Game Preview: Hat Tricks vs. HC Venom | March 7, 2025

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LAST TIME OUT

Kyle Gonzalez’s goal with 36 seconds left in overtime gave Danbury a 3-2 home win over Port Huron on Saturday. The Hat Tricks tallied their first overtime victory of the season, despite allowing two goals in the third period, and finished the weekend with three of a possible six points. 

Gonzalez scored his second game-winner of the season and first since Feb. 14 at Port Huron (7-2W). Danbury won its seven-game season series with the Prowlers with a record of 4-1-1-1.

Luke James scored for Port Huron with nearly four minutes to go in the third, forcing overtime between the two sides for the third straight meeting.

Co-head coach and captain Jonny Ruiz potted back-to-back goals to give Danbury a 2-0 lead at 15:03 of the second. Ruiz extended his goal streak to four games.

Matt Graham also scored for Port Huron 7:16 into the third to get the Prowlers on the board.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Hat Tricks and HC Venom square off in the ninth of 12 meetings this season. Danbury leads the series, 7-1, with a record of 6-1-0-1. Its lone loss came on Dec. 13 (4-2L) in one of HC Venom’s multiple home games in Danbury.

This weekend brings three contests between the two teams, all of which take place in Danbury. The Hat Tricks and HC Venom have their final matchup on Wednesday, March 19, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (rescheduled game from Nov. 22).

The Hat Tricks won the latest game of the series, 5-4, on Feb. 2 at McCann Ice Arena. Cory Anderson potted two goals, including the game-winner in the third. Danbury swept the weekend, scoring a combined 22 goals, 11 on the power play.

The lone overtime affair was on Jan. 4 (4-3SOW) in Danbury as the Hat Tricks rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the third and went 2-for-3 in the shootout. Jonny Ruiz, Aleksandr Gamzatov, and Aleksandr Vasilyev netted three unanswered goals before HC Venom’s Brett Jackson’s tying goal to force overtime.

Danbury has outscored HC Venom 48 to 28 in the series’ first eight games and has only allowed more than four goals in one contest on Jan. 3 (6-5W) in Danbury.

In the season series, Chase Harwell (8-10-18) and Josh Labelle (5-13-18) lead the way for the Hat Tricks, while Jonny Ruiz has nine goals and seven assists.

In the net, Conor McCollum is 4-1 with a .914 save percentage.

For HC Venom, former Hat Tricks forward Dustin Jesseau has a team-high 13 points (5g, 8a) in six outings. 

Venom goalie Makar Sokolov is 0-1-1 (.864) versus Danbury. Goalie John Moriarty (5-13-1) is currently on the 15-day injured reserve since Feb. 13 and has not appeared since HC Venom’s 5-4 home loss to Danbury on Feb. 2. He is 1-3 (.868). against the Hat Tricks in his rookie year.

ABOUT HC VENOM

HC Venom enters tonight’s matchup in sixth place in the Empire Division. With 29 points (8-24-3-1), the Venom is nine points behind Motor City for the fifth and final playoff spot.

HC Venom has struggled to grab points over its last three weekends, despite defeating Port Huron (3-2W) at home on Feb. 21 and splitting two games with Blue Ridge (4-3SOW, 4-3L) in Virginia last weekend. In its past seven contests, HC Venom is 1-5-0-1 after getting swept at Binghamton on Feb. 14–15 and falling to the Black Bears, 3-2, on the road on Feb. 8.

Dustin Jesseau leads HC Venom in points (53), goals (22), and assists (31), each good for career bests. The seventh-year forward has also scored the team’s most power play goals, with six. Jesseau is on a six-game point streak (2-11-13).

On Monday, the Venom acquired goalie Sam Best from Monroe and forward Nathan Butler for future considerations. Best, who did not start a game for Monroe, went 1-13-1 (3.72 GAA) with Mississippi earlier this season. Butler played six games (1g, 0a) in Monroe.

HAT TRICKS HEADLINES

The Hat Tricks face off with HC Venom for the first time since the first weekend of February and play their second three-game set against their Empire Division foe. The Hat Tricks have tallied points in 15 of their last 16 contests and have won 15 of their last 20 (11-3-2-4).

