BRANTFORD, ONT – The Brantford Titans concluded the home portion of the regular season schedule on Saturday with the Ayr Centennials in town. The Titans also celebrated the careers of their graduating players on Saturday as they held a ceremony for captain Jack Pancoe and alternate captain Ethan Szabo.
It would only take 2:43 for Ethan Szabo to once again rewrite the record books as his assist on Tyler Crisostomo’s opening goal would be his 37th and he is the new record holder for assists in a single season. It would be Crisostomo’s 35th goal of the season to make it 1-0. Adam Stipan would also pick up an assist on the goal. Titans would continue to get their looks on goal but could not beat Centennials goaltender Elliot Hartwick. Ayr would get the first power play of the game, they could not convert but moments after the penalty expired, Logan Biser scored his 3rd of the season to tie the game at 1. It would remain tied heading into the first intermission with the Titans outshooting the Centennials 13-9.
In the second period, the two teams would alternate goals throughout the entire frame. It started 7:28 into the period when Joshua Currie scored his first GOJHL goal on the doorstep to put his team back out in front. Ryan Scriven and Jack Pancoe would pick up the assists. Ayr would answer back as Tyler Graham scored his 9th of the season with the Centennials on a 5on3 power play. Ethan Szabo would then make it 3-2 Titans as he would receive a pass from Jack Pancoe that hit a stick in front, went into the air and Szabo would bat it into the back of the net to put his team back on top. Pancoe and Stipan collected the assists. Ayr would respond to retie the game at 3 before Adam Stipan would deflect a Patrick Babin point shot past Hartwick to put the Titans in front again. With his 28th assist of the season, Patrick Babin sets a new franchise record for assists by a defence man in a single season. Tyler Crisostomo would also pick up an assist on the play. Titans would lead 4-3 heading into the second intermission outshooting Ayr 26-16.
It would be a fairly quiet third period other than Max Macerollo tying the game at four at the 8:48 mark of the final period. The game would head to overtime tied at four with Brantford leading in the shot department 3-23 through regulation.
The Centennials would begin the extra frame on the power play as Kyle Henneberry took a penalty with 6 seconds left in the third. Carter Vicente stood on his head keeping the puck out, allowing his defence to get a couple of clears and kill off the penalty. Kaleb Frank would later draw a penalty as he was tripped cutting to the goal to give the Titans a man advantage. At the 3:33 mark of overtime, more magic from Ethan Szabo as he buried his 31st of the season and 2nd of the game to give the Titans a 5-4 win.
For the time being, the Brantford Titans move 3 points ahead of Pelham for 8th place in the Eastern Conference and are even in points with Hamilton for 7th. Hamilton does hold the tiebreaker if they remain even after the weekend. Brantford will finish their regular season schedule tomorrow in Pelham.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo6Ph5LqWik
