Game Preview: Pee Dee IceCats host Danbury Hat Tricks | Jan. 3

Last time out

With the Hat Tricks' 3-2 loss to the Pee Dee IceCats on Friday night, Danbury’s seven-game skid now stands at eight games.

Unlike the first game of the series, the Hat Tricks opened the scoring for the first time since Dec. 27 against the Port Huron Prowlers, when defenseman Josh Newberg scored five minutes into the game to put Danbury up 1-0.

Pee Dee responded with two first-period goals of its own. First, IceCats defenseman Charlie Bedard beat Hat Tricks goalie Kyle Penton from the left circle to even the score 1-1 with 7:57 remaining in the frame.

At the 5:08 mark, Pee Dee’s leading scorer, Trevor Lord, buried his eighth power-play goal, scoring from a similar spot on the ice as Bedard. With 18:44 showing on the board in the second period, IceCats forward Vadim Frolov made it 3-1. 

Danbury forward Anton Rubtsov’s third-period goal at the 11:48 mark made it a one-goal game, but Danbury could not convert with the extra attacker after pulling Penton and the final score read 3-2.

Here are some takeaways from the contest:

Dump but no chase

Danbury has consistently used a dump-and-chase strategy this season, but struggled with the chase against Pee Dee. Throughout the game, the Hat Tricks provided the IceCats with easy breakouts by not putting pressure on the Pee Dee defenders.

The lack of forechecking from Danbury had two effects: it allowed the IceCats to move through the neutral zone with speed and generate scoring chances, and it prevented the Hat Tricks’ already rush-dependent offense from establishing any control in the offensive zone.

If Danbury plans to continue utilizing the dump-and-chase, it should honor both parts of the approach; otherwise, opponents will continue to dominate all three zones like Pee Dee was able to do.

Former Hat Tricks factor in loss

Two ex-Danbury players, Bedard and Frolov, contributed to the IceCats’ win over the Hat Tricks. Bedard opened the scoring, slipping down from the point and beating Penton with a wrist shot after being left uncovered, as the Hat Tricks appeared to momentarily forget he was traded earlier this season.

Frolov was all over the ice against his former team, testing Penton multiple times over the course of the night. The constant pressure from the St. Petersburg, Russia native culminated in Pee Dee’s third goal, when Frolov was wide open for a backdoor goal to extend the lead to 3-1.

Penton rises to challenge in crease

With Sebastian Resar no longer on the roster, all eyes are on Penton as Danbury’s likely No. 1 goalie moving forward. Despite a 1-4-0-0 record and a 4.09 goals-against average in 14 games this season, the rookie goalie played better than those numbers suggest in this game.

Much like the last meeting with the IceCats, Penton kept the Hat Tricks in this game with multiple big saves. In the second period, the former University of Southern Maine netminder stopped three Pee Dee breakaways, preventing forwards Patriks Marcinkevics, Houston Wilson and Eli Rivers from extending the two-goal lead.

Although Danbury fell 3-2, Penton was christened in as the team’s top option in goal for the rest of the season.

Head-to-head

The IceCats hold a 2-0 lead in the season series after defeating the Hat Tricks 4-1 on Dec. 31 and 3-2 on Jan. 2. Danbury will try to avoid a sweep in the three-game set and get back on track against a team that has challenged them in both previous meetings.

The Hat Tricks have fallen in multiple-goal deficits in each game and struggled to apply offensive pressure, trends they’ll need to reverse in tonight's game to leave Florence with some points.

About the IceCats

With three straight wins, the IceCats now have a 10-12-3-0 record and 33 points. With the Twin City Thunderbirds' 4-2 victory over the Blue Ridge Bobcats on Jan. 2, Pee Dee remains in fifth place and tied with the Thunderbirds in points.

Marcinkevics continues to lead the team in points with 33 and assists with 18. Lord leads in goals with 17, including eight power-play goals, which is tied for second with Binghamton Black Bears forwards CJ Stubbs and Gavin Yates.

Hat Tricks Headlines

Hat Tricks slip in division standings

With their eight-game losing streak, the Hat Tricks have dropped to sixth place in the Empire Division at 8-15-3-1. Their 29 points trail the fifth-place Watertown Wolves by one and sit eight ahead of the seventh-place Indiana Sentinels (21 points).

Danbury faces an upcoming series against division rivals, including Watertown and Indiana, as well as other Empire Division opponents, and will look to get back on track with an out-of-division win in the final game of the Pee Dee series.