MIDDLETOWN, NJ -- Off-ice workouts are fine, he told his players in December, but skating should be limited. When you play hockey, keep it casual.

“Play some pond hockey,” he said. “Today’s players skate all the time. They need to hit the reset button once in a while, to decompress. It’s good to miss the game a little.”

Doremus also told his players to spend as much time as they could with family and friends.

“Enjoy yourself. Don’t worry about hockey,” he said.

Thinking about hockey was fine, though.

“I told the guys it’s OK to reflect about the first half of the season,” he said. “We need our players’ focus when they get back.”

Players reported back Jan. 8. The Titans’ first game after the holiday break is this Monday, Jan. 15.

When they return, the Titans hope to put together a better second half of the season in the North American Hockey League than they did in the first half.

The Titans were 15-12-1-1 for 32 points at the holiday break, playing in 29 of the 60 regular season games on their schedule and leaving them in fourth place in the five-team East Division.

They were 10 points behind the division-leading Philadelphia Rebels.

“It was a disappointing first half. We under-performed and were inconsistent. We weren’t satisfied,” Doremus said.

But not all was gloomy looking forward.

Of the Titans’ 12 losses, eight were by one goal. Two more games were one-goal losses plus an empty-netter.

“We’re right there. We’re close to having a good season,” Doremus said. “Our problem has been attention to detail.”

The Titans players are well aware of what’s troubling the team, Doremus said.

“They aren’t running and hiding from it,” he said. “They know we can be better.”

On a positive note, Titans forward Nick Boyagian, a Sacred Heart University recruit, is having a stellar final season of junior hockey with 11 goals and 13 assists after 22 games despite missing several games with an injury.

Forward Kyler Head has returned to the Titans after playing a combined 14 games with the Green Bay Gamblers and Central Illinois Flying Aces of the United States Hockey League. Head played in four games for the Titans before the holiday break.

“It’s nice to have Kyler back,” Doremus said. “He was a big part of our team last year.”