Series Preview: Round 1, Hat Tricks vs. Motor City Rockers

The #3 Hat Tricks open up the 2024 Commissioner’s Cup Playoffs on Friday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m. against the #2 Motor City Rockers. This Empire Division Semifinals matchup marks the third meeting between the two teams this season and the third inside the Danbury Ice Arena. Games two and three (if necessary) are scheduled for Saturday, April 20 at 7:35 p.m. and Sunday, April 21 at 5:05 p.m. at Big Boy Arena in Fraser, Michigan.  

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The Hat Tricks closed out the regular campaign with wins in seven of the last 10 games and 12 of the final 16. Once the calendar flipped to 2024, Danbury turned it on going 15(4)-9-4. The Rockers won four straight to finish off the regular season including two victories against the top two teams in the league, Columbus and Binghamton. Motor City took 10 of its last 15 games to hold off Danbury's late season push for the second spot in the division.

SEASON SERIES:

Dec. 1 @ Danbury Ice Arena: Rockers 5, Hat Tricks 4 (OT)

Dec. 2 @ Danbury Ice Arena: Hat Tricks 5, Rockers 3

Despite being in the same division, the Hat Trick and Rockers squared off just twice in the regular season. On Friday, Dec. 1, the Rockers bested the Hat Tricks 5-4 in overtime. Motor City’s leading goal scorer Scott Coash buried his second of the game to win it at 2:12 of the extra frame. Danbury held a 3-1 lead midway through regulation but surrendered three unanswered goals and four of the final five goals in the loss. At the time, the Hat Tricks had lost four straight games and were under .500, in 3rd place in the division. The next night, Saturday, Dec. 2, the Hat Tricks got their revenge in a 5-3 victory thanks to a late third period goal from, at the time, top goal scorer Nick DiNicola. With the game tied, 3-3 heading into the final 20 minutes of regulation, Danbury outscored Motor City 2-0 in the third to win it. Following the victory, the Hat Tricks took eight of their next 11 games including a five-game winning streak from Dec. 30 - Jan. 12 with three wins versus top-seeded Binghamton.

SEASON SERIES STANDOUTS:

Hat Tricks: 

D John Macdonald - Former Hat Tricks d-man Macdonald led the series for the Hat Tricks with four points (1g, 3a). He notched a goal and an assist in the overtime loss on Dec. 1 and recorded two assists in the win on Dec. 2. 

F Daniel McKitrick - McKitrick racked up three points (1g, 2a) between the two-game set with Motor City. He registered an assist in the overtime defeat and tallied a goal and an assist in the regulation win. 

Rockers: 

Pavel Svinstov- Svinstov combined for five points (1g, 4a) in the two games. The forward recorded three assists in the overtime W, and posted a goal and an assist in the loss the following day. 

Brad Reitter - Reitter contributed three points (2g, 1a) in the weekend series. The forward grabbed a goal in the Friday win and a goal and an assist the next night in the loss.  

TEAM LEADERS:

Goals:

Hat Tricks: Jonny Ruiz (38), Corey Cunningham (23), Jacob Ratcliffe (15)

Rockers: Scott Coash (28), Thomas Delaney (26), Declan Conway (22)

Assists:

Hat Tricks: Jonny Ruiz (36), Daniel McKitrick (35), Jacob Ratcliffe & Nick DiNicola (31)

Rockers: Pavel Svinstov (35), Josh Colten (31), Jameson Milam (29)

Points:

Hat Tricks: Jonny Ruiz (74), Daniel McKitrick (47), Jacob Ratcliffe (46)

Rockers: Scott Coash (56), Pavel Svintsov (44), Thomas Delaney & Josh Colten (43)

Power Play Goals:

Hat Tricks: Jonny Ruiz (12), Corey Cunningham (7), Brandon Stojcevski (6)

Rockers: Declan Conway (7), TJ Sneath (6), Thomas Delaney, Josh Colten, Jameson Milam & Jonathan Juliano (5)

Short-Handed Goals: 

Hat Tricks: Jonny Ruiz (5), Bohdan Zinchenko (4), Brandon Stojcevski (2)

Rockers: Thomas Delaney (4), Scott Coash, Pavel Svintsov & TJ Sneath (2), Jonathan Juliano & Mike Winn (1)

Game-Winning Goals:

Hat Tricks: Jonny Ruiz (6), Jacob Ratcliffe, Nick DiNicola, Corey Cunningham & Josh Labelle (3), Daniel McKitrick, Brandon Stojcevski & Willam Berry (2)

Rockers: Thomas Delaney (6), Scott Coash & Jameson Milam (4), TJ Sneath (3)

RECORDS:

Hat Tricks (22(9)-19-6):

vs. Empire: 19(6)-17-4

Longest Win Streak: 6 games (Mar.15 - Mar. 29)

Home: 11(7)-6-4

Road: 11(2)-13-2

Rockers (27(6)-19-4):

vs. Empire: 9(3)-6-2

Longest Win Streak: 4 games (March 29 - April 13)

Home: 11(7)-6-4

Road: 11(2)-13-1

HISTORICAL HEAD-TO-HEAD:

Danbury leads 5-1

Dec. 2, 2023 @ Danbury Ice Arena: Hat Tricks 5, Rockers 3

Dec. 1, 2023 @ Danbury Ice Arena: Rockers 5, Hat Tricks 4 (OT)

Dec. 10, 2022 @ Danbury Ice Arena: Hat Tricks 7, Rockers 2

Dec. 9, 2022 @ Danbury Ice Arena: Hat Tricks 5, Rockers 2

Nov. 19, 2022 @ Big Boy Arena: Hat Tricks 4, Rockers 3 (OT)

Nov. 18, 2022 @ Big Boy Arena: Hat Tricks 3, Rockers, 2 (OT)

PLAYOFF HISTORY:

Hat Tricks:

2019-20: No playoffs (COVID)

2020-21: No playoffs (COVID)

2021-22: R1: 2-1 W vs. Binghamton, R2: 2-0 L vs. Columbus

2022-23: R1: 2-0 W vs. Elmira, R2: 2-1 W vs. Binghamton, Commissioner’s Cup Finals: 3-2 W vs. Carolina

Motor City:

2022-23: R1: 2-0 L vs. Columbus