Game Preview: Hat Tricks at HC Venom | March 19, 2025

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LAST TIME OUT

A two-goal lead slipped away from the Hat Tricks as they fell to the Binghamton Black Bears in a 4-3 decision at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena on Friday.

Binghamton’s Dakota Bohn went coast-to-coast on the power play to score the game-winner at 3:24 of the third period, capping off three unanswered Black Bears goals to finish the game. CJ Stubbs and Scott Ramaekers scored for Binghamton in the second.

Gleb Bandurkin and Jonny Ruiz each netted shorthanded goals in the middle frame. Bandurkin scored two-on-one within the first minute and Ruiz tacked on another nearly six minutes later. Connor Woolley scored on the power play on Danbury’s first opportunity of the game at 8:27 of the first.

The Hat Tricks’ penalty kill was 5-for-6, only allowing a goal on Bohn’s game-winner.

Late in the third period, numerous scoring chances emerged for the Hat Tricks to tie the game. Jacob Ratcliffe nearly tipped home a rebound and Ruiz’s shot in front was saved with nine seconds to go.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Hat Tricks and HC Venom meet for the final time in the regular season on Wednesday in a rescheduled game from Nov. 22. It is the 12th matchup between the two sides this season with Danbury leading the series, 9-2, with a record of 8-1-1-1.

Danbury won the prior meeting, 4-2, behind Jonny Ruiz’s two goals in the first. The only two Hat Tricks losses in the series came on March 8 (5-4OTL) and Dec. 13 (4-2L), each in Danbury.

The Hat Tricks last visited the Venom on Feb. 2 (5-4W) when they rallied from a 2-0 deficit for their seventh come-from-behind win of the season. Cory Anderson scored a season-high two goals, including the game-winner, and Jacob Ratcliffe and Chase Harwell each had a goal and an assist. The game before, the Hat Tricks scored eight unanswered goals and a season-high 10 goals to take down the Venom (10-4W) in Danbury en route to a three-game sweep.

In Danbury’s first road game of the series, it defeated HC Venom, 9-6, on Oct. 26 at Ice Time Sports Complex in Newburgh, N.Y., scoring a then-season-high nine goals.

Danbury has outscored HC Venom 61 to 34 this season and has allowed more than four goals in only two contests on March 8 (5-4OTL) and Jan. 3 (6-5W).

In the season series, Chase Harwell (10-10-21) and Josh Labelle (5-15-20) lead the Hat Tricks, while Ruiz has 11 goals and eight assists.

Conor McCollum is 5-1-1 with a .916 save percentage. Frankie McClendon is 3-0 with a .925 save percentage.

Former HC Venom forward Dustin Jesseau paced the Venom with 17 points (6g, 11a) through eight games, but was traded to the Monroe Moccasin (March 10).

Venom goalie John Moriarty is 1-7 (.878). Rahul Sharma debuted in the series on March 8 and was 46-for-50 in a winning effort.

ABOUT HC VENOM

HC Venom enters tonight’s matchup in sixth place in the Empire Division. It is 8-27-3-3 with 33 points, seven behind Motor City for fifth place and 27 ahead of the Dashers for last. The Venom have had to scrape together points over their last three weekend series going 0-4-0-3 in seven games, all of which were on the road.

HC Venom is coming off an up-and-down weekend at Blue Ridge. Despite clawing back from a 2-0 deficit in the second period and taking Friday’s game (5-4OTW), it fell, 6-1, on Saturday and was outshot 65-27. Danila Belov scored his first FPHL game-winner on Friday and the Venom won their second overtime contest in their last four, the other at Danbury (5-4) on March 8.

On Feb. 21, HC Venom defeated Port Huron, 3-2, to rebound from three losses in a row at Binghamton and end an 11-game skid. It was the club’s first win since topping Watertown on the road (6-4W) on Jan. 11.

HC Venom ranks seventh in the FPHL on the power play (21.4%) with the fifth-most goals (44). Its penalty kill (67.7%) is 13th and has allowed the most goals with 65.

HC Venom is led by Lester Brown and Dzianis Zaichyk, who are tied for the team lead in points with 28. Brown has 11 goals and 17 assists and Zaichyk has eight goals and 20 assists, good for a team-high in helpers. Belov paces the Venom in goals with 13.

Recent acquisitions Joel Frazee (Motor City) and Sam Best (Monroe) were suspended indefinitely on March 15 for failing to report. Makar Sokolov, who went 1-5-1 with a 5.45 GAA, was released on waivers on March 15. HC Venom acquired defenseman Steven Ford from Carolina on March 10 in exchange for defenseman Olivier Beaudoin. Ford contributed one goal and six assists in 23 appearances with the Thunderbirds and has also suited up for Athens (two games) and Blue Ridge (six games) this season.

