Venom drop 9-3 decision to Hat Tricks in first game of I-84 rivalry

by Jim Cerny

NEWBURGH, NY – Special teams was the difference in the first meeting of the I-84 rivalry, a 9-3 win for the Danbury Hat Tricks against the Hudson Valley Venom on Saturday at Ice Time Sports Complex.

The Hat Tricks scored five power-play goals and one shorthanded goal to hand the Venom a loss, one night after Hudson Valley won the first game in franchise history, 4-3 over the Port Huron Prowlers.

For the second straight night, Hudson Valley forward Danila Belov opened the scoring. On Saturday, his goal came just 23 seconds into play on the first shot against Hat Tricks goalie Andrew LoRusso.

But Danbury scored the next six goals bridging the first and third periods. Hat Tricks forward Connor Woolley tied it with an even-strength goal at 9:10 of the first period before captain Jonny Ruiz put them ahead for good with a shorthanded breakaway goal at 4:52 of the second period.

It was the start of a big night for Ruiz, who added three assists and finished with four points.

Bohdan Zinchenko’s power-play goal at 14:02 of the second made it 3-1, and Jacob Ratcliffe and Chris Dusek each scored his first goal of the season 45 seconds apart during a 4-on-4 sequence late in the period to put Danbury ahead 5-1.

The third period featured six goals, including four power-play tallies by the Hat Tricks, and two goals for the Venom.

Trailing 6-1, the Venom scored two goals in a span of 1:41to pull within 6-3 midway through the third period. Eimantas Noreika scored his second of the season, roofing a bad-angle shot past LoRusso at 10:28. And Belov followed with his second of the night and third of the season at 12:03. But it wasn’t enough as Danbury answered with three power-play goals, including two by Chase Harwell, to close things out.

Venom goalie John Moriarty made 39 saves on 48 shots, and forward Blake Siewertsen had two assists. LoRusso finished with 25 saves for the Hat Tricks.