By Nicholas Carafa, @ncarafa

Ten games into the 2014-15 GTHL season, the Toronto Titans stand alone and undefeated atop the Minor Midget AAA standings.

At 9-0-1, the squad is showing that their defensive group is one of the best in the League. Head coach Bob Marshall teaches to build from the net out, a mentality that has led to a stifling Titans defence in the early part of the season – they have surrendered only eight goals through their first 10 games.

“The kids have really bought into playing without the puck,” said Marshall. “You don’t have the puck on your stick for too long during the game so if you don’t know what you’re doing without it then you’re in trouble.”

The Titans’ attention to detail and dominance on the back end provides a legitimate explanation to their hot start, but with only eight goals against so far – the next closest team has allowed 17 in 10 games – it’s hard to ignore their goaltending.

At six-foot-one, Brendan Bonello’s size allows him to take away a lot of room from the opposition while his counterpart, Adam Scott, relies on his mobility and according to Marshall, leads the team with his “quiet confidence” in net.

“Bonello never gives up on a puck and he battles all the way through,” said Marshall. “He’s one of those guys that can make the impossible save when you need it so he’s been really good for us.”

At 15, size makes a significance difference on the ice and in the case of defenceman Robert Proner; it has shaped him into a versatile blueliner for Marshall’s club, logging big minutes on both the power play and penalty kill.

“Robert is a big, tough and strong kid that takes away a lot of time and space out there. A lot of kids are a little scared of him so he gets a bit more room,” said Marshall. “When they look up and see him, they opt more to go down the other guy’s side.”

Another anchor on the Titans’ six-man blueline is Markus Phillips who Marshall says can do anything you need him to do. “We go as he goes – if he’s having a good game, the rest of the guys tend to follow suit.”

Leading the offensive charge is defenceman-turned-forward Joseph Garreffa, whose ability to create and finish plays in the attacking zone has helped him evolve into one of the team’s top scoring threats. A dynamic player by his coach’s standards, Garreffa possesses the ability to generate chances at every touch of the puck, a lethal combination when paired with his sharp-shooting linemate Daniel Berno.

“[Berno] probably has one of the best shots in the League,” said Marshall. “He isn’t the biggest guy in the world but he isn’t afraid to throw his body around when he needs to create a little room for himself.

With 23 games left in the season, the Titans are on pace to give up roughly 26 goals – a number already surrendered by half of their opponents.

With near-perfect netminding, airtight defence and balanced scoring, the Titans have a good chance of finishing first in regular season play, but the boys in blue and yellow are hoping for a more favourable result once the playoffs roll around.