DANBURY –
The Johnstown Tomahawks (1-0-0) defeated the Danbury Hat Tricks (0-1-0) by a score of 4-1, putting on an impressive showcase on opening night of the 2025-26 NAHL season. Tomahawks Captain Nick Jarmain (1G,1A) and Assistant Captain Jack Genovese (2G,0A) led the way with two points each and goaltender Zack Ferris made 25 saves for the victory. Of the six returning Tomahawks players, at least one of them factored in on all four goals for their team, providing a bolstering amount of leadership moving forward.
It was an expected adjustment period to start Friday’s opening game of the NAHL season with both teams skating in several new players, some who have NAHL experience, most who don’t. The adjustments weren’t uneventful however, each side took a few minutes to really start connecting on passes but the first period was played at a relatively quick pace given the circumstance. Tomahawks captain Nick Jarmain was assessed the first penalty of the season after backchecking to save a breakaway opportunity, the type of penalty any coach would take any day of the week. One of the brightest spots of the Tomahawks season last year was their penalty-killing. They got off to a hot start in the PK department again killing off the penalty and even generating a mini-breakaway chance of their own off the stick of forward Evan Kensey. Both goaltenders, Zack Ferris for Johnstown and Jon Dukaric for Danbury, made their fair share of saves, both producing shutout first periods. The teams skated to the locker room still tied at 0-0, and the shots on goal after the 1st were an even 10-10.
The Tomahawks grabbed their first powerplay chance of the game just two-minutes into the 2nd. However, the Danbury penalty-kill was also up to the task as they limited the Hawks to a couple of outside opportunities but no real threats. At the 13:30 mark of the 2nd period, Danbury broke the ice and struck first after a failed Tomahawks attempt to clear a rebound. Although unfortunate to surrender the first goal, the Hawks were given a chance to get it right back as they were sent to their second powerplay just 45 seconds after the Danbury goal. As the powerplay was dwindling down, defenseman Cam Ross slid a pass over Jack Genovese on the flank and he put a long-range wrister onto the net and it somehow found its way home through multiple net-front bodies and it was 1-1. Danbury had themselves a strong answer to the Hawks goal as well, closing out the final five-minutes of the 2nd with a really strong push but nothing doing. The score remained tied after two periods but this time at 1-1. Shots on goal were also still tied, just like the first at 18-18.
A big 3rd period was ahead for the Tomahawks looking to open up their season on the right foot and grab the victory. In a tight game like this one, it usually doesn’t bode well when you take a penalty just 30 seconds into the final period like the Tomahawks did, but luckily it seemed to have spark a little bit too much animosity. Danbury barely made it through 15 seconds on the powerplay when they took one of their own sending us to 4-on-4 hockey. When you take two players off the ice at this level, eventually the skill will just take over. That’s exactly what Hawks defenseman Kalib Capecci used to his advantage as he created some space in the offensive zone thanks to a nice body pick from Nick Jarmain and ripped one past the goaltender to give his team the lead at 2-1. Capecci was really all over the ice in the game generating chances, and throwing the body around, it’s no surprise he was rewarded. After getting the lead in the 3rd, a strong defensive effort was going to be required to come out victorious but before they got to defense, the Captain found a way to bank one into the back of the net just 21 seconds later and doubled the lead to 3-1. Tomahawks veteran goaltender Zack Ferris seemed to have not lose a step after missing the ladder half of the season last year due to injury as he only seemed to get more comfortable as the game went on. Every chance that Danbury seemed to get in the 3rd, was swallowed up by Ferris’ glove or stomach with no rebound. Keeping their foot on the gas late in the game, the Tomahawks were given a ton of breathing room as Jack Genovese sniped one bar-down on the Hat Tricks goaltender and it was 4-1 with just over three-minutes to play.
That’s how things would shake out at the final buzzer as well as the Tomahawks start off with an impressive 4-1 victory on the road in the season opener. Final shots on goal for the contest were 30 for Johnstown and 26 for Danbury.
Catch your Johnstown Tomahawks back in action at the same time, and same place tomorrow night on NATV! We’ll look to grab both games in the opening series of the season against the Hat Tricks with a 7:00 PM puck drop on Saturday, September 13th.
BY: DREW P. PFEIL