The Generals continued their winning streak in the month of December, taking down the New Jersey Titans at home on Friday, Dec. 8, 3-4, and Saturday, Dec. 9, 2-3.
The Generals saw themselves down early in game one of the series, with the Titans scoring 12 and a half minutes into the game to go ahead 1-0. Forward Mason Frary responded just 10 seconds later with his fifth goal of the season to make it 1-1, before New Jersey shot back three minutes later to end the first at 2-1. Defensemen Garret Greenwood, who was recently tendered by the Generals NAHL squad and was a call up from the Generals Academy U18 team, scored his first NA3HL goal four minutes into the second period to tie the game up once again, this time at 2-2. Forwards Gabe Vijuk and Matej Zivcak then gave the Generals the go ahead, and game winning goals, just a minute apart from one another, with Vijuk scoring his 18th nine minutes in, and Zivcak scoring his fifth half way through the period to jump ahead 4-2.
The Titans found the back of the net with a minute remaining in the game with the goalie pulled to make it 4-3, but Northeast was able to fend off the visiting Titans for the victory, starting the weekend off with the comeback. Vijuk and Frary both led in scoring with a goal and assist, while forward Levente Pakozdi and Caiden Hess also collected two assists. Goaltender Danial Antal led the way in net, saving 20 of the 23 shots he faced in the win.
Game two saw the Generals take the lead first this time around, even with neither team scoring until the second period. Vijuk found the back of the net on a transition play to give him his team leading 19th goal, giving the Generals the lead 12:50 into the second. The third period saw the majority of the action the rest of the way, with skater John Rodgers finding the back of the net twice after assisting on Vijuk’s earlier goal. Rodgers scored a minute into the period to make it 2-0, before New Jersey responded four minutes later to bring it within one. Rodgers rifled another one into the net nine minutes into the period for the game winning goal, as the Titans responded with just four and a half minutes remaining to make it 3-2. The Generals fought off the Titans for the rest of the match up, allowing Northeast to extend their win streak to nine.
Goaltender Mike Foglia received the start and the win, walking away with 16 saves on 18 shots. Rodgers and Hess led the team in points, with Hess collecting three assists, as well as Rodgers’ sixth and seventh goals and seventh assist propelling the Generals to victory. Hess collected five points on the weekend.
The Generals will travel to the RoseGarden Ice Arena to take on the Norwich Sea Captains on Wednesday, Dec. 13, before returning home for their final game in December to take on the Sea Captains again, this time at home at the New England Sports Village on Friday, Dec. 15.