory marked just the second regulation loss of the season for Maryland in what proved to be a penalty-filled contest featuring 26 infractions and 85 total penalty minutes.

First Period Surge

Kerr got the Hat Tricks rolling just 1:27 into the game. Working a cycle down low with Freel, Kerr curled off the half wall and fired a wrist shot that beat Maryland netminder Dom Gatto high glove side for his fourth goal of the season.

Less than two minutes later, Melnik doubled the lead. After Terranova's shot from the right circle created a rebound, Melnik crashed the slot and buried the loose puck for his fourth of the year.

At 8:37, Dempster extended the lead to 3-0 when he finished off a slick passing sequence from Kai Mencel and Kerr, snapping a shot past Gatto's blocker. Gatto's night ended shortly after, as he was replaced by Ryan Denes midway through the first.

Freel capped off the explosive opening frame with a gritty goal in front, jamming home a rebound to make it 4-0 Hat Tricks heading into intermission.

Maryland Pushes Back

The Black Bears clawed back early in the second when Ridgefield, CT native Tanner Duncan converted on the power play. Maryland added another midway through the period on Brady Anes' redirection of a Liam Doherty point shot, trimming the deficit to 4-2.

Closing It Out

Dabrowski restored Danbury's control three minutes into the third, breaking in alone and sliding the puck through Denes' five-hole for a 5-2 lead.

Terranova added an empty-netter late, and while Maryland's Lachlan Boomer scored with four seconds remaining, the Hat Tricks skated off with a well-earned 6-3 victory.

Maryland's goaltending tandem combined to stop 28 of 33 shots.

Check out the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks Statistics

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