The visiting Philadelphia Rebels scored four, second period goals in a span of six minutes and sixteen seconds en route to a 7 – 2 win over the Northeast Generals. The victory moves the Rebels into sole possession of first place in the East Division over the idle Wilke-Barre/Scranton Knights.
With 5:53 left in the first period, Adam Peck’s sixth goal on the year would give the Rebels a 1 – 0 lead. After an icing call on the Generals, Eric Olson would win the draw deep inside the Northeast zone. The puck would come directly back to Bryant Gunn at the near side point. Gunn passed it over to Jordin Holmes on his right. The Willow Grove, PA native took a wrist shot from the point that Peck redirected out front past the shoulder of Northeast’s goaltender David Fessenden to put the Rebels on the board.
The Rebels lead lasted all of thirty-seven seconds.
Northeast’s Matt Demelis would bring the puck up along the near side boards into and around the Rebels net. As Demelis skated towards the far side corner he was blocked off by Jensen Zerban but Demilis was able to pass the puck to Colin Bilek. Bilek would skate to the bottom of the faceoff circle and he sent a pass to Justin Jallen at the faceoff dot. Jallen took a one-timer that beat Rebels goalie Eli Billing glove side to tie the game at one.
Then with 7:38 remaining in the second period the Rebels completely changed the game’s outcome. As Holmes entered the offensive zone he took a shot that went high and wide of the Northeast net but the rebound was picked up by Alex Frye who immediately took a shot on net that was saved by Fessenden but the Northeast defensemen were unable to control the rebound-out front. As the Generals Shawn Montgomery went to clear the puck, Frye stripped him of it and the Rebels forward took a shot that beat the fallen Generals’ netminder to make it a 2 – 1 game. It was Frye’s third goal in two games.
Jallen was called for cross-checking with four minutes remaining in the second to put the Rebels on the powerplay. Friday night’s star Dusan Kmec then would give the Rebels a 3 – 1 lead. With the puck pinned in the Generals far side corner, Zerban would come out of the scrum and pass the puck to Andrew Bellant at the top of the circle. Bellant would pass it over to Kmec who took a one-timer that beat Fessenden long side with 3:07 left in the period.
A minute later Olson would make it a 4 – 1 game. Defenseman Diarmad DiMurro would intercept a Generals outlet pass at center ice and skate into the offensive zone. As he crossed the blueline he passed the puck over to his right to Auggie Moore. As Moore picked up the puck along the near side boards, he sent a backhand pass towards the net that was redirected by Olson passed Fessenden for this third goal on the season.
Aaron Maguyon would close out the second period scoring with 1:22 left in the middle stanza. Brandon Stanley picked up a loose rebound in the Generals far side corner and he passed the puck up along the boards to Bellant. Bellant sent a pass back to the point to Kmec who took a shot that was saved by Fessenden but the puck bounced off his stick directly to Stanley in the goal mouth. As Stanley was being pushed from behind he took a shot that Fessenden made with a right pad save but the rebound came out to Maguyon who tucked it home to give the Rebels a 5 – 1 lead.
After regrouping in between periods, the Generals looked to chip away at their four-goal deficit to the start of the final period. With 1:54 into the third Brady Gaudette would make it a 5 – 2 game. Billing would make a save on a shot from the point and he redirected the puck towards the corner but Matt Wiesner picked up the loose puck to the left side of Billing. Wiesner and Mike Egan would exchange passes behind the Rebels net and then Wiesner looked up and saw Gaudette in the slot and the Northeast forward took a shot that beat Billing short side for this sixth goal on the season.
However, it was too little too late as Kolby Vegara and Zerban would score two more power play goals to complete the Rebels scoring and make it a 7 – 2 game.
The Rebels went 3 for 6 with the extra attacker. In the five games played between these two teams this season, the Rebels are an astounding 47% on the power play.
Billing would turn aside 24 of 26 shots while Fessenden stopped 29 of 36. Click here for the box score.
The two teams will conclude their three-game series today at noon.
