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Termine's hat trick propels 87's to 5-1 win over Wildcats

By Anthony Di Paolo, 10/04/17, 4:45PM EDT

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Michael Termine led the 87's with a natural hat trick in a 5-1 win over the Jersey Wildcats on Saturday.

The victory puts the team back on track after dropping two consecutive games against the Vermont Lumberjacks last week. The 87's now have a 4-1-1 record, good for third place in the South Division of the EHLP. 

Head coach Adam Houli said that it was a big two points for the team, who garnered just one point in two games against the Lumberjacks the prior weekend.

"Coming back after two tough losses and getting a resounding win on the road is exciting for the team," he said.

Termine, who was given an honorable mention for the EHLP stars of the week, responded to the Wildcats' opening goal with two of his own. His first goal to even the score was shorthanded breakaway which started by the puck taking a generous bounce off the glass to get out of the 87's defensive end.

"The puck hit a seam in the glass and it went right to my stick," Termine said. "The puck was bobbling around for a bit, so I just decided to get the it on net and get a scoring chance, and fortunately it went in."

Two minutes and twelve seconds later, Termine scored again to give New Jersey the lead by corralling the puck in the high slot and sneaking a shot past the goaltender. 

In the second period, Termine took a pass from Clayton Thomas near the goal and one-timed the puck five-hole to pick up the hat trick, becoming the first player in team history to achieve the feat. 

Termine said his teammates were excited for him during his three-goal outburst, but also noted that he just wanted to put the 87's in a position to win the game.

"Everybody was excited that I was going for the hat trick," he said. "As a player, you always want to score, but you also have to remember to put the team first."

Houli spoke about Termine's experience and leadership on the team and how it reflected in the 87's latest win.

"He plays his role very well, he's a surefire center and he just buried his chances, which is something we spoke about in practice this week, and clearly he took it to heart as it showed in this game," he said.

The win on Saturday also gives the 87's a 2-0 record against the other New Jersey teams, the Wildcats and the Renegades. While the 87's have five more games against each team, Houli said that it's nice to get off to a quick start in the battle for the Garden State.

"We want to show everyone that we're here and that we will remain here for a long time," he said. "Beating two teams that have already been here is exciting for us as an expansion organization."

The 87's go back into action with two games this weekend starting with a home game against the Philadelphia Revolution at 8 p.m. On Sunday, they'll hit the road with a 1 p.m. game against the Central Penn Panthers. Both games will be streamed on hockeytv.com.


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