Game Preview: Hat Tricks at Indiana Sentinels | Oct. 26

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LAST TIME OUT

The Danbury Hat Tricks earned their first win of the season Saturday night, defeating the Indiana Sentinels 6-3 in Game 1 of the weekend series at Hamilton Community Ice Arena. With the victory, Danbury improves to 1-4-0 and will look to build on the momentum in Sunday’s series finale at 12:30 p.m.

Danbury came out flying, as captain Jonny Ruiz scored just 15 seconds into the game before Jake Raleigh added his third of the year four minutes later to make it 2-0. Indiana battled back to tie the game early in the third period, but the Hat Tricks responded with four straight goals to put the contest out of reach. Rookie Drew Welsch netted the go-ahead marker 20 seconds after the Sentinels’ equalizer, while Noah Robinson, Alexander Legkov, and Joshua Tomasi each tallied to seal the win. Ruiz, Raleigh, Legkov, and Tomasi all finished with a goal and an assist.

Goaltender Sebastian Resar shined in his professional debut, stopping 50 shots and making several key saves, including a diving glove stop in the second period. Indiana’s Bohdan Zinchenko added a late short-handed goal, but it wasn’t enough to spoil Danbury’s first victory of the young season.

HEAD TO HEAD

Sunday (Oct. 26) marks the second game of the weekend series and the second-ever meeting between the Hat Tricks and Sentinels. The two teams will square off again in February — first in Danbury on Valentine’s weekend (Feb. 13–14) before returning to Columbus for a two-game set (Feb. 20–21). Danbury leads the all-time series 1-0-0 after Saturday’s 6-3 victory.

ABOUT THE SENTINELS

The Indiana Sentinels are the Federal Prospects Hockey League’s newest expansion team, joining the Empire Division for the 2025–26 season. Based in Columbus, Indiana, the club is led by head coach Jack Hudec and plays at Hamilton Community Ice Arena. The franchise was established as part of the city’s effort to expand its sports tourism footprint, with plans to move into a larger facility within three years.

Indiana remains in search of its first win in franchise history, sitting at 0-5-0 after Saturday’s 6-3 loss to Danbury. The Sentinels have scored 10 goals (2.0 per game, tied for 13th) while allowing 35 (7.0 per game, 14th) for a league-worst -25 goal differential. The team ranks third in penalty minutes (194), owns a 7.9% power play (tied-9th), and a 72.5% penalty kill (14th), though their two short-handed goals are tied for second-most in the league.

Rookie forward J.D. Anderson leads the team with four points and shares the assists lead (2) with Zack Slinger and Alexandre Vigor. Defenseman Connor Mullins paces Indiana with two goals, including one on the power play, while Anderson and Bohdan Zinchenko have each scored short-handed. Defenseman Luke Coykendall leads the team with a +2 rating.

HAT TRICKS HEADLINES

Danbury finally broke through on Saturday, picking up its first win under new head coach John Bierchen. The Hat Tricks’ six-goal outburst was more than their total from the first four games combined, with strong performances from Ruiz, Raleigh, Legkov, Tomasi, and Welsch. Rookie goaltender Sebastian Resar also provided a spark in his debut, stopping 50 shots.

Bierchen, a former University of Alabama goaltender who previously coached Austria’s Nordic Hockey Academy U20 program, earned his first professional victory behind the bench. His team will look to carry the same pace and energy into Sunday’s rematch in Indiana.

LEGKOV BREAKS THROUGH

After several strong showings early in the season, 21-year-old forward Alexander Legkov finally found the scoresheet Saturday with his first professional goal and an assist. The former EHL Forward of the Year has been a consistent threat with his skating and creativity. The Moskva, Russia native excelled last season with the New Jersey 87’s (EHL), tallying 97 points (31 goals, 66 assists) in 38 games, plus 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in 11 playoff games, earning first-team All-Star honors and Frozen Finals MVP.

NEW ADDITIONS

Danbury’s recent roster moves paid dividends in Saturday’s 6-3 win over Indiana. Newly signed goaltender Sebastian Resar earned the victory in his professional debut, while forwards Jake Raleigh, Joshua Tomasi, and Drew Welscheach scored their first goals as Hat Tricks.

The Hat Tricks’ early-season struggles prompted a flurry of roster activity earlier in the week. On Oct. 22, Danbury traded defenseman Charlie Bedard to the Pee Dee IceCats in exchange for defenseman Jackson Legro and cash considerations. Legro, 24, is a second-year pro out of the University of Southern Maine who appeared in four games with Pee Dee this season after debuting last year with the Monroe Moccasins. The following day, Danbury dealt veteran forward Denis Zaychik to the Indiana Sentinels for financial considerations.

Danbury also bolstered its lineup with several signings. Forwards Kaiden Kanderka and Ian Tookenay both joined the team and made their professional debuts on Saturday. Kanderka, 25, played four seasons at Salve Regina University and previously skated with the AJHL’s Olds Grizzlys, while Tookenay, 25, split five collegiate seasons between Norwich and Salve Regina, posting 11 points in 61 games.

In goal, the Hat Tricks added Resar and Cristian Wong-Ramos. Resar, 22, came from the SPHL’s Macon Mayhem after recording a .935 save percentage last season at the University of Toronto. Wong-Ramos, 24, arrives from Trine University, where he went 8-4-0 with a 1.59 goals-against average in 2024–25. Both goaltenders were slated to start games this weekend, giving Danbury a fresh look in net as the team seeks continued momentum.

MR. DANBURY LEADS THE WAY

Captain Jonny Ruiz continues to pace the Hat Tricks, opening the scoring just 15 seconds into Saturday’s game and adding an assist.

The Williamstown, New Jersey native holds every major offensive record in team history, including games played (247), points (329), goals (176), assists (153), power-play goals (51), and short-handed goals (17).

A four-time team MVP and three-time Offensive Player of the Year, Ruiz led Danbury to the 2023 Commissioner’s Cup championship and continues to set the standard for leadership and production. He owns the two highest single-season point totals in team history (85 in 2021-22 and 74 in 2023-24) and the top three goal-scoring seasons (49, 38, 35). Ruiz became the first player in franchise history to surpass 300 career points on Feb. 22, 2025, against Port Huron.

The Danbury Hat Tricks continue their sixth season in the Federal Prospects Hockey League on Saturday, Oct. 25 (7:30 p.m.) and Sunday, Oct. 26 (12:30 p.m.) in Columbus, Indiana versus the Indiana Sentinels. 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.

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.