DANBURY, CT– Heading into Danbury for the first time this season, the Maryland Black Bears were looking to get the wins they needed to get in the early season and leave no doubt as the season goes on. They did that and put in the work to sweep yet another weekend series.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27th, 2023: BLACK BEARS (4) at Danbury (1): In the first of two matinee match-ups on the weekend, the Black Bears came to play in a big way. They attacked the Danbury net and put plenty of good chances up in the first half of the first frame, Luke Janus chief among them; but Miles Roberts was able to hold the Black Bears at bay. It wasn’t until 5:58 into the period when, on a delayed call, Jesse Horacek hammered home his sixth of the season to finish off a great passing play between himself, Adam Schankula, and Dimitry Kebreau to put the Black Bears up 1-0. Maryland kept pressing and after the halfway mark, Schankula would get on the board with his sixth of the year, redirecting a Keaton Lipsett shot to put Maryland up 2-0. While he wasn’t tested much, Owen Lepak was on his game when called upon, stopping all six first period shots against him.
The second period had ebbs and flows, with both sides getting chances at either end, but both Lepak and Roberts were equal to those tasks. It wasn’t until there was under five minutes left when Evan Sofikitis notched his first NAHL goal, coming down the right side and ripping home a shot through Roberts to make it a 3-0 Maryland lead. With under a minute left, however, Danbury got onto the board with Alexios Georgaklis finding a loose puck in front for his first of the goal and cutting into the Black Bears lead as they headed into the second intermission.
Maryland got an early power play, however, and made short work of it, as Matthew Croxall put away his sixth of the season to restore the Black Bears three-goal lead. Danbury tried to claw back into it, but Lepak and the Black Bears defense didn’t let them get close, as they closed it out in style and gave Maryland the 4-1 win and Lepak his first NAHL victory.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 28th, 2023: BLACK BEARS (7) at Danbury (3): Danbury came out of the gate faster than on Friday’s match-up, but Owen Lepak was zeroed in on the pick to start with a couple solid saves to keep the game scoreless in the early going. Maryland’s offense started to see some light after the Danbury punches, which led to Jesse Horacek opening up the scoring for a second straight night with a low wrister that got through the wickets of CJ Kier to make it 1-0 Black Bears. More solid stops by Lepak and the Black Bears were able to go into the intermission up 1-0.
The Black Bears got things started off early with Luke Amell jumping into the offensive side of things with his first of the season with a big wrister from the right face off circle to make it 2-0 for the Black Bears. Danbury got one back with Liam Varmecky converting on a power play with a wrist shot through traffic that alluded Lepak and made it 2-1. Maryland punched back with Adam Schankula putting home his seventh of the year off an offensive zone face off and into the top shelf over Kier’s shoulder to make it 3-1 Maryland. It didn’t stop for the Black Bears, as on a power play just past the halfway point, Amell fired home his second of the game from the point to make it 4-1. Both sides had their chances after the second Amell goal, but neither could find the back of the net before the intermission.
Maryland was unable to convert on an early power play, which gave Danbury a little momentum. That momentum led Noah Ziskie to get his second of the year, putting over the shoulder of Lepak and cutting the Maryland lead to 4-2. The Black Bears answered quickly, as Schankula got a lead pass from a turnover created by Dimitry Kebreau and put it home for his second of the game to make it 5-2. Only 1:01 later, Keanu Krenn put home his fifth of the year after havoc happened in front, letting the puck squirt out to Krenn who put home to make it 6-2. Danbury would get a power play past the midway point, which gave Emerson Molas his fourth of the year with the man advantage to cut the Maryland lead in half, yet again. With plenty of net front presence, Danbury rang a shot off the post in the late minutes, but they could not get closer. Ryder Nienhaus put his third of the season into the empty net to give the Black Bears the 7-3 lead and the sweep on the weekend.
The Black Bears are back home at Piney Orchard this coming weekend against the Rochester Jr. Americans. Tickets are available at Tickets.MarylandBlackBears.com or at the Piney Orchard box office.
Clutch And Crab Hockey 