Forward Konur Peterson scored two goals to help propel the Rebels to a 5 – 1 rout over the visiting Northeast Generals to even the Robertson Cup divisional semi-final series at one game apiece.
In arguably their best game of the season, the Rebels dominated the game from the initial drop of the puck until the siren sounded to end the game.
After having to postpone Saturday night’s game due to poor ice conditions at the Class of 1923 Arena, the two teams played at the Rebels original home rink for two years at the IceWorks skating complex.
The Rebels would take an early 1 – 0 lead on Peterson’s first goal of the game.
Diarmad DiMurro would dump the puck deep in the offensive zone where was it picked up by Northeast defenseman Joseph Nagle behind his own net. As Nagle started to skate up along the end board he sent a return pass to Luke Perunovich who was to the left of Generals goalie David Fessenden. Nagle went to make a cross-ice centering pass but it was intercepted by Alex Frey who immediately took a shot that was saved by Fessenden but the puck trickled through his legs and Peterson tapped it into an open net to make it a 1 – 0 game just 3:11 into the first period.
The Generals would tie it just 4:13 later.
Perunovich would bring the puck out of his own end through center ice. As he entered the Rebels zone he was taken off the puck by Bryant Gunn. As Gunn went to break up the ice he lost an edge and Matt Demelis would strip him of the puck. Demelis would deke around Rebels goalie Ryan Keane’s glove side and backhanded the biscuit into the back of the net to make it a 1 – 1 game.
After Frye was called for high sticking at the 9:14 mark, Northeast forward Alex Cohen was called for slashing a minute and a half later to make it 4 on 4 hockey. When Frye’s penalty expired, the Rebels had their first powerplay of the post season.
Jensen Zerban would take a shot from the top of the near side faceoff circle that was block by a Northeast defender and DiMurro would pick up the loose puck and send it back to Kolby Vegara at the point. Vegara took a snapshot that was saved by Fessenden but the rebound came out to Zerban who was to the right of Fessenden and Zerban drilled it past the fallen Generals netminder to put the Rebels back on top with 7:26 left in the first period.
Thirty-one seconds later Peterson would give the Rebels a two-goal lead.
Peterson would dump the puck around the Generals end board where Fessenden came out to intercept it. Fessenden would send a bounce pass high off the boards but Carson Moniz gloved it down and passed it over to Nico Appendino on his left. Appendino took a clapper that was redirected by Peterson out front and passed Fessenden to make it a 3 – 1 game.
With 1:23 left in the opening period, Matthew Wiesner was called for tripping to put the Rebels back on the powerplay. Eric Olson would make it 4 – 1 Rebels with seventeen seconds remaining in the first.
After Frye won the draw deep inside the Generals zone, the puck would go back to Moniz at the point. Moniz would pass it over to Appendino who walked the line towards his right and passed to Ryan Patrick at the top of the far side faceoff circle. Patrick took a shot that was saved by Fessenden but Olson tapped in the rebound to give the Rebels a 4 – 1 lead.
Brandon Stanley would finish the scoring just twenty-six seconds into the second period.
As the Generals tried to bring the puck through the neutral zone, a Northeast defender was stripped of the puck by Stanley who raced down the near side boards. As Stanley skated towards the faceoff dot he took a wrist shot that beat Fessenden long side to make it a 5 – 1 game. Fessenden was pulled for Marko Sturma.
Keane, who was very sharp, stopped 24 of 25 shots while Fessenden and Sturma combined to turn aside 22 of 27. Click here for the box score.
The series now moves to the New England Sports Village where games three and four will be played on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.
