Game Preview: Hat Tricks vs. Motor City Rockers | Oct. 18, 2024

The Danbury Hat Tricks open up the 2024-25 season at home against the Motor City Rockers in a rematch of last year’s Empire Division Semifinals. The matchup is the first of a weekend set with the Rockers and marks the start of Hat Tricks’ fifth season in Danbury.

LAST SEASON

The Hat Tricks’ 2023-24 campaign ended with a loss to Motor City in Game 3 of the Empire Division Semifinals (Round 1). Danbury dropped its lone home game of the series, 3-2 in overtime (April 19) and despite grabbing a 4-2 win in Game 2 (April 20), fell 4-1 in the win-or-go-home contest to end the season (April 21). Danbury finished with a 22-19-6-9 record in the regular season, just seven points back of the Rockers (97) for the second-best record in the division. Danbury’s playoff berth marked the third consecutive season the Hat Tricks advanced to the Commissioner’s Cup Playoffs. 

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Hat Tricks start their fifth season with two games at home versus the Rockers. The two sides are set to face off seven times this season, five times in Danbury and twice in Fraser, Mich. The Hat Tricks travel to Fraser on Dec. 6 to continue the season series before returning to Danbury on Dec. 20 for the series’ fifth game. The second week of January brings the teams to their final meeting of the regular season with a two-game set at the Danbury Ice Arena.

Last season, the Hat Tricks lost the winner-take-all game of the opening round playoffs series against Motor City. The Rockers snatched a three-goal lead late in the second period and Motor City netminder Trevor Babin stole the show, especially down the stretch, stopping 42 of 43 shots on goal. Scott Coash, Motor City’s leading goal scorer in the regular season, buried two for the Rockers. Danbury was 0-for-19 on the power play in the series while Motor City connected twice on the man advantage. 

In the regular season, the division opponents only met twice, a two-game series from Dec. 1–2 in Danbury. The sides split the set, with the Rockers taking the first game in overtime, 5-4, and the Hat Tricks responding the next night in regulation, 5-3. 

ABOUT THE ROCKERS

Motor City enters its third season as an FPHL franchise coming off its second straight postseason berth and second-place finish in the Empire Division standings (27-19-4-6). Before being swept by the Commissioner’s Cup champion Binghamton Black Bears in the Empire Division Finals, the Rockers took down the Hat Tricks two games to one in the first round. 

Former Rockers head coach Gordie Brown won FPHL Coach of the Year in 2023-24, but resigned this offseason to pursue other opportunities. Former Motor City Mechanics head coach Steven Shannon steps in with 48 years of coaching experience.

The Rockers finished last regular season with the 3rd-ranked power play (26.6%), and 2nd-best penalty kill (83.3%) in the FPHL. The Rockers were led by Scott Coash who paced the team in goals (28) and points (56) in the regular year while forward Pavel Svintsov topped the team with 35 assists and was 2nd in points (44). 

HAT TRICKS HEADLINES

The Hat Tricks open up the 2024-25 season at home against the Motor City Rockers in the first game of a weekend set.

Entering their fifth season, the Hat Tricks return 15 players from last season’s squad, including all six defensemen and three goaltenders. Additionally, the team’s two leading goal scorers, Jonny Ruiz and Corey Cunningham are back as well as second-year goaltender Conor McCollum.

Ruiz, the Hat Tricks’ all-time points leader and last season’s league leader in power play goals (12) and shorthanded goals (5), led Danbury in points (74), goals (38), assists (36,) and has become the team’s new co-head coach alongside alternate captain Kyle Gonzalez. McCollum won a league-high and rookie-record 24 games with a 3.00 GAA in his first season in Danbury, moving to second in franchise history for the second-most single-season wins.

NEW SEASON, NEW NAMES

Friday marks the start of the Ruiz-Gonzalez coaching era in Danbury, with both players still serving as vital players on the ice. After Billy McCreary departed for the Kalamazoo Wings  (ECHL) this offseason, captain Jonny Ruiz and assistant captain Kyle Gonzalez undertake co-head coaching duties. Former director of goaltending Matt Voity was named the Hat Tricks’ new general manager after serving in his prior role for the past four seasons. In his three combined seasons with the Hat Tricks, McCreary finished his coaching tenure with a franchise-high 106 wins.

ABDELLA MAKES IT THREE

Defenseman Xavier Abdella returns to Danbury after tallying a career-high 13 points, including 12 assists, last season. The Albany, N.Y., native spent his first season with the Hat Tricks in 2022-23, providing four assists in their quest for their first Commissioner’s Cup title. Abdella was initially slated to play for Les Coqs de Courbevoie in France, but a visa issue has him back in Danbury for a third season.

