HAT TRICKS COMPLETE PERFECT HOMESTAND, EXTEND STREAK TO NINE

by Josh Starr

DANBURY, CT – The Danbury Hat Tricks (14-3-1, 40 pts) capped off a perfect seven-game homestand with their ninth-straight victory 4-1 over the Delaware Thunder (0-13-1, 1 pt) on Thursday night.

Jonny Ruiz had his 16-game point streak end on Saturday, but wasted no time getting back on the board on Thursday.

Ruiz opened the scoring just 1:05 into the game, scoring his 16th of the season from Gordy Bonnel and Joe Pelle.

“It’s great to set the tone early in a game,” said head coach Dave MacIsaac. “You can control the game a lot easier when you get an early lead.”

Cory Anderson continued the scoring, recording his second straight two-goal game. Anderson scored back-to-back goals to put the Hat Tricks up 3-0 just past the halfway point of regulation.

Four different Hat Tricks recorded assists on Anderson’s two goals. Dustin Jesseau, Tal Finberg, Johnny Macdonald and Dmitry Kuznetsov all tallied helpers.

In the second period, physicality took over the game. In a three-minute stretch of the second, there were four fighting majors and three ejections, including Delaware goaltender Trevor Babin.

To start the third, Cory Anderson put a bow on a three-point night, assisting on Bonnel’s 11th of the season.

Goaltender Brian Wilson secured his sixth win in six games in the orange and black. Wilson stopped 25 of 26 shots he faced.

Wilson started six of the seven games on the Hat Tricks’ homestand and recorded a .936 savepercentage. He only allowed 10 goals in the six contests.

The Hat Tricks will now head on a five-game road trip, starting against Watertown on Monday night