Late Surge Powers Hat Tricks To 5-2 Comeback Win Against Generals
NAHL Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks

Late Surge Powers Hat Tricks To 5-2 Comeback Win Against Generals

Published on November 21, 2025 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks News Release


Trailing 2-1 with less than five minutes remaining, the visiting Danbury Hat Tricks mounted a stunning comeback in Canton, striking for three goals in under a minute from Evan Regan, Gavin O'Hara, and Luke Melnik.

Matt Shpungin opened the scoring earlier in the night, and Ben Dempster added a late empty-netter to cap off a 5-2 victory over the Northeast Generals.

Shpungin put the Hat Tricks on the board with 9:48 left in the first period on a delayed penalty. After Luke Melnik carried the puck into the offensive zone along the near boards and was checked from behind, the loose puck rolled to Ludovik Gauvin at the top of the circle. Gauvin weaved around a Generals defender and sent a back-drop pass through the slot to Shpungin, who redirected it past goaltender Will Mizenko for his team-leading eighth goal of the season.

The Generals tied the game late in the opening frame. With 3:50 remaining, Spencer Hirsch was credited with the goal after a misplayed centering pass by Danbury's Ryan Lukko deflected off Hirsch's skate and trickled past Jon Dukaric to make it 1-1.

Following a scoreless second period, the Generals capitalized early in the third. Matt Dabrowski was assessed a four-minute high-sticking penalty just 2:43 into the period, and at 4:07 defenseman Owen O'Rear fired a wrist shot from the top of the near-side circle that beat Dukaric low glove side to give Northeast a 2-1 lead.

Northeast held that advantage until the 4:38 mark, when Regan-playing in his first game since October 3-pulled Danbury even. Shpungin gathered a loose puck along the far-side wall and moved it back to Lukko at the point. Lukko's shot was blocked in front, but the rebound landed at Regan's feet, and he jammed it home from the doorstep to tie the game 2-2.

Just twenty-nine seconds later, O'Hara put the Hat Tricks in front. After collecting a loose puck at the top of the far circle, he cut across the slot and shifted from backhand to forehand before snapping a shot past Mizenko short side for his second goal of the season.

Thirty-two seconds after that, Melnik extended the lead. Picking up the puck just outside his own zone, he sliced through center ice, entered the offensive end, and cut left before unleashing a long wrist shot that beat Mizenko to make it 4-2. It marked Melnik's seventh of the season.

Dempster sealed the win with an empty-netter at 1:40 remaining.

Mizenko finished with 36 saves on 40 shots, while Dukaric stopped 25 of 27 at the other end. Click here for the complete box score.

Check out the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks Statistics

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North American Hockey League Stories from November 21, 2025


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