Takeaways: Hat Tricks Fight Hard in Opener: October 10
FPHL Danbury Hat Tricks

Takeaways: Hat Tricks Fight Hard in Opener: October 10

Published on October 11, 2025 under Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL)
Danbury Hat Tricks News Release


DANBURY - The Danbury Hat Tricks' opening night did not go as planned against the Port Huron Prowlers as they lost 3-1 on Friday in a chippy and, at times, bad-blooded game.

The Prowlers secured their second straight win against the Hat Tricks after eliminating them from the Commissioner's Cup playoffs in April. It was the ending of that April game - when Prowlers defenseman Ben Brockway figuratively planted his stick like a flag on the Hat Tricks' logo - that carried over into Friday's meeting.

Even with the loss, there was plenty to take away from Danbury's opener - starting with these four points.

WILLINGNESS TO BLOCK SHOTS

Being a tough hockey team doesn't just mean playing the body and dropping the gloves - it also means committing to some of the under-appreciated dirty work, like blocking shots. The Hat Tricks made a point to defend their home ice on multiple fronts, and their eagerness to eat pucks for goaltender Frankie McClendon is a large part of that.

After a slashing penalty on winger Genaro Fronduto gave the Prowlers a power play, defenseman Justin Movalli laid out not once, but twice on the penalty kill and blocked two shots within seconds of each other off his pads.

Forward Josh Newberg and defenseman Connor Craig also contributed with blocked shots later in the first period on another penalty kill, ensuring the Prowlers didn't get on the board heading into the second period.

THIS IS DANBURY HOCKEY

Two seconds into the game, Hat Tricks forward Jesse Swanson dropped the gloves with Prowlers forward A.J. Schlepp in a heavyweight bout, sending a long-overdue message to Port Huron that the Hat Tricks won't stand for any disrespect on their home ice.

"He knows his role, he knows why we picked him up," defenseman Josh Labelle said about Swanson.

But that wasn't Swanson's last fight of the night. With 10:29 left in the first period, the 6-foot-8 enforcer lined up next to Brockway, public enemy No. 1 in Danbury. Fans were already pulling their phones out to record, knowing what was about to happen.

Off the draw once more, Swanson squared up, sending Brockway to the ice before he had a chance to react. When he got up, his nose was bloodied as the Danbury crowd roared.

"Is this Danbury hockey or what?," Hat Tricks general manager AJ Galante shouted to the crowd during an in-game interview.

HAT TRICKS HIT BACK

It's only the first game, and each season brings a new roster, but the Hat Tricks have already shown they'll stick up for each other in the heat of battle.

After a big hit by Hat Tricks defenseman Trey Deloury on Prowlers forward Jamie Bucell midway through the second period, Bucell retaliated with a charging penalty on Hat Tricks captain Jonny Ruiz. Forward Joshua Tomasi took exception, dropping the gloves with Bucell in the game's third fight to stand up for his captain.

"We need to match their intensity, stay physical and finish checks," Tomasi said.

POWER-PLAY WOES

The Hat Tricks will need to cash in on power-play opportunities if they hope to score more than one goal in games this season. They went 1-for-12 on the power play, and their lone goal came from Labelle three minutes into a five-minute major penalty.

The Hat Tricks outshot the Prowlers 48-32, but most of those attempts were quickly stopped by Prowlers goaltender Reid Cooper, keeping Danbury from gaining any sustained momentum.

Finding second-chance opportunities through better shot selection could go a long way for the Hat Tricks moving forward.

The Hat Tricks will look to carry the lessons from Opening Night into their next game, when they host the Prowlers for Game 2 of the series Saturday at 7 p.m.

The Danbury Hat Tricks open their sixth season in the Federal Prospects Hockey League on Friday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, Oct. 11, with a playoff rematch against the Port Huron Prowlers at the Danbury Ice Arena. Single-game tickets and season ticket packages are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Hat Tricks office located inside the Danbury Ice Arena at 1 Independence Way in Danbury, by calling (973-713-7547) or emailing (herm@danburyhattricks.com) the office, or online through Tixr. For the latest Hat Tricks news, visit www.danburyhattricks.com, follow the team on Facebook (www.facebook.com/danburyhattricks), Instagram (@danburyhattricks), X (@DanburyHatTrick), TikTok (@danburyhattricks), and YouTube (@DanburyHatTricks), and subscribe to the Hat Tricks' newsletter.

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