GAME PREVIEW: DANBURY HAT TRICKS HOST BLUE RIDGE BOBCATS: MARCH 6, 2026

LAST TIME OUT

The Danbury Hat Tricks (14-21-5-4) are coming off a thrilling 4-3 shootout win up in Binghamton vs the Black Bears, their first win against the league leaders this season.

With 30 seconds remaining in the first period, Austin D’Orazio scored a one-timer from the point on the powerplay to give Binghamton a lead after 1 period. Things stayed the same in period 2 as the Black Bears brought their 1-0 lead into the 2nd intermission.

Just under 3 minutes into the third, Konstantin Chernyuk tied things up with a wrister off an odd-man rush, his first goal for the Hat Tricks. However, Scott Ramaekers responded right away with a powerplay goal to retake the lead for the home team.

Halfway through the third, Kaiden Kandereka lit the lamp twice in under 2 minutes to put Danbury up 3-2. Tyson Kirkby tied things up at 14:22 off a scramble in front, eventually sending the game into overtime.

After failing to capitalize on a 4v3 powerplay in OT, the Hat Tricks went into a shootout for the second time this season vs the Black Bears. Anton Rubtsov and Austan Bellefeuille scored Danbury’s first two attempts, and Kyle Penton made a game-clinching save on Ramaekers in the 3rd round to secure 2 points in the shootout victory.

KANDEREKA SHINES IN SHOOTOUT WIN

In a period when the Hat Tricks were outshot 7-17, Kaiden Kandereka kept his team alive with two goals in quick succession to give Danbury a momentary 3-2 lead.

Kandereka’s two goal performance was arguably his best in a Danbury uniform. In his last five games, the Alberta native has 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists). Playing mostly on the third line this season, the rookie is producing big-time lately, now tied for 5th on the team in points with 23 (9 goals, 14 assists).

Against the Bobcats, Kandereka has 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) this season, with this weekend providing another chance to continue his impressive play down the stretch.

PLAYOFF HOPES ARE ALIVE ENTERING THE WEEKEND

Despite losing 0-6 on Friday night, Danbury managed to gut out a shootout win and take 2 points from last weekend’s series. And with both Blue Ridge and Topeka getting swept last weekend, they also finally got some help from the teams they’ve been chasing for the last few months.

Entering this weekend, Danbury sits at 55 pts (5th), eleven points behind both Topeka (66 pts, 3rd) and Blue Ridge (66 pts, 4th). The Scarecrows have one game in hand on both Danbury and Blue Ridge, having only played 43 games.

Danbury does not play Topeka down the stretch (in fact, the Scarecrows are the only divisional opponent Danbury won’t play at all this season). But they have a prime opportunity this weekend with two final games vs the Blue Ridge Bobcats. With a weekend sweep, the Hat Tricks would only trail Blue Ridge by 5 points and potentially close in on Topeka depending on their game tonight vs Biloxi (Topeka lost 3-4 in overtime last night).

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Hat Tricks are 2-2 vs the Bobcats this season, with the home teams winning all four games. Back in early December, Danbury swept Blue Ridge at the DIA, winning 6-3 and 4-2. Those wins capped off a four-game win streak and lifted John Bierchen’s team into 4th place above Blue Ridge in the division standings.

The teams’ second series in late January again saw the two teams jostling for the 4th and final playoff spot. But this time, back down in Wytheville, VA, the Bobcats earned a weekend sweep of their own, winning 5-4 and 4-2 to establish a 9-point lead over Danbury in 4th place.

As we enter this weekend, the story remains the same for round three; a critical two-game set with serious playoff implications. A series sweep, with a 6-point swing, could either launch the Hat Tricks into the thick of the playoff race or critically jeopardize their postseason hopes.

ABOUT THE BOBCATS

The Blue Ridge Bobcats enter this weekend at 19-19-3-3, sitting in 4th place in the division with 66 points. They are coming off a three-game series vs the Pee Dee Ice Cats at home where they lost all three games, losing 2-5, 0-4, and 2-4.

Before last weekend, Blue Ridge was one of the hottest teams in the league. In their 10 previous games, the Bobcats went 8-0-2-0, including two wins vs the Hat Tricks. This run helped them stretch their lead over Danbury and solidify their place as playoff hopefuls.

On the stat sheet, Dustin Jesseau (20/28) and Daniel Martin (20/28) lead the Bobcats in both goals and points. Estonian rookie Nikita Kozyrev (12/35) is the team’s assist leader. Between the pipes, Anthony Shrum has appeared in 30 games, posting a 14-10-2 record with a 3.33 GAA and a .908 save percentage.

HAT TRICKS HEADLINES

POSITIVE MOMENTUM ENTERING THE FINAL STRETCH

After some tough sledding in late January and early February, which included a 5-game losing streak, the Hat Tricks have found their groove as of late. John Bierchen’s group is 4-1 outright in their last five games, their best five-game stretch since early December.

The team’s recent momentum shift will be boosted by the recent return of rookie goaltender Sebastian Resar. The Ontario native returned this week from a stint with the Macon Mayhem in the SPHL and will join Kyle Penton as a formidable goaltending duo in the final 12 games.

The road to a playoff berth will not be easy. Out of Danbury’s final 12 games, 8 are against teams above them in the division standings. But with statement wins like last Saturday’s against Binghamton, this young group has shown resilience and fight that has the Hat Tricks faithful believing as we enter March.

The Danbury Hat Tricks continue their sixth season in the Federal Prospects Hockey League on Friday, March 6 (7:00 p.m.) & Saturday, March 7 (7:30 p.m.) at the Danbury Ice Arena, to take on the Blue Ridge Bobcats. Single-game tickets and partial season ticket packages are on sale 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.

The Danbury Hat Tricks are a professional hockey team based in Danbury, CT, and compete in the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL). Since their founding in 2019, the 2023 Commissioner's Cup Champions have brought thrilling, fast-paced, and hard-hitting hockey to the Danbury Ice Arena, earning a reputation for their competitive spirit, electric atmosphere, and strong community ties. The team is dedicated to providing an unforgettable game-day experience for fans of all ages while proudly representing the city of Danbury.