Late First-Period Surge Lifts Nordiques Past Hat Tricks, 7-2
NAHL Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks

Late First-Period Surge Lifts Nordiques Past Hat Tricks, 7-2

Published on February 27, 2026 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks News Release


The Danbury Hat Tricks dropped game one of their two-game road series to the Maine Nordiques, 7-2, after a late first-period burst gave the home team firm control.

In a penalty-filled contest that never found consistent rhythm, special teams and momentum swings played a major role. The turning point came in the final moments of the opening frame.

With 1:16 remaining in the first period, Austin Borggaard delivered a highlight-reel effort, maneuvering around a Danbury defender before finishing past Rabbits netminder Jon Dukaric to break the scoreless tie. Then, with just one second left on the clock, Borggaard struck again from the slot to give Maine a 2-0 advantage heading into intermission.

Danbury responded early in the second period. Just 41 seconds in, Ben Dempster wired a power-play one-timer from the slot off a feed from Matt Dabrowski, beating Maine goaltender Lukas Fursten for his 10th goal of the season to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The Nordiques, however, answered with four unanswered goals in the middle stanza to pull away.

Rylan Oster netted his 12th of the season at 3:09 to restore a two-goal lead. Two minutes later, Henry Butte made it 4-1. Michael Sandruck added his 11th of the year midway through the period and later scored his second of the game with 8:15 remaining in the frame to extend the advantage to 6-1.

Peter Freel chipped in for Danbury with six minutes left in the second, tapping in a rebound for his 10th goal of the season to make it 6-2.

Marshall McCharles closed out the scoring with a goal three minutes into the third period, sealing the 7-2 final.

Hat Tricks netminders combined to stop 19 of 26 shots, while Fursten turned aside 14 of 16 in the victory. Click HERE for the complete story.

Danbury will look to regroup quickly in game two as they aim to earn a split in the series.

Check out the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks Statistics

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North American Hockey League Stories from February 27, 2026


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