Hat Tricks Sweep Mammoth, Claim Regular Season Crown

by Herm Sorcher

Danbury, CT- The Danbury Hat Tricks concluded their home regular season with a thrilling 8-5 win over the Elmira Mammoth. Michael Marchesan led the way with a four goal game, the third such game in Danbury Hat Tricks franchise history. He added an assist as well, resulting in a five point total. Lucas DeBenedet added two goals and three assists for five points as well, giving Marchesan and DeBenedet the fourth and fifth such games in franchise history.

Danbury recorded four goals through the first two periods thanks to one each from Marchesan and DeBenedet plus a goal from Jacob Ratcliffe, who added four points of his own, and a shorthanded goal from Daniel McKitrick.

Dalton Anderson opened the Mammoth’s scoring work mid-way through the first. Former Hat Trick Luke Richards helped Mammoth in the game with two goals and two assists, even aiding Elmira to a 3-2 lead on a Nathan Campbell goal early in the second period. Danbury answered with two late in the second and led into the third.

Richards scored his second goal of the game 55 seconds into the final stanza to tie the game. It stayed tied until Michael Marchesan scored two goals in a 1:44 long stretch of the game that sandwiched a Steven Ford goal for the Mammoth.

DeBenedet and Marchesan added one more goal each to close the scoring at 8-5. With that, the Hat Tricks secured their 42nd win of the season and sewed up the Federal Prospects Hockey League’s Regular Season Championship, the first in Hat Tricks’ franchise history and second in Danbury’s professional hockey history across all franchises who have occupied the Danbury Ice Arena. The 2015-16 Danbury Titans were the first such team in Hat City’s history to win their league-wide regular season crown.

Danbury also completes the home slate of the regular season with a 24-2-2 record at the Danbury Ice Arena. 

Brian Wilson recorded 32 saves on 37 shots faced.

Elmira falls to 14-33-6, sitting in fourth place in the Empire Division. Thomas Proudlock stopped 52 of 59 shots. 

Danbury rounds out the regular season with a two-game road trip to face the Port Huron Prowlers at McMorran Arena on Friday, April 14th and Saturday, April 15th.