ODENTON, MD– To kick off their last homestand of the regular season, the Maryland Black
Bears welcomed the New Jersey Titans to Piney Orchard. In a game full of odd bounces and
tight gameplay, New Jersey were able to come away with a shootout victory by a score of 4-
3.
Maryland started their pressure early, as their forecheck was tight on the New Jersey
defense and it worked out for them, as a turnover in the neutral zone led to Owen Drury
sniping his third of the year to open the scoring. New Jersey would get a couple of power
play chances, one leading to Nikita Meshcheryakov ripping one home that pinballed through
traffic to tie the game up. The Black Bears would bounce back with a power play goal of their
own as Matthew Croxall snipped home his fifth of the season from the dot to put the Black
Bears up again. While Ryan Denes was clutch in some situations, a redirection late in the
frame off of Nikolai Meshkantsov would tie the game up going into the first intermission.
New Jersey would put the pressure to start the second and would score in the early part of
the period with Alex Papaspyropoulos scoring on a puck that bumbled through the slot and
got into the back of the net to make it 3-2 New Jersey. Maryland thought they had even the
score on a Liam Doherty carom off the glass and into the net— but the puck hit the
linesman, resulting in a no-goal. Tyler Stern would get the game back even after a redirect
from a Sebastien Brockman shot to make it 3-3, which is where it would lead after 40
minutes.
The third period was a give-and-take frame, with both sides trying to end it in regulation.
Maryland took the forefront with plenty of chances, many pucks trickling in front, but they
could not convert. New Jersey’s chances came few and far between, but neither team could
find the back of the net, leading to overtime. In overtime, Maryland came close with a frantic
flurry in the middle part of the extra frame, but couldn’t convert.
In the shootout, Papaspyropoulos was the lone goal scorer with New Jersey taking the 4-3
victory.
These two teams will face-off once again on Saturday night for Fan Appreciation Night,
which will include full team autographs and a Skate with the Black Bears after the game.
Limited tickets are available at Tickets.MarylandBlackBears.com.or at the Piney Orchard Ice
Arena box office.