FPHL 
Game Preview: Hat Tricks vs. Dashers HC | March 21, 2025
LAST TIME OUT
A big offensive night featuring two goals each from Chase Harwell and Aleksandr Vasilyev powered the Hat Tricks to a 5-4 road win over HC Venom on Wednesday.
Harwell and Vasilyev each scored in the first at 9:06 and 15:27 respectively, lifting Danbury to a 2-0 lead.
Dzianis Zaichyk and Jonas Leas countered in the middle frame, each scoring on the power play 1:52 apart to tie the game at three. Harwell also scored on the power play at 13:17 of the second and Vasilyev buried the game-winner at 12:09 of the third. Vasilyev returned from the 15-day injury reserve following a six-game absence.
In the third, Zaichyk potted a shorthanded goal in the slot, trimming Danbury’s advantage to 5-4 with 4:07 remaining.
Cory Anderson had a goal and an assist, scoring at 5:21 of the second on an outlet to put the Hat Tricks back ahead by two, 3-1.
Besides HC Venom’s two power play goals in the second, Danbury was 5-for-7 on the penalty kill. The Hat Tricks outshot the Venom, 46-30, including a 25-9 difference in the second.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Friday night marks the third of four games between the Hat Tricks and the Dashers this season. The two sides last faced off in a two-game series on Feb. 7–8 in Danbury and the Hat Tricks won both (5-2W, 7-2W).
On Feb. 7, Danbury clawed back from a 2-1 deficit, scoring four unanswered goals to finish the game and register its eighth come-from-behind win of the season. The following day, the Hat Tricks trailed 1-0 early in the first period but netted six goals in a row to win.
Before the teams’ first two-game set this season, they had not met since Danbury’s inaugural season in 2019-20. That season—Danville’s last before returning this campaign—the Dashers won three of the four matchups by a combined seven goals.
This weekend marks the final games of the season series.
In the series, Jacob Ratcliffe (1g, 3a) and Gleb Bandurkin (2g, 2a) each have a team-high four points for Danbury. Conor McCollum (26-for-28) and Frankie McClendon (39-for-41) each have a win.
For the Dashers, Zac Horn (1g, 1a) and Blake Siewertsen (2 assists) are the top contributors in the series. Parker Rutherford (29-for-34) has a loss in one start.
ABOUT THE DASHERS
The Dashers enter tonight’s matchup in last place in the Empire Division. They are 2-42-3 with nine points, 24 behind HC Venom for sixth place, and have been eliminated from playoff contention.
The Dashers have won two games this season, Oct. 25 against Athens (3-1) and, the latest, Thursday at HC Venom (7-3W). Thursday snapped a 43-game losing streak that spanned 145 days. Despite the win, they have dropped 28 of their last 29 games and have been shut out six times this season.
Since the Dashers last played the Hat Tricks, they are 1-13, losing 13 straight games decided by 4.8 goals per contest, before Thursday.
On March 4, the Dashers and former head coach Stephen Esau (0-17) mutually parted ways. Two days later, Paul Maclean was appointed as the team’s new head coach. Maclean served the Dashers as an assistant coach in the 2018-19 season in his first FPHL coaching stop but was fired mid-season. Maclean coached Elmira, Watertown, Delaware, and Baton Rouge before this season.
The Dashers are led by Blake Siewertsen, who has team highs in points (23), goals (9) and assists (14).
Goaltender Parker Rutherford is 2-24-2 and has a 5.18 GAA. Jack Hudec has yet to start since joining the Dashers on March 13.
HAT TRICKS HEADLINES
The Hat Tricks have won 19 of their last 26 games (15-4-3-4) and hold points in 20 of the last 22 as they try to clinch the second seed in the Empire Division.
Friday’s contest marks the first of four home games remaining in the regular season for the Hat Tricks. They will take on the Dashers again on Saturday before playing at Binghamton next Friday for the start of a home-and-home with the Black Bears.
On home ice, Danbury has won 12 of its last 14 contests, with its lone two losses against Port Huron (3-2OTL) on Feb. 28 and HC Venom (5-4OTL) on March 8. It has scored 5.7 goals per game in those home victories, including a nine-game win streak stretching from Jan. 3–Feb. 22 that included two HC Venom home contests played in Danbury.
