JOHNSTOWN – The Johnstown Tomahawks swept their weekend series with the New Jersey Titans with a 6-4 win Saturday night at 1st Summit Arena.
The Tomahawks sent the teddy bears flying early in the first period when Cameron Hebert deflected a Sam Solensky pass behind the pad of Titans netminder Ryan Winter. Hebert’s 13th of the season was additionally assisted by Carson Brière.
Hebert scored his second of the game and second on the power play at the 18:29 mark of the first period. Oliver Benwell and Brière assisted on Hebert’s 14th of the season.
The second period featured plenty of sin bin minutes as the Titans went to work on the power play for most of the second period.
New Jersey would capitalize with consecutive power play goals from Gavin Gulash, his 11th and 12th of the season respectively for a 2-2 score.
The Titans took their first lead of the weekend over four minutes later when Ryan Naumovski scored on a shorthanded breakaway to give New Jersey the 4-3 advantage.
However, the advantageous Tomahawks would not go quietly into the second intermission.
Carson Brière found a loose puck in the low slot and roofed a shot past Winter for his 22nd of the season and 16th power play goal. Hebert and Benwell assisted on the goal.
Twenty-eight seconds later, the Tomahawks regained the lead after a Bennett Stockdale goal, his 10th, to end a frenetic second frame.
Titans forward Kyler Head tied the game up at 4-4 early in the third period after a puck deflected off of his body past Tomahawks goalie Cooper Lukenda.
Johnstown battled back to regain the lead 5-4 when Benwell chipped in a pass from Austin Friesen for his 14th of the season.
Colin Price scored over one minte later to set the final at 6-4.
The Tomahawks will go into the holiday break with an overal record of 27-5-0 and 54 points, which is first in the North American Hockey League.
Johnstown returns to home ice Sunday, Dec. 30 and Monday, Dec. 31 for the traditional New Year’s Eve hockey game at 1st Summit Arena. Country music star and Cresson native Josh Gallagher will be on hand for an in-game performance. For tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com.
