The Maine Nordiques survived.
The Nordiques defeated the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks 3-2 in overtime at the Danbury Ice Arena in Danbury, Connecticut, on Saturday.
“We weren’t our best today and we are aware of that,” Maine Nordiques coach Matt Pinchevsky said. “That’s the most important thing, and we know we have to get back to work and get better.”
Danbury (2-39-7, 11 points) hasn’t won a game since a 2-1 victory over the Nordiques at The Colisee on Oct. 21.
Henrik Hallberg notched the game-winning goal for the Nordiques (25-16-3, 53 points) on the power play early in the overtime session. Brendan Gibbons and Nicholas Bernardo had the assists.
Pinchevsky said the team worked on the 4-on-3 power play specifically in practice this week.
Maine went 2 for 7 on the man-advantage and Danbury went 0 for 4.
The power play got things started for the Nordiques when Bernardo notched his eighth goal of the season. Forwards Aidan Coupe and Oliver Genest helped set it up with 3:19 remaining in the first period.
Genest extended his goal-scoring streak to three games when he beat Danbury goalie Thomas Kiesewetter (34 saves) — who played for the Maine Nordiques Academy last season — 45 seconds after Bernardo’s goal. Kellen Murphy and newcomer Hunter Fetterolf — who the Nordiques acquired from the El Paso Rhinos earlier this month — had the assists.
“That combination has been good to us,” Pinchevsky said. “You have the worth ethic and speed from Hunter. Kellen Murphy has good vision and finishing touch and is a very explosive player — he’s a spark plug out there. I’d say Oli is the professor on that line; he sees things develop before they happen.”
Logan Furstenau cut the Hat Tricks’ deficit in half with about three minutes remaining in the second period, as the puck got by Nordiques goalie Kael DePape (25 saves).
Pinchevsky said the Nordiques missed a few details that kept the Hat Tricks in the game.
“It caught up to us and gave them some life to build on,” Pinchevsky said. “Instead of their last memory of being Oli Genest’s breakaway goal, they scored that first one and that’s their last memory, and they go into the intermission fueled by that feeling. They held onto that feeling and they utilized that feeling to tie the game up.”
Ryan Walker evened the game for Danbury midway through the third period.
The Nordiques host the Johnstown Tomahawks at The Colisee for a three-game set starting Thursday at 7 p.m.
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