HAT TRICKS HEADLINES

Danbury travels to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to finish a three-game road trip following their split at Watertown (5-2W) and atBinghamton (4-3L) on March 13–14. Across its past three weekends, Danbury is 3-1-2-1 and has posted two splits aside from taking two of three contests against HC Venom on March 7 (4-0W) and March 9 (4-2W).

The Hat Tricks enter the final four weeks of the regular season with nine games to play, five of which are on the road, before their fifth straight Commissioner’s Cup playoff appearance. They will return to Danbury on Friday to host the Dashers for two games this weekend as part of seven at home in March.

At 22-12-8-5 with 84 points, Danbury is six points ahead of Port Huron for second place in the Empire Division. The Prowlers (20-16-6-6) swept the Motor City Rockers in a home-and-home series last weekend to clinch a playoff berth, while Watertown (20-18-3-5) lost two in a row to Danbury (5-2) and Carolina (7-1) to drop to fourth.

On the power play, the Hat Tricks rank second (24.7%) in the FPHL with the third-most goals and they have cashed in on the man advantage in six of their previous seven games. 

Danbury’s penalty kill is 11th (77.8%) in the league and has allowed the fifth-most goals (43). But the Hat Tricks delivered in five of six opportunities at Binghamton against the FPHL’s top power play unit (25.3%, 61 PPG) on Friday.The Hat Tricks are 65-for-72 across their last 15 games and have scored 12 shorthanded goals, two behind Binghamton for the league lead.

Gleb Bandurkin leads the Hat Tricks in points (53) and goals (28). Josh Labelle and Jacob Ratcliffe are tied for the team-high in assists with 31. The Hat Tricks are just one of three teams in the FPHL (Binghamton and Athens) with five skaters at 40 or more points.

TOP LINE IS A JUGGERNAUT

Each skater on the Jonny Ruiz-Chase Harwell-Jacob Ratcliffe line holds a goal and an assist during the last two games.Ruiz, who’s riding a four-game point streak (3-2-5), scored his team-high fifth shorthanded goal at Binghamton on Friday and tallied an assist at Watertown on Thursday. Harwell and Ratcliffe each provided a goal and an assist at Watertown and each have 13 multi-point performances this season. The three forwards have combined for 141 points (62g, 79a) in their second season playing together.

BANDURKIN BRILLIANCE CONTINUES

Gleb Bandurkin scored shorthanded on Friday, marking his second-career shorty. The rookie forward of Moscow, Russia, last scored shorthanded at Port Huron (7-2W) on Feb. 14 as part of a four-point game (1g, 3a). Bandurkin now flashes a six-game point streak (3-5-8) and is two goals away from becoming the Hat Tricks’ third 30-goal skater across the last three seasons (2022–25). He would join Jonny Ruiz (39, 2022-23 & 40, 2023-24) and Michael Marchesan (42, 2022-23).

WOOLLEY THE WIZARD

Connor Woolley scored on the power play on Friday, marking the second time in his last five outings he has scored in back-to-back games. The Pawling, N.Y., native has four goals over that span, including one goal against HC Venom on March 7 (4-0W) and March 8 (5-4OTL). Woolley holds a single-season-best 14 goals in his second full season with Danbury.

FEARLESS FROLOV

Vadim Frolov logged two assists on Friday for the second time in the last three contests. A rookie forward from St. Petersburg, Russia, Frolov extended his point streak (0-6-6) to four games and holds six multi-point outings in his last 12. Frolov has turned in 17 goals and 21 assists through 43 contests this season.  

NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET

Despite standing nine games from their fifth Commissioner’s Cup playoff appearance, the Hat Tricks hold just a six-point lead over the Port Huron Prowlers for second place in the division and battle the Empire Division champion Binghamton Black Bears three more times during that stretch. Danbury is also tasked with winning its season series against Watertown, tied at five games, in its final meeting with the Wolves on April 12. In their final nine contests of last year’s regular season, the Hat Tricks were 5-2-1-1.

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.

Off the ice, the Hat Tricks are committed to fostering connections within the local community through outreach programs with schools, businesses and charities. By developing top-tier hockey talent and growing the sport in the region, the Hat Tricks aim to bring the community together and deliver entertainment that leaves a lasting impact.

The 2025 Commissioner's Cup Playoffs start next month, and our playoff ticket package is on sale now! Lock in your seats for the full playoff run and save. A comprehensive postseason package is just $72—only $12 per ticket, a 35% discount. If any games are not played, you will receive a refund or a credit for the 2025-26 season. To purchase a playoff package, email herm@danburyhattricks.com or call 973-713-7547.

To stay up to date on all things Danbury Hat Tricks hockey, go to danburyhattricks.com and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok (@DanburyHatTricks).