If their record is any indication, the Rye Town/Harrison Titans have had an answer for just about everything this year. The only thing they haven’t figured out yet, is how to beat Mount Pleasant.
On Jan. 18, the Titans dropped their second contest of the year to the Ice Cats 5-1, delaying their coronation as league champions for at least another week in the process.
At 13-3, the Titans’ only other loss this season has come at the hands of reigning Division I champion Scarsdale.
According to Titans’ coach Jason Head, Rye Town/Harrison has struggled to hang with with the Ice Cats despite playing with – and beating – several teams ranked higher in the local hockey rankings. Head was pleased, however, that Titans came out stronger on Monday than they did in a 8-2 loss on Dec. 12.
“In that first game, we were riding a five-game winning streak, came out a little flat and I don’t think we were mentally prepared,” he said. “On Monday, they just jumped on us early and we had a bunch of bounces that just didn’t go our way.”
Mount Pleasant started strong on Monday, finding the net twice in the opening period and extending the lead to three goals early in the second before the Titans got on the board on a goal from Max Picker.
The Ice Cats made the most of their opportunities, adding two goals in the final period, despite holding a scant 29-28 advantage in shots on goal.
Michael Sala led the way for Mount Pleasant, scoring twice and dishing out an assist, while Lucas van Bramer was solid in net, making 27 saves on the evening.
“We had a lot of chances, but [van Bramer] stood on his head,” Head said. “They found a way to finish, while we found a lot of posts.”
Monday’s loss was especially disheartening for the Titans, who would have clinched their third-straight league title with a win. With two games left against in-conference opponents, the Titans will look to wrap up the league on Feb. 1, when they host the combined Eastchester/Tuckahoe/Bronxville/Edgemont squad at 6:30 p.m. According to Head, however, the Titans have set their sights higher than winning the league.
“We try not to look to much into that,” he said. “Our main goal is just focusing on the playoffs and getting a higher seed than last year.”
Prior to that game, however, they will have to take on perennial powerhouse Suffern, which is currently 10-2 on the year.
“Suffern and Clarkstown, those are the two big tests that we still have left on our schedule,” Head said. “We can’t hang our heads, now, we’ve got to be mentally prepared for the playoff push.”
