Game Preview: Danbury Hat Tricks host Watertown Wolves | Jan. 9

Last time out

The Hat Tricks snapped their eight-game losing streak and avoided a series sweep by the Pee Dee IceCats after beating them 5-3 on Saturday.

For the second straight game, Danbury opened the scoring when forward Alexander Legkov scored his team-leading 19th goal of the season to put the Hat Tricks up 1-0 at 17:07 of the first period.

Pee Dee evened the game 1-1 when forward Dominiks Marcinkevics beat Danbury goalie Kyle Penton from the left corner with 13:15 remaining in the opening frame.

The Hat Tricks answered Marcinkevics’ goal with two more even-strength goals in the second period. Forward Genaro Fronduto buried one at the 12:25 mark to regain the lead 2-1, and forward Anton Rubtsov beat IceCats goalie Ricardo Gonzalez with a backhand shot to make it 3-1.

Late in the second with 3:00 left on the clock, Pee Dee forward Nick Gullo scored the IceCats' eighth short-handed goal of the season to make it 3-2. 15 seconds later, Danbury forward Kaiden Kandereka netted a power-play goal to make it 4-2 going into the third.

The IceCats pulled within one midway through the third period when Marcinkevics converted on the power play at 7:44 of the third period.

Danbury sealed the win late, as defenseman Kadyn Fennell scored into an empty net with 18 seconds remaining to secure the 5-3 final.

Here are some observations from the game:

Hat Tricks win when shot margin narrows

In the previous two games of the series — both Pee Dee wins — the Hat Tricks were heavily outshot, 40–22 in a 4–1 loss Dec. 31 and 40–20 in a 3–2 loss Jan. 2. That amounted to an 80-42 shot advantage for the IceCats over the two games.

In the series finale, the shot totals were nearly even, with Pee Dee holding a slim 30-29 edge in the 5-3 Danbury win.

That balance proved critical, as the Hat Tricks left Florence with a win and showed that more shots translate to more scoring opportunities. Danbury must take that shot-heavy approach back to home ice to pick up more wins in the second half of the season.

Scoring first a key for Hat Tricks’ momentum

For the second-straight game, the Hat Tricks drew first blood and put the pressure on the IceCats rather than themselves. Finding that sometimes-elusive first goal for an early lead allowed Danbury to play with confidence after dropping the first two games of the series.

Jumping on opponents early will be a key for the Hat Tricks as the season progresses. If they can make opening the scoring a consistent part of Danbury’s offense, it could translate into more much-needed wins.

While the Hat Tricks can’t change the past, scoring first in previous contests might have improved their record at the halfway point of the season; they should look to make it happen for the rest of the season.

Head-to-head

Tonight’s matchup will be the eighth meeting between Danbury and the Watertown Wolves this season. Through seven games, the Hat Tricks hold a 4–3 edge in the series, outscoring Watertown 33–24. The contests have been a mix of tight one-goal games and decisive multiple-goal victories.

In their last meeting on Nov. 29, Danbury defeated the Wolves 7-3. Legkov scored twice and added an assist for three points on the night, and Hat Tricks forward Noah Robinson added a goal and three assists for a four-point night.

Neither Danbury nor Watertown has won consecutive games against the other since the first four matchups of the season, when the Hat Tricks took Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, and the Wolves responded with wins on Nov. 7 and 8.

About the Wolves

Last time out, Watertown fell 8–3 to the FPHL’s top team, the Binghamton Black Bears. The loss dropped the Wolves to 9–15–2–1 and 30 points, sitting in sixth place in the Empire Division.

Forwards Egor Filippov and Steven Klinck are tied for the team lead in points with 31, with Klinck leading Watertown with 15 goals and Filippov topping the assists chart with 17. Rookie Yefim Mishkin has been a key addition for the Wolves this season. The Lipetsk, Russia, native ranks second on the team with 25 points, including 13 goals and 12 assists.

Watertown has struggled on special teams. Its penalty kill is 75%, the lowest in the Empire Division, while the power play converts at just 17.1%, ranking fifth in the division.

Hat Tricks Headlines

Hat Tricks back in win column, carry momentum into divisional matchup

Danbury snapped an eight-game skid with a 5–3 win over Pee Dee in Florence, finishing an otherwise tough trip on a high note. The victory gives the Hat Tricks a boost of confidence heading into a key divisional matchup against the Wolves, who sit just behind them in the Empire Division standings.

The Hat Tricks are currently 9-15-3-1 for 32 points, while Watertown has 30 points in 27 games. Both teams are jockeying near the bottom of the division, making this matchup critical as the season is now past the halfway mark.

It's all about momentum for Danbury right now. Keeping it will be a test, but scoring early and generating high-volume shots could tie a string of wins together for the Hat Tricks.

Ruiz nears exclusive 200-goal mark

Hat Tricks captain Jonny Ruiz is one goal away from joining the FPHL’s 200 Club, an exclusive group that includes Tyler Gjurich (302), Ahmed Mahfouz (295), Dalton Jay (241) and Justin Brausen (214).

The 31-year-old forward currently has 199 career goals in 289 games over seven seasons in the FPHL. Six of those seasons were in Danbury, where he has 189 goals and 164 assists for a total of 353 points.

The rare achievement is fitting for a player who has consistently been a leader for the Hat Tricks on and off the ice. He's been one of the top players in Danbury for a long time, and fans will watch closely as he eyes goal No. 200 in game No. 290.

Legkov traded to Pee Dee

On Jan. 6, the Hat Tricks announced that Legkov was traded to the IceCats in exchange for forward Eli Rivers, goalie Ricardo Gonzalez and financial considerations. Danbury also sent the rights to Drew Welsch to Pee Dee in the deal.

Legkov, 21, suited up for 28 games for Danbury this season, and led the team with 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points. His 1.5 points-per-game average this season puts him on pace for 84 points, which would have been the second-most in a single season in team history behind Ruiz’s 85 points in 2021-22.

In the deal, the Hat Tricks bring in Rivers, who has recorded seven goals and nine assists across 26 games with the IceCats this season. The Hat Tricks also add Gonzalez in net, a veteran of four FPHL seasons who enters with a 7-8-0-3 record and an .883 save percentage.

The Danbury Hat Tricks continue their sixth season in the Federal Prospects Hockey League on Friday, Jan. 9 (7:30 p.m.), and Saturday, Jan. 10 (7:00 p.m.) at the Danbury Ice Arena, against the Watertown Wolves. 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.

ABOUT DANBURY HAT TRICKS:

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.