Danbury has scrapped for points in its last four games, playing into overtime in each and winning three of them — two in shootouts. It first rallied from a three-goal deficit in the third period of its 6-5 shootout win against Port Huron (Feb. 22) and clawed back from two goals down in the third at Watertown (4-3SOW) on Feb. 23. The Hat Tricks dropped an overtime affair to Port Huron (3-2) on Friday but bounced back to defeat the Prowlers for their first overtime win (3-2) of the season on Saturday.

At home, Danbury has captured at least one point in each of its last 10 contests. It has just one loss on home ice since the start of 2025, coming against Port Huron on Feb. 28 (3-2OTL).

The Hat Tricks have experienced little difficulty scoring in their last five home games, averaging 4.6 goals per contest. Their +29 goal differential is third in the division, four behind Watertown for second.

Fourteen games remain in Danbury’s regular season and it battles HC Venom with a record of 19-11-7-5 (74 points) and a five-point lead on Watertown for second place in the division. This weekend provides the Hat Tricks the opportunity to secure nine points for the first time since sweeping HC Venom on Jan. 31–Feb. 2. Danbury can also eclipse 80 points in a regular season for the fifth straight year with six points.

The Hat Tricks’ power play is third (25.3%) in the FPHL with the third-most goals (43). On the penalty kill, Danbury is 11th (77.5%) and has allowed the league’s fourth-most goals (39). The PK performed well in its series split with Port Huron, standing tall in nine of 10 opportunities.

Gleb Bandurkin is the Hat Tricks’ leading goal scorer (25) and has two hat tricks in his rookie season. Josh Labelle paces the team with 29 assists.

RED-HOT RUIZ

Co-head coach and captain Jonny Ruiz scored for the fourth straight game on Saturday, extending his point streak (9-9-18) to eight games. Ruiz scored two goals for the third time in his last seven outings and for the fifth time this season.

The Hat Tricks’ all-time leader in goals (166), points (308), and games played (234) turned in his 12th multi-point outing of the season on Saturday and the sixth in his last eight appearances.

GONZALEZ GREATNESS

Co-head coach and defenseman Kyle Gonzalez potted the deciding goal of Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win. It was the second game-winner of the season for the alternate captain, marking a new career-high. Gonzalez has scored all three of his goals this season against Port Huron and has two in his last seven games.

ABDELLA, HARWELL RETURN

Defenseman Xavier Abdella is set to return from the long-term injured reserve on Friday. The Albany, N.Y, native, 27, suited up in three games for Danbury this season and fractured his ankle against Binghamton on Oct. 26. Center Chase Harwell also comes off the 15-day reserve and led the team in points (16-22-38) amid a five-game point streak (4-7-11) before his 28-day absence.

ZP ZOOMIN'

Zach Pamaylaon notched his 11th assist of the season on Saturday, marking the third game in the last four the Aiea, Hawaii, native has tallied a helper. The third-year defenseman has reached double-figures in assists for the third straight season, after posting 16 last season. Pamaylaon has 44 in his professional career, including a career-high 17 during Danbury’s Commissioner’s Cup title run two seasons ago.

TWO VETERANS APPROACHING MILESTONES

Jacob Ratcliffe is two points away from the 100th in his FPHL career, all with the Hat Tricks. The forward of Canterbury, New Zealand, has 39 points (11g, 28a) this season, his third in Danbury. Josh Labelle is one assist from reaching 100 in the FPHL. The 25-year-old defenseman has recorded 28 helpers in his fourth professional season. Labelle spent his first season in Watertown (6g, 24a) and second with Columbus (7g, 21a).

STRONG PENALTY KILL

Despite ranking 11th in the league (77.5%), the Hat Tricks’ penalty kill has been nearly perfect over its previous 10 games. Danbury has locked down going 42-for-46 (91.3%) during that span. Against the Venom, the Hat Tricks’ kill has converted 77.1% of the time (37-for-48). Additionally, their eight shorthanded goals are tied for the second most in the league with Watertown, six behind Binghamton.

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.

Danbury Hat Tricks single-game tickets and full/partial season membership plans are still available for purchase. If you are interested, email herm@danburyhattricks.com or go to Tixr.

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).