Titans Drop Home Opener, 4-3
NAHL New Jersey Titans

Titans Drop Home Opener, 4-3

Published on September 14, 2025 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
New Jersey Titans News Release


A pair of goals in the third period would not be enough as the Titans fell in their home opener against the Elmira Aviators by a score of 4-3 on Saturday night at the Middletown Sports Complex.

New Jersey opened their season on home ice for the first time in ten years, but quickly found themselves behind by a pair of goals in the first period. They would concede two more in the second before Owen Leahy connected on a breakaway in the final minute of the middle frame to get the Titans on the board. Despite outshooting Elmira by a 31-15 margin, New Jersey entered the third period down 4-1.

The Titans would begin to claw back into the game. First, Vermont commit Kristofers Krumins scored his first goal in nearly a calendar year after being lost last season to injury, followed by Ryder O'Neil potting his first of his junior career.

However, their offensive momentum was blunted by the loss of starting goaltender Charlie Mistretta in the third period, when he was run over by a forechecking Elmira forward with no penalty on the play. The Pittsburgher and lone veteran goaltender was replaced by Andrei Nikolaev, one of New Jersey's two selections in the 2025 NAHL Futures Draft. The Russian simultaneously became the youngest player to appear in goal as a Titan in their history, while also becoming the youngest active player in the league.

While Elmira's offense would only test the rookie twice, the Titans could not find the equalizer, and Elmira skated away with their first victory in New Jersey since December of last year. The Titans will look for the first win of the season tomorrow, Sunday September 14th, when they host the Aviators once again. Tickets are available on sale at NJTitansNAHL.com.

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North American Hockey League Stories from September 14, 2025


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