The Hat Tricks are 23-12-8-5 with 87 points and lead Port Huron by nine points for second place in the Empire Division. The Prowlers (20-16-6-6) swept the Motor City Rockers in a home-and-home series last weekend to clinch a playoff berth, while Watertown (20-18-3-5) lost two in a row to Danbury (5-2) and Carolina (7-1) to drop to fourth.
Danbury has played well down the stretch going 4-1-2-1 over its last eight games (16 points). On the power play, it ranks second (24.5%) in the FPHL and is tied with Watertown for the second-most goals (48). The Hat Tricks have cashed in on the man advantage in seven of their previous eight contests.
Although Danbury’s penalty kill is 11th in the league (77.5%) and has allowed the fourth-most goals (45), it remains 70-for-79 across the last 16 games. The Hat Tricks have scored 12 shorthanded goals, two behind Binghamton for the league lead.
Gleb Bandurkin leads the Hat Tricks in points (54) and goals (28). Jacob Ratcliffe has a team-high 32 assists.
VASILYEV’S ROARING RETURN
Aleksandr Vasilyev scored two goals, including the game-winner at 12:09 of the third period, on Wednesday in his return from the 15-day injury reserve. Following a six-game absence, the 35-year-old forward recorded his first game-winning goal since Danbury’s win at Port Huron (5-2W) on Nov. 30. Vasilyev has two game-winning goals and 12 multi-point performances this season.
TOP LINE IS A JUGGERNAUT
The Jonny Ruiz-Chase Harwell-Jacob Ratcliffe line has dominated during the past three games, combining for 11 points (5g, 6a). Ruiz, who’s riding a five-game point streak (3-3-6), notched an assist on Wednesday and his team-high fifth shorthanded goal at Binghamton on Friday. Harwell scored two goals on Wednesday and has potted five goals over his last five outings, and Ratcliffe tallied a helper, his second in three contests, on Wednesday. The three forwards have totaled 145 points (64g, 81a) in their second season playing together.
“SCORY CORY” SHOWS GLORY
Cory Anderson had a goal and an assist on Wednesday and extended his point streak (1-2-2) to two games. The third-year forward logged his sixth multi-point outing of the season including four consecutive two-point games from Feb. 2–14. In his first season back from a two-year hiatus (2022-24) from professional hockey, Anderson has provided 13 goals and 14 assists in 43 appearances.
ROOKIE RUSSIANS
Rookies Gleb Bandurkin and Vadim Frolov have been a big piece to the puzzle for Danbury offensively this season. Bandurkin, the team leader in points (54) and goals (28) notched an assist on Wednesday extending his point-scoring streak to seven games (3-6-9). Frolov, who holds a team-high five game-winning goals, also assisted on a goal Thursday pushing his point streak to five games (7a) with 19 points over his previous 13 games (6g, 13a).
NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET
Despite standing eight games from their fifth Commissioner’s Cup playoff appearance, the Hat Tricks hold a nine-point lead over the Port Huron Prowlers for second place in the division and battle the Empire Division champion Binghamton Black Bears three more times during that stretch. Danbury is also tasked with winning its season series against Watertown, tied at five games, in its final meeting with the Wolves on April 12. In their final eight contests of last year’s regular season, the Hat Tricks were 4-2-1-1.
ABOUT DANBURY HAT TRICKS:
The Danbury Hat Tricks are a professional hockey team based in Danbury, CT and compete in the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL). Since their founding in 2019, the 2023 Commissioner's Cup Champions have brought thrilling, fast-paced, and hard-hitting hockey to the Danbury Ice Arena, earning a reputation for their competitive spirit, electric atmosphere and strong community ties. The team is dedicated to providing an unforgettable game-day experience for fans of all ages while proudly representing the city of Danbury.
Off the ice, the Hat Tricks are committed to fostering connections within the local community through outreach programs with schools, businesses and charities. By developing top-tier hockey talent and growing the sport in the region, the Hat Tricks aim to bring the community together and deliver entertainment that leaves a lasting impact.
The 2025 Commissioner's Cup Playoffs start next month, and our playoff ticket package is on sale now! Lock in your seats for the full playoff run and save. A comprehensive postseason package is just $72—only $12 per ticket, a 35% discount. If any games are not played, you will receive a refund or a credit for the 2025-26 season. To purchase a playoff package, email herm@danburyhattricks.com or call 973-713-7547.
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