Game Preview: Hat Tricks vs. Watertown Wolves | Dec. 27, 2024

LAST TIME OUT

For the third time in four meetings, the Hat Tricks and Wolves went past regulation, and, for the third time, Watertown came away with the extra point in a 4-3 shootout victory on Saturday night at the Watertown Municipal Arena. Trevor Lord scored the lone goal in the shootout to snap a three-game skid for the Wolves and push them to a perfect 4-0 in the season series with the Hat Tricks. 

The Hat Tricks never led in the game. Gleb Bandurkin tied the score at 3-3 with 37 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime. The rookie Russian has netted goals in three consecutive games and five of the last six.

After just three combined shots in OT and no goals, the game entered a shootout where Lord’s goal on the first attempt proved to be the difference in a Watertown win. Anton Borodkin stopped all three Hat Tricks shooters and 47 shots in the game, while Conor McCollum made 33 saves and two of three in the skills competition.

Mathieu Halle buried two goals in his season debut for Watertown while Jeremy Rottke scored his second goal in as many games for Danbury.

With the loss, the Hat Tricks fall to 1-5 after regulation this season and have lost two straight and three of their last four.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Wolves have won the first four games of the series including the team’s latest matchup on Saturday, a 4-3 shootout victory, and two in overtime at the Watertown Municipal Arena on Nov. 1 (3-2) and Nov. 9 (5-4). Watertown pounded the Hat Tricks, 6-0, on Nov. 8 in Danbury and has outscored the Hat Tricks, 18-6, accumulating nine of a possible 12 points.

Through the teams’ first four meetings, Connor Woolley has led Danbury’s scoring with three assists while Aleksandr Gamzatov, the former Watertown winger, has recorded a goal and an assist. Aleksandr Vasiliev supplied two assists in his first matchup with Watertown on Saturday and has five assists in the past five games, while Gleb Bandurkin scored his second goal against the Wolves on Saturday.

For Watertown, Mathieu Halle scored two goals in his season debut on Saturday. In that Wolves win, Trevor Neumann and Trevor Lord each had a goal and an assist. Neumann has three goals and two assists as one of the series’ most consistent producers. Anton Borodkin has won each of his three starts in the series, making 125 saves on 130 shots.

The teams will see each other six more times after Friday, twice more in Danbury and four times in Watertown. The series resumes on Jan. 24 when the Hat Tricks are on the road before they return home on Jan. 25.

ABOUT THE WOLVES

The Wolves enter Friday’s contest in second place in the Empire Division with a 9-6-1-2 record. Against Danbury on Saturday, Watertown snapped a three-game skid, winning for the first time since taking down HC Venom at home on Dec. 7.  

At 1-5-0-1 in its last seven games, Watertown (34) is 17 points back of first-place Binghamton. On Nov. 9, the Wolves stood just one point behind the Black Bears for first place in the division and now lie just six points ahead of the Hat Tricks and Port Huron, each tied at 28.

The Wolves rank second in the FPHL in goal differential (+28), have scored the third-most goals in the league (88), and have the fourth-best power play percentage (23.1%).

Trevor Lord has 10 goals and 11 assists to lead Watertown in points (21). The fourth-year forward brings a goal and an assist in each of the past two games. His longest point streak was six games (6-5-11) from Nov. 8–22.

Tate Leeson has registered five goals and 11 assists through his first nine games with Watertown this season. Leeson’s season-high five points (1g, 4a) came against the Dashers, a 9-4 win, on Nov. 15.

Trevor Neumann produced his first points (1g, 1a) in three games for the Wolves on Saturday, and holds seven goals and eight assists in 18 games.

Watertown relieved Charlie Pens, Jr. of his duties as head coach on Dec. 19. The team named Justin Coachman as his replacement. A former defenseman, Coachman was a member of Watertown’s two Commissioner’s Cup championship teams in 2018 and 2022. Following the coaching change, Chiwetin Blacksmith was dealt to Columbus, and Kyle Heitzner was traded to Monroe, two players that accounted for 22 of Watertown’s goals and 44 points. Scoring winger Michael Mercurio is on the 15-day IR and has two goals and three assists in three games against the Hat Tricks this season.

HAT TRICKS HEADLINES

The Hat Tricks have collected points in six of their past nine games (4-3-1-1) but endured a third loss after regulation against the Wolves in a shootout on Saturday. Danbury has lost back-to-back games for just the second time this season and first since losing four straight (Nov. 8–16).

