Game Preview: Hat Tricks vs. HC Venom | Jan. 3, 2024

LAST TIME OUT

The Hat Tricks finished 2024 with their third home shutout loss of the season, 5-0, against the first-place Binghamton Black Bears at the Danbury Ice Arena on Dec. 28. Forward Scott Ramaekers scored two goals to give the Black Bears their fifth win in seven games against the Hat Tricks this season.

Cam Cervone started the scoring in the opening period with his first goal of the season and Ramaekers buried the game’s final goal on the power play in the third period. Tyson Kirkby also had a goal and an assist, scoring in the sixth straight game.

Binghamton’s Connor McAnanama turned in his third shutout of the season and a win for the ninth consecutive start. The second-year goaltender is now the all-time single-season leader in shutouts with three through 15 starts.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Hat Tricks and HC Venom battle in the fourth of 11 meetings this season. Danbury leads the season series 3-1. In the series’ latest matchup, the Hat Tricks won, 5-3, at home on Dec. 14. Connor Woolley tallied a season-high three points (1g, 2a) and the Hat Tricks netted four unanswered second-period goals. The two teams will resume the season series later this month with a three-game series starting on Jan 31. 

Co-head coach and captain Jonny Ruiz and Woolley have each tallied two goals and four assists in the series. Eimantas Noreika has seven points (4g, 3a) in three series contests for HC Venom.

ABOUT HC VENOM

HC Venom has dropped seven of its last 10 games after losing to Binghamton, 7-2, on the road in a rescheduled matchup on Tuesday, Dec. 31.

The Venom have scored just three combined goals in back-to-back losses to Binghamton and Watertown. At 6-10-1-0, HC Venom has 19 points and trails Motor City by nine for fifth place in the Empire Division.

The Venom have scored 21 power play goals, a three-way tie for the third-most (24.1%) in the FPHL. Its penalty kill has allowed the second-most goals (25) and only trails the Dashers (65.9%) for the worst-PK percentage in the league at 73.1%.

Eimantas Noreika is the FPHL’s second-leading goalscorer (20), including a league-high nine on the power play. The first-year forward paces HC Venom with 34 points (20g, 14a). John Moriarty is 5-7-1 in the net and has a 4.52 goals against average.

HAT TRICKS HEADLINES

The Hat Tricks host HC Venom for two games this weekend and have fallen in three of their last five games.

Danbury enters 2025 at 8-8-5-1 with 31 points, one behind Port Huron for third place in the Empire Division. 

With 82 goals scored this season, the Hat Tricks average 3.73 per game. Five of Danbury’s nine wins have been decided by three or more goals.

Danbury is tied with Monroe for the FPHL’s third-most power play goals, with 20, (20.6%). The Hat Tricks are two goals behind Binghamton’s eight shorthanded goals for the league’s most.

Aleksandr Gamzatov, Jacob Ratcliffe, Gleb Bandurkin and Connor Woolley have each notched at least 20 points. Gamzatov has a team-high 23 points (9g, 14a). Bandurkin leads the Hat Tricks in goals (11) and Ratcliffe has a team-high 18 assists.

THIRD SHUTOUT LOSS THIS SEASON

The Hat Tricks took their third shutout loss of the season at home against Binghamton on Saturday. All three shutout losses have come at the Danbury Ice Arena, with the other two against Watertown (6-0) on Nov. 6 and Binghamton (4-0) on Nov. 16. Before this season, Danbury had only been shutout once at home, 3-0, against the Watertown Wolves on April 6, 2022. The Hat Tricks have been shut out four other times in franchise history, twice in Columbus, and once in Carolina and Watertown.

MC GOT THE CALL, RETURNED FROM LOAN

Conor McCollum was called up to the Hartford Wolfpack, the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers, on a professional tryout contract on Saturday for their game against the Springfield Thunderbirds. The Pickering, Ontario, native was returned from loan on Thursday and is expected to start Friday for the Hat Tricks. The second-year netminder has a 6-8-3 record and a 3.53 goals against average in 17 starts this season and led the FPHL in wins as a rookie, with 24, last year.

ADDITIONAL D-MAN ARRIVES, TWO GONE

Jordan Popoff was acquired from Columbus on Monday (Dec. 30), in exchange for cash considerations. The 26-year-old is in his second professional season, appearing in 13 games for the River Dragons this year. Popoff initially signed with Columbus as a free agent last season after brief stints with the Knoxville Ice Bears (SPHL) and Carolina Thunderbirds. Defensemen Dustin Henning and Connor Mullins were both released following the acquisition. Henning played in 19 games this season and Mullins suited up in one after arriving via trade on Dec. 14.

CAPTAIN’S RETURN

Co-head coach and captain Jonny Ruiz returns to Danbury’s lineup on Friday after missing each of the past four games due to a lower-body injury. The franchise’s all-time leader in points (286), goals (153), and games played (219) last played in the Hat Tricks’ 5-3 home win against HC Venom on Dec. 14. Ruiz has logged 18 points (6g, 12a) in 18 games this season, with points in five of the last six (3-6-9) and goals in three of his previous five.

PENALTY KILL STRUGGLES

Danbury allowed a power play goal on Saturday and its penalty kill has been beaten in nine of the past 10 games. The Hat Tricks have surrendered power play goals in 12 of the last 14 games and in 16 of 22 this season. In three games versus the Venom, Danbury’s PK is 9-for-12 (75.0%). The Hat Tricks are tied with Blue Ridge and Mississippi for the third-most power play goals allowed, with 22, in the FPHL (74.7%), trailing only HC Venom (25) and the Dashers (29). Last season, the Hat Tricks allowed 42, the fifth-fewest.

Single-game tickets and full/partial season membership plans are still available for purchase. If you are interested, email herm@danburyhattricks.com or go to Tixr.

To stay up to date on all things Danbury Hat Tricks hockey, go to danburyhattricks.com and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok (@DanburyHatTricks).

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.