RATCLIFFE RETURNS

Forward Jacob Ratcliffe recorded a career-high 46 points last season, scoring 15 goals next to 31 assists to finish with Danbury’s second-most points. This summer, the Canterbury, New Zealand, native won an AIHL championship with the Canberra Brave and was named the Finals MVP after posting four points (2g, 2a) in a 5-0 win. Also, he won the Team MVP after notching 42 points (17g, 25a) in 21 games.

YEAR TWO FOR CUNNINGHAM

Left-winger Corey Cunningham, the Hat Tricks’ Rookie of the Year last season, led Danbury’s point scoring in its postseason series versus the Rockers. The Prince George, British Columbia, native registered three assists over the three games, and had five points in five games versus Motor City last season (2g, 3a). Cunningham netted 23 goals, seven of which came on the power play, for the second most on the team behind Jonny Ruiz). 

“A” FOR JOSH LABELLE

Defenseman Josh Labelle returns for a second season in Danbury, having changed jersey numbers from No. 5 to 9 and adding an “A” to his jersey. Labelle’s best point-scoring season came last year with the Hat Tricks, providing 19 assists and a career-high 23 goals en route to 34 points.

MCCOLLUM RETAKES THE NET

After leading the FPHL in wins (24) as a rookie last season, Conor McCollum re-signed with the Hat Tricks this offseason. From a .918 save percentage and an Empire Division First-Team All-Rookie nod, McCollum looks to replicate those numbers in his second FPHL season. It was just 20 games into the goaltender’s rookie season to collect his first shutout on Dec. 22 as he started in 38 of 39 games appeared in. Before arriving in Danbury, the 27-year-old goaltender spent five seasons at Acadia University.

“SCORY CORY” SUITS UP AGAIN

Cory Anderson returns to Danbury following a two-year hiatus from pro hockey.  The forward last played for the Hat Tricks in the 2021-22 FPHL season, before spending two seasons in the SPHL. In his two combined seasons in Danbury, Anderson scored 56 goals and collected 32 assists to remain third all-time in most goals scored in Hat Tricks history and fourth in all-time points with 88. The Bakersfield, Calif., native sits just two goals behind Dmitry Kuznetzov, who played for the Hat Tricks from 2021 to 2024.

HAT TRICKS SEASON FIVE

The fifth season of Hat Tricks hockey comes with achievements to reflect on from the first four. In just their third season in 2023, the Hat Tricks won their first FPHL Commissioner’s Cup. The Hat Tricks had the league’s Coach of the Year Billy McCreary and Goaltender of the Year Brian Wilson on their cup team in 2023. In four seasons, the Hat Tricks have never missed the playoffs (three berths) and have finished third or better in the Empire Division, with first-place finishes in 2019-20 and 2022-23.  Furthermore, the Hat Tricks have advanced to second-round or further twice. In 11 FPHL seasons with a Danbury-based franchise - four with the Hat Tricks - the city has had a team in the finals five times.

FPHL'S FIFTEEN

The 15th season of the FPHL begins this October with the Hat Tricks’ entering their fifth season in the league. The FPHL has welcomed 37 expansion franchises since 2010, with four new teams, the Athens Rock Lobsters, Hudson Valley Venom, Monroe Moccasins, and Dashers Hockey debuting this season. With 14 teams as league members, this FPHL season holds the highest number of teams in league history. One of the league’s first six teams was the Danbury Whalers, who won their only Federal Hockey League Commissioner’s Cup in 2013 and led the league in home attendance in the league’s first five seasons. Before the 2015-16 season, the Whalers were renamed as the Titans following their eviction from the Danbury Ice Arena in April 2015 and a change in ownership. The Titans would fold after the 2016-17 season before the Hat Tricks were introduced as a league member in May 2019.

Single-game tickets for the season opener and the entire 28-game home slate are on sale! In addition, full and partial season memberships 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, Connecticut, competing in the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL). Since their founding in 2019, the Hat Tricks have brought thrilling, hard-hitting hockey to the Danbury Ice Arena, earning a reputation for their fierce competitive spirit and strong community presence. The team is dedicated to providing an exciting game-day experience for fans of all ages, with a focus on building long-lasting connections within the local community.

Proudly representing Danbury, the Hat Tricks are committed to excellence both on and off the ice. In addition to developing top-tier hockey talent, the team engages in numerous community outreach programs, fostering relationships with local schools, businesses, and charities. The Hat Tricks aim to continue growing the sport of hockey in the area and provide entertainment that brings the community together.

Whether you're a die-hard hockey fan or new to the sport, the Danbury Hat Tricks promise an unforgettable experience every time they take the ice.