At 7-7-5-1 (28 points), the Hat Tricks are tied with Port Huron and remain just six points behind Watertown, and trail Binghamton by 23 for the top spot in the Empire Division. Danbury is 5-3-2-0 in its last 10 games and has scored five or more goals in six of those contests.

The Hat Tricks are one shorthanded goal (5) behind Binghamton for the FPHL lead. Last season, they scored the second most (13), tied with Mississippi.

Four of Danbury’s eight victories have been decided by three or more goals, and each of its past five losses have come by two or fewer goals. Six skaters have recorded at least 16 points through 20 games.

Aleksandr Gamzatov leads Danbury with 20 points (8g, 12a), while Connor Woolley (7g, 12a) and Jacob Ratcliffe (4g, 15a) are tied at 19. Ratcliffe holds the most assists with 15.

ROTTKE FINDS SCORESHEET AGAIN

Jeremy Rottke scored the Hat Tricks’ first goal in their shootout loss at Watertown on Saturday, marking his first point streak of the season. The 23-year-old played in two games for HC Venom this season before debuting with Danbury on Nov. 23 against Binghamton and has scored goals in back-to-back games. Rottke has recorded three assists in his first 10 games with the Hat Tricks.

BANDURKIN’S BOOMIN’

Gleb Bandurkin tallied the tying goal with less than one minute left in regulation on Saturday and has scored in three straight games and five of the last six. The Russian rookie has established his longest goal-scoring streak this season and has contributed 10 combined points (5g, 5a) over the last six contests. Bandurkin scored his first goal of the season in his FPHL debut against Watertown on Nov. 1.

RELIABLE RATCLIFFE

Forward Jacob Ratcliffe scored a goal for the second straight contest on Saturday, extending his point streak (2-2-5) to four games. The Canterbury, New Zealand, native has totaled seven helpers through the past eight games and leads Danbury in assists, with 15. Ratcliffe also has four multi-assist outings this season, his latest coming on Dec. 20 versus Motor City.

HARWELL HITS SCORESHEET AGAIN

With an assist on Saturday, second-year forward Chase Harwell has a three-game point streak, totaling two goals and two assists. The Southbury, Conn., native holds five multi-point outings this season, tying his output from last season. Harwell boasts the team lead in power play goals, with four and has nine points in his past seven games (3g, 6a).

YAU AND EMBREE BRING REINFORCEMENTS

Defenseman Jarod Yau and forward Isaac Embree signed with the Hat Tricks on Friday. Yau signed a four-game professional tryout and has played in 89 FPHL games, all with the Hat Tricks, registering a combined 11 goals and 49 assists over the past two seasons. A 26-year-old rookie, Embree has not played organized hockey since 2018-19 with the Richmond Sockeyes (PIJHL) but brings grit and physicality to the lineup. Over his past three full seasons (2016-19), the 6-foot-2-inch winger recorded 439 penalty minutes and 97 points in 124 games. 

PENALTY KILL STRUGGLES

Even without allowing a power play goal on Saturday, the Hat Tricks’ penalty kill has been beaten in seven of the past eight games. Danbury has given up the third most in the FPHL (19), trailing the Venom (22) and the Dashers (26), and holds the twelfth-ranked kill percentage (75.9%). Last season, the Hat Tricks allowed 42, the fifth-fewest.

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).

ABOUT DANBURY HAT TRICKS:

The Danbury Hat Tricks are a professional hockey team based in Danbury, Connecticut, competing in the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL). Since their founding in 2019, the Hat Tricks have brought thrilling, hard-hitting hockey to the Danbury Ice Arena, earning a reputation for their fierce competitive spirit and strong community presence. The team is dedicated to providing an exciting game-day experience for fans of all ages, with a focus on building long-lasting connections within the local community.

Proudly representing Danbury, the Hat Tricks are committed to excellence both on and off the ice. In addition to developing top-tier hockey talent, the team engages in numerous community outreach programs, fostering relationships with local schools, businesses, and charities. The Hat Tricks aim to continue growing the sport of hockey in the area and provide entertainment that brings the community together.

Whether you're a die-hard hockey fan or new to the sport, the Danbury Hat Tricks promise an unforgettable experience every time they take the ice.